"The Corporate Closet" by James D. Woods with Jay H. Lucas, Free Press, New
York, 1993, ISBN 0-02-935603-2
 
 
"The Corporate Closet" is the first in a series of books dealing with lesbians
and gay men in America's workforce. The series is my idea, not the author's.
 
James Woods is a skilled writer. He effectively blends statistics and
anecdotes in a thought-provoking discussion of why gay professional men hide
(or come out) in the workplace. At one point he tells the story of a talented
employee who left his firm rather than risk the visibility of a promotion.
Later he describes a project manager whose boss chastised him for not meeting
a deadline while taking care of his dying lover. "What do you want me to do,
leave him in a bed of shit?" he asked.
 
Woods illustrates different strategies of "identity management" used by gay
professionals, including playing it straight and maintaining boundaries.
Tremendous prices are paid for working incognito. Closeted workers report
increased physical and psychological illness due to the constant stress.
 
One of the interesting facets of _Closet_ is its examination of the social and
sexual mores of corporate life. There is a pervasive assumption of asexuality,
which is particularly threatening to gay employees who want to relate honestly
with coworkers. The belief that sexuality has no place in a business
environment dooms an employee who tells his colleagues that his male roommate
is more than a friend. This happens, of course, in an office replete with baby
announcements and wedding well-wishes.
 
Exposing the dimensions of the closet can be depressing, particularly for
those who are in the process of venturing forth. Some of the occupants boast
about how successfully they manage their identities. They wouldn't dream of
sacrificing what they've gained for the uncertain satisfaction of visibility.
At times the book reads like a how-to manual on surviving life in the closet.
 
Thankfully the final chapters discuss advances made by gay employees who
recognize the urgency of dismantling their closets. More and more gay
employees are leaving oppressive work environments for more open ones. Several
pages are devoted to Microsoft Corporation and its gay-positive initiatives.
 
So why the need for a sequel? Consider the demographics of the study. Woods
interviewed 70 male professionals, almost exclusively white, from large
American cities and environs. A quick read of the methodology helps to clarify
why the participants were so homogeneous.
 
Not surprisingly, willing participants were hard to find. It's tough finding
subjects among people who are trying desperately to hide. And many who could
be identified as gay were unwilling to participate. Thus the resulting 70 were
somewhat atypical of gay professionals simply because of their willingness to
have their stories published. In spite of the inevitable skew of this study
sample, the stories told and inferences drawn are well worth reading.
 
But there are more stories to be told. Too much of America already believes
that "gay" is equivalent to "white, upper income male." There are lesbians who
are ready to tell their stories, but they are reticent to participate in a
study authored exclusively by men. It's time for a sequel authored by women.
 
There are gay employees on the shop floor, the assembly line, and in the
service sector. They are ready to tell their stories. Woods cites "surveys of
gay men which typically locate only a small number...in blue-collar or
manual jobs, a finding that has led some researchers to speculate that gay men
tend to avoid work settings that emphasize traditionally masculine traits such
as physical aggressiveness." Such research fails to account for the
sturdiness of closet walls in such masculine work settings.
 
Woods et al should look for participants at gay picnics and pride marches. Men
and women of all shapes, sizes, colors, and professions will be there. Perhaps
this will result in a more representative study of all working lesbians and
gay men.
 
Until then, read "The Corporate Closet". And give a copy to your boss.
 
Regards,  Chuck Collins  (Kodak)