Working While Queer: The Perils of Coming Out on the Job

Increasingly, work just isn’t working for LGBTQ people — especially for those of us who choose to come out and stay out on the job. New studies show a distressing trend, with companies backtracking on their support for a welcoming workplace. Alarmingly, 63% of LGBTQ workers say they have faced discrimination in their careers, and 70% feel lonely, misunderstood, marginalized, and excluded at work.

In this episode, David Hunt tackles the question: Can you really take pride in your work if you’re discouraged from taking pride in yourself? He talks with two trans women who faced challenges and discrimination on the job: university professor Khôra Martel and biotech executive Alaina Kupec. Martel's teaching contract was ended shortly after she came out as trans at the University of Tennessee. Kupec transitioned while working at Pfizer but left the company after her career stalled. She is the founder and executive director of GRACE: Gender Research Advisory Council and Education, a trans-led nonprofit that advocates for trans rights.

The program concludes with an interview with Dr. Jenna Brownfield, a bi/queer therapist who helps LGBTQ people with workplace issues. She provides advice for navigating a hostile work environment.

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David Hunt is an Emmy-winning journalist and documentary producer who has reported on America's culture wars since the 1970s. Explore his blog, Tell Me, David.