Should You Omit Your Gay Related Work Experience From Your Resume?

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Permalink Reply by jaysays on August 13, 2009 at 8:18pm

I've never really had to think about that much. I did include volunteer work for a Men's Chorale I was a member of at one point - but that wasn't so obviously gay. Other than that, I don't see why not. Including it will eliminate the possibility that you will be working for a company that discriminates based upon sexual orientation/gender identity.

Actually, I was surprised that, in spite of the inclusion of the chorale, my employer did not realize I was gay until I'd been working there for about 2 years. Not sure how they missed it considering Christopher would pick me up and they knew we lived together - guess they were just dense, naive or unimpressed. It's never been an issue with my job - I'm one of the lucky one's.

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Permalink Reply by Haley Robbins on August 14, 2009 at 12:44pm

No, I certainly don't think you should ommit anything along these lines. I think it's only fair in this day and age to not have to hide who you are or what your life experiences have brought you. I mean, think about it - what if that one job, that was run by a homosexual owner or a "gay-friendly" operation was the key to getting you the job you want or need at the time? I think now a days, if someone is so closed minded to not hire you based off of something so common, then that is there loss.

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Permalink Reply by Anntichrist S. Coulter on August 14, 2009 at 9:55pm

When I've applied to lesbian businesses and let it "slip" or revealed it however that I was BI, then I get that snotty look like, "ew, you've got DICK on your breath!" and never get the callback, when everything had been going along swimmingly up until that point. When I apply to corporate jobs that are allegedly "fair" in their hiring practices, I don't say SQUAT about my orientation, but I do see the occasional raised eyebrow about my work doing fundraising for the battered women's program. Apparently, any actual PROOF that you ARE a woman and NOT GOING TO APOLOGIZE FOR IT is a derogatory statement on a resume'.

If I'd listed under personal that I was "just working 'til I find that right mayunnnnn and start popping out a unit every 9 months," I'm sure that I'd have gotten twice as many callbacks as I have, if not even more. If I belonged to a recognized cult, that would've helped a lot, too, I'm sure.

Been on disability for 4 years, hate the hell out of it, but a BA in Fine Arts/Communications & minor in English/Creative Writing isn't worth much down here in West Redneckistan, aka Louisiana. After my 5th spine surgery (this time on the neck), I doubt that I'll ever find a physical job that I can do (like bartending, waiting tables, working on the docks, retail, etc.) or a sit-down job that will hire me (as the Americans With Disabilities Act DOES NOT EXIST IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA or in most of Miami/Miami Beach, FL) because of the sarcoidosis & back injuries/surgeries.

Yup, if I were a horse, they'd have shot me back in '95. But it's the damned truth. I never even get to get TO my orientation and finding out if "it's an issue" or not, because once they find out that I have a NON-CONTAGIOUS AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER and a spine that looks like something from Ripley's Believe It Or Not!, even if I've already been HIRED, they find a way out of it. If anybody goes to visit NOLA anytime soon, I can tell you which "tour guides" discriminate against the disabled and which ones LIE OUTRIGHT in terms of "Louisiana/New Orleans history." Most tour guides in NOLA are yankees who just make it up as they go along, especially the guys who drive the mule buggies.

And that concludes my sermon for today: Tryin' To Get A Gig As A Bisexual Cripple With A Severely Jacked-Up Immune System And Skin That Hates Me.

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Permalink Reply by Genia Stevens on September 25, 2009 at 7:24am

I just had a situation that made me decide to NEVER omit anything from my resume. I am interviewing for work in the TV industry. My sexual orientation came up when the General Manager asked me to show him what I've been doing for the past year. I've spent the past year building this site and running my own gay and lesbian radio show. So, I'm sure he knows (by now!) that I'm a lesbian. I thought I'd be able to avoid discussing that. No luck! I hated feeling awkward when the subject came up.

For now on, I will list all my professional experience on my resume. If a hiring manager isn't interested in me because of that, then I'm not interested in them either.

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Permalink Reply by wheresmylesbian on September 26, 2009 at 4:38am

I've been pondering about this one for a while actually. So I've decided to compromise and have three different resumes depending on what I'm applying for. For certain jobs I actually think my orientation comes as a bonus (different, out of the box, with tattoos and hidden piercing..so is the stereotype they imagine) but I've also been lucky enough to have mirror projects that use the same skills that I use now.

I personally feel like it shouldn't matter and it blows my mind when I get out of an interview and have to ponder (did they think I was a Lesbian) because I don't want that to be a factor in getting or not getting the job. The problem is with the way I dress I think, but I'm just not comfortable unless I'm wearing a button up shirt, some dickies and a nice tie.

Like I said, just depends on the job I am going for what angle I try to play.

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