OVERVIEW OF MY RESEARCH
WHAT WAS THE GOAL?
My goal with this research was to identify the ways that being queer affected people's personal experience in choosing a career, and in those careers. Understanding how queerness can impact these decisions based on not feeling welcome in certain spaces. Discovering people's experience within these realities in order to make people aware and begin to make spaces more comfortable for queer people to exist and contribute.
HOW WAS THE RESEARCH APPROACHED?
I spoke to 5 queer individuals about their experience in the workplace as it related to their identity. I also spoke to 1 non-queer individual afterward to understand if they could relate to any of the common experiences. Between the different queer people, 2 of them had chosen creative career paths, while the other 2 were in professional office jobs.
Gaining the perspective of queer people with many different career choices would allow me to have a larger spectrum of how much one might feel affected by their queerness. Speaking with the non-queer individual would allow me to see how much of a difference there was between the queer vs. Non-queer experience and this would strengthen any outcomes.
WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME?
People in creative career paths felt these fields were more open-minded towards different types of people, and they were happy they were able to express themselves without worry. One person mentioned that discovering their sexuality and becoming comfortable with themself was a journey that most likely distracted them during a time that most people were thinking about career options.
In a professional environment, both people mentioned that they do feel that to be taken more seriously they may unconsciously act in a more “heterosexual” way. One person mentioning that you are more likely to get taken more seriously the more you can pass as straight. The other person mentioned that because they do not come off as gay right away, they aren’t as conscious of it. This person did mention however that they don’t directly mention or speak to their queerness unless asked.
When speaking to the non-queen interviewee, she mentioned that she wasn’t conscious of the way she came off in the workplace, as long as she was being professional.
ABOUT ME
I am a fourth year Professional Communications student at Ryerson. I am originally from Ottawa, but always wanted to be living here in Toronto. I am currently a Stylist, and am interested in all things music, fashion, and marketing.
Credits:
Created with images by Cecilie Johnsen - "Oslo Pride" • Annie Spratt - "Team work, work colleagues, working together" • Delia Giandeini - ""Queer & Proud" - Pride parade in Geneva (Switzerland), July 2019." • Jeremy Beadle - "angelanobles.com" • Austin Distel - "This photo is free for public use. ❤️ If you do use this photo, Please credit in caption or metadata with link to "www.useproof.com". "