I don’t remember the first time I came out at work, as much as I remember the first time I came out at all. It was on The University of Texas West Mall on National Coming Out Day, 1996. Yes, I was one of those rare souls that actually came out on the coming out holiday. I was trepidatious of coming out in the beginning, but once I made that first step, it was a whirlwind of self-realization. And while I don’t remember my first coming out at work moment as an employee, I do remember my coming out while in management. While working for a startup company, I asked the HR manager about same-sex partner benefits. The next day, the other six employees at the company knew about it, including the racist, homophobic CEO and his racist, homophobic salesman brother. Still, I never had to face discrimination or inappropriate comments at work, but I knew it was going on behind the scenes. The only thing that saved my job was that the company was dependant on my technology skills and didn’t have the resources to find a replacement. In my own business, I proudly support the LGBT community through donating time and services. This creates a somewhat continuous coming out conversation with employees, vendors, and customers. It has become an essential part of what I do, and my customers appreciate how my authentic nature and diverse perspective make what I do that much better.
Still, it shouldn’t take indispensable talents for permission to come out on the job as even the most intolerant business people see green before any other prejudice. It is this economic color-blindness that makes a minority chamber of commerce so essential to the social conversation. The LGBT community is the third largest minority group in the Austin area (behind African-American and Hispanic) but is the highest per-capita income group. We represent significant economic power individually and collectively that should not be ignored. Coming out at work is the individual part of that social and economic realization happening across the country and in Austin.
It’s easy to disenfranchise a community when they feel distant and unimportant. Legislation protects us from the government, and parades and rallies show our diversity and celebrate our community. But a gay and lesbian chamber of commerce demonstrates that when we support each other, we benefit the whole community. Our economic impact starts with supporting the gay and gay-supportive members of the chamber. But that impact transcends simply being aware of where the dollars are spent. It truly facilitates the unique and diverse culture that Austinites enjoy. Supporting the members of the AGLCC is a statement of support for what makes Austin the greatest city in the nation.