Homophobia, or the irrational discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, is a horrible and destructive force. Along with racism, sexism and other prejudices, it’s the source of so many ills in the world, and thus, the workplace.
In America, organizations exist to quell the effects of the devastating and pervasive dynamic, and many European nations–depicted in purple to the right–have laws against related hate crimes and hate speech. While it’s difficult to extinguish this ever-powerful group dynamic, that’s OK; increasing evidence is pointing to the upside of a homophobic environment.
You read that right.
Adam Kelley and Frank Golom, a teacher and organizational development consultant, respectively, have been affected by homophobia at work, ultimately for the better. They were recently profiled in TC Today, the magazine of Teachers College (TC), Columbia University.
At the Brooklyn High School for Leadership and Community Service, Adam Kelley’s teaching is informed by a previous, harrowing work experience. Writes Emily Rosenbaum:
As a Peace Corps volunteer teaching kindergartners in a village in Uganda, he was outed by a woman who was attempting to blackmail him. The punishment for male homosexuality under Ugandan tribal law is severe, and Kelley had to flee, returning to the States.
Someone differently constituted might have rethought his career path at that point, but Kelley, though shaken, became even more committed to multiculturalism and community building.
Kelley procured a teaching position at the transfer school for over-aged and under-credited high school students ages 16-20, and holds steadfast to his episode in Uganda. Rosenbaum continues:
In what turned out to be a pivotal teaching moment, Kelley eventually told his Brooklyn students the circumstances of his departure from Uganda.
His students identify with his experience because “they don’t want to be saved. They want a second chance, and they see that me teaching at the school and interacting with them was my second chance.”
Look at that equation: homophobia at work + redoubled determination to help people = second chance helping people pursue a second chance. Beautifully, Kelley uses his story with adversity to strengthen his relationship with his students.
Frank Golom‘s career path is significantly different from Kelley’s, yet the homophobia he experienced remains similar. From the TC Today profile:
As a sophomore at Baltimore’s Loyola University, Golom was subjected to intense harassment after his roommates learned he was gay.
“When I got there, The Princeton Review described Loyola as ‘homophobic,’” recalls Golom, now a sixth-year doctoral student in TC’s social-organizational psychology program. “There was no understanding of LGBT issues and no resources to deal with the situation.”
So Golom took charge of the campus LGBT organization, led creation of an LGBT dorm and became Loyola’s first openly gay student government president.
By the time he graduated, the Director of Campus Ministry had written an article calling homophobia a sin. Golom, too, had changed. “Having that experience yoked my academic interest in psychology to the idea that values matter, that we need to care about something larger than ourselves.”
Golom currently teaches undergraduates and serves as assistant director of TC’s executive masters program in change leadership. Nice accomplishments!
Were it not for the ignorance and meanness of others, Golom and Kelley may not have achieved all they have at this point. In each of their stories, the effects of homophobia served as a catalyst toward greater success.
What does it take to leverage workplace homophobia for your professional advantage? At the core, it requires a belief that you are a victor in life, and not a victim. Accessing and revealing your internal resources kicks in from there. Which is to say it takes:
- An understanding that you have the agency to face what the big, bad world presents to you
- Perseverance to keep you moving forward when the odds may feel against you
- Creative problem solving to identify all the ways to transform the negative energy of homophobia into positive results for yourself, and others.
Higher education helps a whole heap, too.
We’re learning that sometimes instead of battling oppression head-on, it can be more productive to acknowledge it, take care of your self physically and emotionally, and use the resulting feelings of pain, fear, anger, sadness, disappointment — and hope — to build your career towards making the world better.
You know who comes to mind right now? Yes, Christina Aguilera. Her song “Fighter” captures the essence of this post quite well. She sings:
If it wasn’t for all that you tried to do
I wouldn’t know just how capable I am to pull through
So I wanna say thank you
‘Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
Makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a fighter.
The video directed by Floria Sigismondi is a little melodramatic, and we love it. Have a look:
Frank Golom and Adam Kelley are fighters, right? And total superstars.
Have you experienced homophobia at work? How has it impacted your career path?
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