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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Chapter 11
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Table of Contents
Page No. in the IM
Chapter Outline
1
Chapter Objectives
2
Lecture Notes and Teaching Suggestions
2
Key Facts (and Associated Questions)
4
Selected Items for Instructors’ Consideration as Discussion Points
5
Questions to Consider (End of Chapter)
8
Actions and Exercises
10
Suggested Readings
11
Suggested Video
12
Suggested Test Questions
12
Chapter Outline
1. Introduction and Overview
2. History of Gay Rights in the United States
4. Education and Income Levels
6. Research on Access and Treatment Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities
8. HIV/AIDS at Work: Unfounded Fears
10. Codes of Silence, or Out at Work?
11. Recommendations for Individuals
13. Summary
15. Questions to Consider
16. Actions and Exercises
Chapter Objectives
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
After completing this chapter, readers should have a greater understanding of sexual
orientation and gender identity as aspects of diversity. Specifically, they should be able to:
• explain the relationships between sex, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
• discuss the experiences of sexual minorities in organizations.
• explain similarities and differences between sexual minorities and other non-dominant
groups.
• compare population estimates, education, and income levels of gay men and lesbians
with those of heterosexual men and women.
Lecture Notes and Teaching Suggestions
This chapter discusses sexual orientation as a diversity issue, an area that is often
emotionally charged and that has similarities to and differences from other diversity issues.
As the dominant group, heterosexuals are least likely to experience differential treatment
based on their sexual orientation when compared with sexual minorities. The experiences of
sexual minorities with discrimination, harassment, exclusion, and hate crimes are similar in
many ways to those of other minority groups. Although sexual minorities have not broadly
suffered enslavement, near annihilation, or lynching, certain factors create unique problems
for them that are not experienced by other non-dominant group members. For example,
members of other minority groups (Blacks or women) are not viewed as having chosen their
group membership or as having the ability to change it. Nor are members of other minority
groups commonly faced with the dilemma of informing others of their group membership;
race, sex, and age range are more likely to be obvious to observers.
The American Psychological Association defines sexual orientation as a component of
sexuality “characterized by enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, and/or affectional
attractions to individuals of a particular gender”. In this book, the term sexual minorities is
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
The chapter begins with a brief review of the history of gays and lesbians and their struggle
for civil rights in the United States. Gallup polls indicate that the great majority of
Americans believe that sexual minorities should have equal employment opportunities; only
11% believe that discrimination based on sexual orientation is acceptable. Despite this, no
uniform federal legislation prohibits sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace.
Thus, in most states, employers can refuse to hire someone for being LGBT (access
discrimination), or fire them for not conforming to perceived gender appropriate norms and
behaviors (treatment discrimination). Sexual orientation discrimination is prohibited in
federal civilian workplaces by Executive Order 11478.
Many organizations include sexual orientation in their non-discrimination and harassment
policies, even though no widespread federal legislation currently protects sexual minorities
One’s sexual orientation is invisible despite many people’s perceptions that they can “tell”
who is gay, lesbian, or heterosexual. This invisibility presents the option to remain closeted
for gays and lesbians, but this option is fraught with negative consequences. The costs of
continual vigilance to ensure that no one finds out distract gays and lesbians from doing
productive work, and it is also physically and emotionally taxing for them. Sexual
minorities who work in organizations in which they are comfortable being out are not
subject to such wasted energy and experience less role conflict, ambiguity, and less conflict
between work and home.
Research evidence on the lower earnings of gay men compared to heterosexual men and the
The chapter discusses the unnecessary and unfounded fears that are sometimes expressed
about working with or hiring someone who is gay. In contrast to perceptions (increasingly
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Key Facts (and Associated Questions)
Questions following each “Key Fact” are helpful in stimulating class discussion. (Selected
key facts include discussion points in this Instructors’ Manual. Instructors may choose
different ones to emphasize depending on the needs/interests of students and instructors).
Instructors may wish to have students formulate questions of their own relevant to the key
facts and use them for class discussion.
• No federal laws currently prohibit sexual orientation discrimination in private
workplaces in the United States, but Title VII has been used in cases of gender
discrimination against sexual minorities.
Question: Can someone be fired for being gay or lesbian?
• Many cities, states, and organizations do prohibit sexual orientation discrimination.
Question: What is the function of Executive Order 11478?
Executive Order 11478 (enacted in 1998) prohibits sexual orientation discrimination
in federal civilian workplaces, but this prohibition has not been extended to other
• Regardless of their sexual orientation, employees are more committed to
organizations in which sexual orientation discrimination is not tolerated.
Question: Why do you think employees are more committed when an organization
practices tolerance?
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
• Organizations with inclusive LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) policies
financially outperform competitors with less inclusive policies.
Question: Why do you think the organizations that are more inclusive outperform
competitors?
Selected Items for Instructors’ Consideration as Discussion
Points
1. Organizational Feature 11.1: Cracker Barrel Reverses its Antigay Stance but
Diversity Problems Remain
This feature discusses Cracker Barrel’s policy that called for termination of non-
heterosexuals and its ultimate reversal and inclusion of prohibitions against sexual
orientation discrimination in its non-discrimination policy. Cracker Barrel’s initial
policy resulted in the termination of several gay employees, which is not illegal under
Federal law in the United States. Public outrage, boycotts, and shareholder activism
Questions to Consider:
1. What are the similarities and differences between the race and sexual orientation
concerns at Cracker Barrel?
