Not so Straightforward: Coming Out and Hetero-Professionalism at Work

Abstract

The current research aims to explore the relationship between being “out” as LGBT in the workplace and perceived professionalism and whether heteronormativity in the perceiver moderates this connection. The hypotheses predict significantly lower levels of perceived professionalism of a gay colleague who discloses his sexual orientation at work compared to a gay colleague who conceals his sexual orientation. Furthermore, a significant negative effect is predicted between levels of heteronormativity in the perceiver and perceived professionalism of the gay colleague. Lastly heteronormativity in the perceiver is predicted to positively moderate the relationship between disclosure status and perceived professionalism, meaning that respondents who score high on heteronormativity would perceive a gay colleague who has disclosed his sexual orientation at work as less professional than respondents who score low on heteronormativity. This research is an experimental vignette study, in which participants are randomly divided into one of two conditions. Both groups will read an anecdote about an imaginary colleague who is homosexual; in the first conditions this colleague has disclosed his sexual orientation at work, in the second condition the colleague conceals his sexual orientation at work. Participants are then asked to fill in questionnaires about their perceived professionalism of the colleague and their own level of heteronormativity. The results show significant effects in the predicted directions for both independent variables, confirming the first and second hypotheses. No interaction effect has been found, rejecting the moderation hypothesis.