Sexuality Within Organisational Contexts

Self-identity is central to what determines human behavior and provides individuals a ‘lens’ with which to view the external world. Often, when this lens is distinctly different from what has become accepted as ‘normal’ through social construction, this particular ‘socially deviant’ lens is then stigmatized to the point where individuals operating this lens face a dilemma. They can either allow themselves to be true to their distinct and unique identity or conceal it and attempt to go along with the status quo often to the detriment of organizational performance.

This dilemma is particularly pervasive for the lesbian, gay and bisexual community (LGB) within organizational contexts. More specifically within organizational contexts where the prevalent qualities and attributes desired vary greatly from that of the LGB’s socially defined stereotypical attributes. A clear example where this occurs is with gay police officers within the police force. Being ‘gay’ is considered socially deviant behavior on three planes: (i) officers are tasked with regulating social disorder, hence how can they regulate disorder when they themselves are ‘supposedly’ committing it? (ii) Police culture has been embedded with normative masculine characteristics; attributes that are not commonly associated with homosexuals (iii) police work and organisations are understood to represent conservative elements within society (Rumens, 2011). Sexuality, along with gender, race, age, all play a role in determining identity. Without sexuality, individuals can never fully establish identities; this may affect organizational performance and behavior in numerous ways. So why and how can these police officers disclose their true complete identity and manage this identity within a culture that stereotypically has no room for such deviance?

Coming out to another person is a form of self-disclosure, which is defined here as the communication by one individual to another of information about him or

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