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
2. What does the Cracker Barrel Web site say about its “Pleasing People” goal?
The Web site says that their goal of pleasing people is about mutual respect for guests,
3. What kinds of messages are sent by an agreement to an $8.7 million settlement but no
admission of wrongdoing?
The organization still is not admitting wrongdoing, which sends a confusing message.
Employees may not believe that the company really values diversity, and customers
2. Organizational Feature 11. 2: Hewlett-Packard’s Sexual Orientation Policies amid
Charges of Discrimination—A Study in Contrasts?
This feature discusses Hewlett-Packard’s diversity page and its efforts to ensure
Questions to Consider:
1. One important purpose of a company Web site is to communicate positive
information about the company. How might the inclusive practices listed earlier
be perceived by people who are gay or lesbian? How might the practices be
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
perceived by other employees?
The inclusive practices are: non-discrimination policy, electronic job posting,
harassment-free work environment, domestic partner benefits, employee network
2. Electronic job posting can be viewed as a means to ensure that every
applicant has a fair chance, based on his or her qualifications, to be considered for
a job. How might electronic job posting be viewed positively by workers from all
backgrounds?
3. Why do you think that HP offered domestic partner benefits to opposite-sex
partners as well as to same-sex partners?
4. What kinds of things might explain the race discrimination issues that were
alleged, given the existence of HP’s stated non-discrimination policies? What else
should be done within HP to avoid issues such as this?
Some managers may not be supportive of diversity policies at HP or may not
have been adequately trained. Some managers may believe that affirmative action
HP should make concerted efforts to deal with contradictions such as these.
3. Individual Feature 11.1: Lupe Valdez, Sheriff, Dallas County, Texas
This feature discusses Lupe Valdez, Sheriff of Dallas County, Texas, who was the first
woman elected to this high-ranking position and the first Democrat elected in twenty-
five years. Valdez, a lesbian, was elected in 2004, a year when same-sex marriage was
Questions to Consider (Individual Feature 11.2)
1. Do you agree with the perspective that gays and lesbians and others who have been
marginalized are more likely to embrace diversity? Why or why not?
2. How might people who have been marginalized work together for diversity and
inclusion? Why might they not do so?
Questions to Consider (End of Chapter)
1. Some states and cities have legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual
orientation, weight, appearance, and other factors that are not covered under federal
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
legislation. What factors may affect the passage of such legislation in some areas, but
not in others? Is sexual orientation discrimination prohibited in the city or state in
which you live?
2. When the U.S. armed forces were first integrated, there was tremendous opposition,
but integration has been accomplished. How similar and different is the opposition to
the open service of gays and lesbians in the military to that for the integrated service
of Blacks and Whites?
The opposition itself is similar. The difference lies in the fact that who is viewed as
3. What is the official policy on sexual orientation discrimination in the organization in
which you work or are interested in working? With or without non-discrimination
policies, what is the climate toward LGBT in the organization?
4. How is the invisibility of sexual orientation similar to or different from the invisibility
of religion?
5. In Individual Feature 11.2, Pascal Lepine proposes that gays and lesbians may also be
more open to others who have also been marginalized in society. In what kinds of
situations have devalued, disenfranchised, and marginalized groups in the United
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
States supported each other’s causes? When have they undermined or resisted each
other’s causes?
Students’ answers will vary. Lepine viewed being gay as an advantage and that being
Actions and Exercises
1. Conduct research to identify at least two people who are gay or lesbian who are actors
or entertainers, but who are somewhat public figures. How difficult was it to find
these two people? What did you learn about them?
2. Investigate the number of states in which sexual orientation discrimination is currently
illegal in the United States.
Students can refer to the following sources while answering this question:
3. If you are not gay, interview a close friend or relative who is openly gay about his or
her experiences at work. If you are gay, how do your experiences compare with those
reported in the chapter?
Students’ answers will vary. However, employees who come out at work more or less
4. Tech companies are noted for severe underrepresentation of women, Blacks, and
Hispanics. Tim Cook became CEO of Apple in 2011. Is Apple any more progressive
and inclusive than other companies, such as Google and Hewlett-Packard?
Investigate.
Suggested Readings
The instructor should preview books and articles for appropriateness to the specific levels,
classes, and students.
Correll, S. (1999). “Lesbian and Gay Americans.” In A. G. Dworkin & R. J. Dworkin
(Eds.), The Minority Report: An Introduction to Racial, Ethnic and Gender Relations,
3rd ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Publishers, pp. 436–456.
Dietch, E. A., Butz, R. M., & Brief, A. P. (2004). “Out of the Closet and Out of a Job? The
Nature, Import, and Causes of Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Workplace.” In
R. W. Griffin & A. M. O’Leary-Kelly (Eds.), The Dark Side of Organizational
Behavior, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 187–234.
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Chapter 11: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Suggested Video
Though somewhat dated and long for 1-hour class periods, the movie Philadelphia depicts a
poignant and realistic case of sexual orientation discrimination. The protagonist’s clear job
competence and pain, and the fear and ignorance of his bosses in this movie (based on a true
story) are moving. The instructor may wish to choose portions of the film to show to the
students(including the “loss” of the files; the protagonist’s initial and second encounter with
the man who would take his case; the family scenes; and portions of the trial, including
victory for the protagonist).
Suggested Test Questions
2. What outcomes are associated with being closeted?
3. What organizational measures can be implemented to include sexual minorities as
valued employees?
4. What do offerings of “domestic partner benefits” include?
5. How might one reconcile strongly held religious beliefs about homosexuality with an
organization’s posture on non-discrimination against sexual minorities?