Expert Rponse: whether we like or not, as out LGBTQ+ profsnals, we’re reprentg the greater LGBTQ+ Communy; what we do as an dividual may impact how people perceive the overall LGBTQ+ Communy. So, ask yourself if you’re reppg our peeps the most posive light. No, all gay people aren’t the same and shouldn’t act that same; that’s silly. But we all shape the data that ntribut to how people perceive our overall Communy. Be mdful of that, Social; you have the power to dispt misnceptns about or rerce them. You—pecially as an LGBTQ+ Lear—are partly charge of how the world perceiv ; handle that rponsibily wh thoughtfulns and re while still sharg your thentic self.
Contents:
- WA, ARE YOU GAY? THE ROAD TO FDG YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF
- OVERG BARRIERS: EMPOWERG GAY MEN WH LOW SELF-ESTEEM
WA, ARE YOU GAY? THE ROAD TO FDG YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF
* gay authentic self *
Michel – The gay French anisatnal psychologist who went to the US. Growg up ral France, Michel regnised that he was gay early, but only opened up about when he went to universy Paris.
In fact, Michel has found that beg foreign has been jt as helpful to his reer advancement as his beg gay.
Now a divorced parent of three children, Michel has been on a double journey, first of beg relatively unual the gay muny, and then fdg himself more aligned on many onts wh the straight suburban parents he met at the school gate. While not even “out” yet at work, he experienced a first bsh wh homophobia when an angry managg partner at the law firm where he worked berated him for attemptg to raise funds for an AIDS awarens march. Steve and Joe both groan over people’s tenncy to assume that gay men are promiscuo.
OVERG BARRIERS: EMPOWERG GAY MEN WH LOW SELF-ESTEEM
As gay men, we are tght om a young age to prrize the needs of others and put ourselv send. Whether ’s nyg our gayns for the benef of our fai or promisg our happs to f wh our straight peers, we are traed to make cisns for the benef of others and negl * gay authentic self *
I’ve been livg Los Angel and workg Wt Hollywood, LA’s gay neighborhood, for 10 years. Sadly, most of the people I know who have died while livg LA have eher worked at a gay bar Wt Hollywood or have been a part of the muny. And while the are unequivolly trmas, people also experience trma as daily microaggrsns, such as homophobia, transphobia, bullyg and time spent the closet.