Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that concealment of same-sex orientation at work can lead to feelings of inauthenticity, low commitment, and depression. However, there are several people who, after performing a risk-return analysis of the decision to come out as openly gay, decide to conceal. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how the decision to conceal sexual orientation occurs. This study aims to develop a grounded theory about the silence of gays and lesbians in the workplace as a response to threats in the workplace. We conducted semi-structured interviews with gay and lesbian employees and presented a grounded theory in which we maintain that this silence at work is not only explained by rational and calculative motivations but also by less intentional intra and intersubjective processes. The originality of this study lies in its emphasis on the theory of social identity to explain the phenomenon of disclosure of sexual orientation in the workplace. In the constructed model, we identify reasons for silence associated with different levels of the self, characteristics of the gay or lesbian individuals themselves and the people with whom they interact, who tend to influence the decision by silence. In addition, we understand individual tactics adopted in order to increase safety for sharing sexual orientation. Such discoveries contribute to overcoming the problem experienced by gays or lesbians as a result of the concealment of sexual orientation at work.

Keywords:
Identity threats; Sexual Orientation; Silence; Voice; Diversity