The Corporate Closet: Career Challenges of Gay and Lesbian Individuals.

The career development of gay men and lesbian women is complicated by both internal and external factors. Internally, they are at different stages of integrating and appreciating their gay and lesbian identities, and they will consequently make different decisions regarding their career choice and their level of outness in the work environment. Externally, the work environment itself plays a role in their level of outness too and in their appraisal of the safety of the particular work environment and of the occupation in general. Readers are encouraged to begin their own work in overcoming heterosexism and homonegativity, thereby helping to create greater inclusivity for gay and lesbian individuals while simultaneously honoring the Canadian ideal of respecting diversity. (Contains 25 references.) (Author)