workplace stigma and discrimination. Their comment also demonstrates the importance of work being a safe place: You’ve come out and you’re celebrating and it's like, “I’m finally so happy about how I identify and this means so much to me”. Then suddenly you get slapped in the face by society, slapped in the face by workmates and you go, “Oh shit” and then you turn the news on and see what’s happening in America with Donald Trump and what he’s done with transgender people in the army and all their rights are taken away ... I feel like I’ve gone back in the closet a bit. I've had to really do some really hard core thinking about it. It’s really sad. It makes me sad because I have such a supportive partner and such an incredibly supportive group of friends and straight friends, queer friends, collectively because I’ve lived in Sydney for 30 years. It disappoints me that I live in such a progressive immediate environment that I’ve created for myself and then I sort of can’t be who I want to be at work. Queer, 40s
5. INFLUENCE OF WORK ENVIRONMENT ON DISCLOSURE OF LGBTQ+ IDENTITY A person’s position in an organisation’s hierarchy often shaped their decision as to whether to express their diverse sexual or gender openly. For example, people described having waited until they had reached a level of seniority to come out because they perceived their position would protect them from any negative implications. Conversely, people who were in the early stages of their career described delaying being open about their LGBTQ+ identity until they had more experience, completed a necessary qualification or progressed within their organisation. They described waiting to ensure that their job security, emotional safety or career aspirations would not be affected before feeling comfortable to come out. SENIORITY Seniority or duration of secure employment contributes to people feeling safe and protected to be open about their diverse sexual or gender identity at work. Most participants who described delaying ‘coming out’ at work did so because they were uncertain about the way their colleagues or people in their work environment would respond. When I was telling that story, I call it the defining moment. I came to work one day and basically made a conscious decision that I'm not going to make up a
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