During Record Shutdown, Many Furloughed Workers Are Thriving
A lifetime of hard-earned resiliency coupled with innate abilities proves invaluable during the crisis.
The record-setting Trump government shutdown is taking its toll on affected government workers, extending well beyond the government into the small business and private sector. As unpaid bills pile up, lines of credit are maxed-out and stress levels shoot through the roof. But at least one group of furloughed workers are hitting their stride in the midst of the uncertainty and fear of the shutdown; LGBTQ government employees.
“It was easy for me to quit my lease and find a place to stay,” says Boris Newsome of New Jersey, a furloughed clerk for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. “My friends have always admired my skin care regimen, so they intuitively knew that I wouldn’t get any weird skin or hair oils on their couch cushions and pillows. Plus, I aggressively man-scape, so they can rest easy and not worry about shower pubes. It’s like my old boyfriend used to say, ‘If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.’”
Across the spectrum, other queer workers are finding ways to not only survive but thrive during a period when their straight counterparts are struggling. Gregory Williams of Massachusets is a perfect example. His job as the camera technician for the National Zoo’s popular panda habitat is one of more than 850,000 jobs that were deemed “nonessential”. During the shutdown, Mr. Williams has monetized his hobby; making panda bear tchotchkes to sell to friends, relatives, and panda aficionados who are heartbroken over the loss of their panda cam live stream.
“I was strongly opposed to asking for help, so it was important for me to find a way to give back to the panda-fan community in a meaningful way. Until the cameras went offline, I really had no idea just how popular the zoo pandas had become. Well, that’s not exactly true, we have metrics on exactly how many folks log in each day to view the pandas, but still, I feel honored to be able to continue to make a living from panda cuteness.
Many queer workers credit their extensive social support networks, established earlier in life while learning to overcome the challenges of queer life, for their ability to overcome new challenges that arise, like the Trump shutdown. “Gay twitter saved my life,” exclaimed Amy Seyfried of Portland. “As soon as the shutdown started I sent out a red flare tweet and BAM! The next day there was a GoFundMe campaign with $39 dollars donated. Every day since it has grown and we’re up to $342 now. If things continue like this, I’ll be able to pay my January rent by June. The support of the community is just wonderful.”
Even LGBTQ workers who have not been fortunate enough to continue to pay their rent have found ways to flourish. Sam Absolam leveraged his innate interior design capabilities as a gay man to secure a long-term bed at the local homeless shelter.
“Oh my gosh, what Sam can do with a couple of cots and a plastic Ficus is just ahhh-maaaze-zinggg!” gushed Summer Wilson, a case manager at the shelter. “This place was just so dreary and sad, but now it feels like a place that people want to call home. Since Sam has been here, our line for people wanting a bed wraps all the way around the block each night.”
Mr. Absolam just wants people to know that it’s the straights who need the most help right now. “Us queers, we know how to survive. We’re resilient and we have mad skills. Please look out for my straight brothers and sisters right now. They don’t have gay privilege or special powers, you know?”
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