The Hidden Costs of Staying Closeted at Work
Here’s what it would really take to make workplaces inclusive for queer people.
Federal government employee Kinyatta Gray discovered her lesbian identity at 23, but stayed closeted on the job for fifteen years. Gray, who is Black and femme-presenting, felt “petrified of being outed” after hearing negative comments about queer relationships. The Washington, DC-based employee skipped office parties and avoided socializing “under the pretense that I’m private.” She worried about losing friendships, losing favor, and being treated differently.
Gray isn’t alone here: Forty-six percent of LGBTQIA+ workers remain closeted on the job at steep costs to their mental health. Thirty-one percent of LGBTQIA+ workers report feeling unhappy or depressed and 17 percent feel exhausted from hiding their identity, per HRC’s study. For LGBTQIA+ people of color (POC), clocking in often means combatting racist and culturally-biased microaggressions on top of sexism, homophobia, or transphobia. All in a day’s unequal pay.
The Supreme Court’s 2020 decision ending LGBTQIA+ workplace discrimination has offered valuable legal protection to queer workers. But the reasons queer people hide who they are extend beyond the fear of getting fired. So, why are so many LGBTQIA+ workers closeted…
