Queer at Work

This book uses narratives collected over a period of four years, detailing the stereotypes and stigmas attached to LGBTQ employees at the workplace in India, and it allows their voices to be heard. Further, it explores the strategies used by individuals from the LGBTQ community to pass on or reveal information related to their non-normative sexual orientation and gender identity at their workplace, and the way these strategies differ for individuals who are formally or informally 'out' as compared to those who are still in the closet or have come out to only a few people at their organization. The book emphasizes the need to study the flow of information and stigma management strategies in the context of current technological advancements, and discusses the extent to which organizations succeed in providing 'safe spaces' for employees from the LGBTQ community in India. Also addressing the impact of the Supreme Court verdict on Section 377 of the IPC and the NALSA verdict on LGBTQ individuals at the workplace, the book not only provides tools to help organizations assess their workplace climate with regard to LGBTQ inclusion and diversity, but also outlines the criteria that would lead to queer-friendly and gender-neutral work environments. Dr Sasmita Palo is a professor at the School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, India. She has published over 30 academic papers in various national and international journals, and has co-authored a book Human Dimensions for Total Quality Management (2005). She has headed various research projects with LIC, Orissa Government, CII, and Goa Shipyard Limited, to name but a few. Kumar Kunal Jha is an assistant professor with the School of Management and Labour Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, India. His research focuses on the LGBTIQA community at the workplace in India. He is a Dalia Lama Fellow and a recipient of Aon Hewitt Think Tank Research Fellowship. As a member of Future Leaders Connect programme he was invited to discuss today’s biggest global challenges in the UK Houses of Parliament and the Moller Institute, Churchill College, University of Cambridge. Preface 5 Acknowledgement 8 Contents 9 Chapter 1: Introduction to Gender 11 Research Methodology 11 Introduction and Historical Context 13 Traditional Understanding of Gender 14 Conditioning and Bias 15 The Gender Quiz 16 Authentic Gender Model 16 NALSA Verdict 22 Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (till September 2018) 28 Section 377 of the IPC After September 6, 2018 29 LGBT Community and the Workplace 31 References 40 Chapter 2: Accepted as the Other: Discrimination, Identity Crises and Coping Mechanism 43 Non-Verbal Discrimination 44 Verbal Discrimination 47 Physical Discrimination and Sexual Harassment 50 Fear of Discrimination 53 Managing Information Related to Non-Normative Identity and Coming Out 55 Strategies to Come Out 59 The Impact of Discrimination 62 Identity Crises 64 Living in Fear 65 Courtesy Stigma 66 Coping Mechanism 67 References 72 Chapter 3: Heteronormativity in the Workplace 73 Heteronormativity in Organisations 76 Married or Gay? 76 Heteronormativity and Body Language 81 Heteronormativity and Gender Appropriate Dressing 85 References 90 Chapter 4: Queer, Information Technology and Internet: The Virtual and the Real 91 Internet Gave Me an Identity 96 Discrimination 105 References 113 Chapter 5: Are Indian Organisations Safe for the LGBTQ Employees? 114 Are Some Industries More Accepting Than Others? 120 Can LGBTQ Employees Lead Organisations? 126 Does Diversity and Inclusion Policy Matters? 131 References 135 Chapter 6: Conclusion 136 Need to Start Somewhere 137 Initiating Difficult Conversations 138 Creating Safe Spaces and Giving Space to People 139 Everyone Is Valued 140 When It Is All About Productivity 140 Having a Clear Stand 142 Glossary 144 Index 148 Front Matter ....Pages i-xii Introduction to Gender (Sasmita Palo, Kumar Kunal Jha)....Pages 1-32 Accepted as the Other: Discrimination, Identity Crises and Coping Mechanism (Sasmita Palo, Kumar Kunal Jha)....Pages 33-62 Heteronormativity in the Workplace (Sasmita Palo, Kumar Kunal Jha)....Pages 63-80 Queer, Information Technology and Internet: The Virtual and the Real (Sasmita Palo, Kumar Kunal Jha)....Pages 81-103 Are Indian Organisations Safe for the LGBTQ Employees? (Sasmita Palo, Kumar Kunal Jha)....Pages 105-126 Conclusion (Sasmita Palo, Kumar Kunal Jha)....Pages 127-134 Back Matter ....Pages 135-144