Out in the workplace: To be or not to be?

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      Coming out as queer to your friends and family is one thing. There are possible emotional consequences to face but there are also rewards. 

      Coming out in the workplace can be a different matter. Unlike in your personal life, where you can potentially feel more freedom to express a wider range of emotions and opinions, your professional life can be more complex.

      Relations with coworkers or clients can be complicated, particularly if emotions can't be discussed openly and honestly. Income and reputation is at potential risk.

      Some LGBT people choose to be out in the personal lives but not in their professional lives. (That's certainly been the case for many LGBT people in Hollywood.)

      While things have greatly improved over the past few decades for Canadians to come out at work, challenges still remain (some panel discussions and workshops in Vancouver addressed this issue last year).

      The following video is part of an Irish campaign called Stand Up at Work! to address homophobia and transphobia in the workplace. Irish workers in various fields talk about their experience of being closeted at work, facing discrimination, and more.

      Some workers describe how straight coworkers were able to help their coworkers not feel so alone.

      The video can be a helpful resource for LGBT allies to watch so they can understand what the challenges that their coworkers might be experiencing.

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