Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-1-2017

Department

Management

Abstract

Despite increased efforts by more organizations to be seen as “gay-friendly,” workplaces remain challenging sites for LGBTQ employees to navigate. We examine the ways in which LGBTQ employees experience dignity threats in the workplace and the protection strategies they use to deflect those threats. Interviews with 36 LGBTQ working adults revealed that their dignity is threatened by a range of identity-sensitive inequalities that undermine their safety and security when they claim authentic gendered/sexual identities. Specific safety and security threats to dignity include social harm, autonomy violations, career harm, and physical harm. To (re)claim their dignity, they engage in four primary dignity protection strategies: avoiding harm by seeking safe spaces, deflecting harm with sexual identity management, offsetting identity devaluations by emphasizing instrumental value, and creating safe spaces for authenticity and dignity.

Comments

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article:

Baker, S. J., and Lucas, K. "Is it safe to bring myself to work? Understanding LGBTQ experiences of workplace dignity." 2017 Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 34(2): 133–148.

which has been published in final form at http://doi.org/10.1002/CJAS.1439

This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.

Original Publication Information

Baker, S. J., and Lucas, K. "Is it safe to bring myself to work? Understanding LGBTQ experiences of workplace dignity." 2017 Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 34(2): 133–148.

DOI

10.1002/CJAS.1439

ORCID

0000-0003-1645-6603

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