LGBTQ+ Experience

"Campus Microclimates for LGBT Faculty, Staff, Students: An Exploration of the Intersections of Social Identity and Campus Roles." Annemarie Vaccaro. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice.

An ethnographic study the records the experiences of microclimates on campus for LGBT identifying folks. Findings suggest that LGBT friendly policies alone only go so far in creating warm campus climates for LGBT folks. Many faculty members experienced supportive departments but more hostile overall campus climates, or vice versa. Concerns about homophobic actions/words by students and how that would manifest in negative forms on evaluations, which play a role in P&T, were high on the list of what makes a hostile climate. Additionally, faculty whose scholarship was informed by queer theory felt that the climate was often hostile and unsupportive of their work. Heterosexist curriculum, along with lack of support for their teaching and scholarship were key concerns for LGBT faculty.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1515/jsarp-2012-6473?journalCode=uarp20

 

"Engineering Culture and LGBTQ Engineers’ Use of Social Change Strategies." Mike Ekoniak. IEEE. 2013.

This paper describes the theoretical framework for an investigation of the ways that engineers who identify as LGBTQ navigate engineering cultures. Previous work by Cech and Waidzunas, Bilimoria and Sewart, and Riley describe strategies that LGBTQ engineers use within highly heteronormative engineering cultures. The strategies described in the previous work fall into what Cox and Gallois refer to as social mobility strategies. Because Cox and Gallois assert that these strategies ultimately prove inadequate, this paper calls for investigation of the use of social change strategies within the context of engineering

http://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/fie/2013/9999/00/06684890.pdf

 

"Paying an Unfair Price, The Financial Penalty for LGBT Women in America." March 2015. Center for American Progress

Article defines LGBT women and identifies the struggle to find good jobs, challenges to good health that impact economic security, and the lack of support for them and their families resulting in higher costs, i.e. pregnancy discrimination, childcare and job protected leave.

http://www.thetaskforce.org/static_html/downloads/reports/reports/unfair_price_lgbt_women.pdf

 

“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”: The Academic Climate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Faculty in Science and Engineering." Diana Bilimoria & Abigail Stewart. Summer 2009. NWSA Journal.

Article discusses the workplace climate for LGBT science and engineering faculty, the role pressures and choices they face, and how it affects their work performance and careers. Faculty describes overt hostility, invisibility, interpersonal discomfort, and pressure to cover their sexuality as opposed to receiving support as the norm.  Article proposes a model of career consequences of the academic work environment for LGBT faculty and recommends specific future research and institutional actions to create a more affirming campus climate.

http://www.dso.iastate.edu/sites/advance.oregonstate.edu/files/files/success/21.2.bilimoria.pdf

 

"Standing Out: Welcoming and networking organizations help lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender scientists to excel."  Cameron Walker. January 8, 2014. Nature.

Article discusses the difficulty for LGBT scientists to be open about their identity. Some LGBT have the ability to conform because it is not a visible “trait.” Hiding sexual orientation or gender identity is detrimental to mental health and work. As broader awareness of LGBT scientists grows the science community starts to appreciate the issues that affect them and taking steps to foster a sense of community and possible best-practice guidelines.

http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/articles/10.1038/nj7482-249a

 

"Engineering Culture and LGBTQ Engineers’ Use of Social Change Strategies." Mike Ekoniak. N.d. Computer.org.

Article discusses theoretical framework for way that engineers who identify as LGBTQ navigate highly heteronormative engineering cultures. Existing strategies of social mobility are proven ineffective, Ekoniak calls for an analysis of the use of social change strategies within the context of engineering.

http://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/fie/2013/9999/00/06684890.pdf

 

"Factors Impacting the Academic Climate for LGBQ STEM Faculty." Eric V. Patridge, Ramon S. Barthelemy & Susan R. Rankin. April 30, 2015.

Article employs data from the 2010 State of Higher Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People utilized to assess the experiences of LGBQ faculty from STEM disciplines. Study identifies several factors influencing the academic climate and subsequent career consequences of LGBQ faculty, and finds that the comfort of LGBQ faculty members is a valuable measure for advancing the retention of LGBQ STEM faculty members.

http://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/00551c876cc2f027,761a7b37493b2d86,6fe4cda94f55abdf.html

 

"Why Awareness of LGBT issues in the Physics Community Makes Sense." Janice Hicks. March 2013. Bulletin of the American Physical Society.

Presentation demonstrates the importance of attracting and retaining the best talent (diversity of perspective & knowledge) to science & engineering. Argues that participants who bring authentic identity to work are more efficient. It is also important for LGBT people to be visible in order to benefit from workplace policies such as family leave and other benefits. Presentation discusses some activities to promote a positive view of LBGT folks in S&E by The National Organization of Gay & Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals (NOGLSTP) and The American Chemical Society.

http://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR12/Event/161816

 

"Pride in Science: The sciences can be a sanctuary for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, but biases may still discourage many from coming out." M. Mitchell Waldrop. September 16, 2014. Nature.

Article looks at degrees of acceptance in coming out for LBGT scientists. Analysis of the fear of coming out due to publications, career progression and promotion are based heavily on the judgment of fellow scientists, which might be influenced by conscious or unconscious bias. Article argues that there is not enough research for funding agencies to know whether LGBT people are over- or under-represented in the research fields, whether there is a need for more support programs and counseling, or whether special fellowships for young LGBT researchers.

http://www.nature.com/news/diversity-pride-in-science-1.15924       

           

"Navigating the Heteronormativity of Engineering: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students." Erin A. Cech. July 27, 2010. Engineering Studies.

These articles explores the ways LGB students at major research universities in western US experience and navigate the climate of their engineering college. Article finds both pervasive prejudicial cultural norms and perceptions of competence particular to the engineering profession can limit these students‟ opportunities to succeed, relative to their heterosexual peers.

http://crgp.ucsd.edu/documents/CechandWaidzunasNavigatingHeteronormativityofEngring.pdf

 

"It’s Never Good to Carry a Secret: Findings of the E&T Magazine, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Survey." Abby Grogan. August 2014. Engineering & Technology Magazine.

Article surveys and explores LGBT community members experiences around the effects of sexual orientation and the workplace, acceptance of sexuality by colleagues, and whether it is beneficial to be “out and proud” or to stay silent in the Engineering and Technology community.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6882921

 

"Justice Department Charges University for Denying Tenure Over Transgender Status." Scott Jaschik. March 31, 2015. Inside Higher Ed.

This article discusses the U.S. Justice Department lawsuit against Southeastern Oklahoma State University, charging that it denied tenure to Rachel Tudor, effectively firing her in 2011, over her identity as a transgender woman.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/03/31/justice-department-charges-university-denying-tenure-over-transgender-status

 

"What gay couples get about relationships that straight couples often don’t." Brigid Schulte. Washington Post. June 4, 2015.

A new study finds that same-sex couples tend to communicate better, share chore duties more fairly and assign tasks based on personal preference -- rather than gender, income, hours worked or power position in the relationship. Straight couples, meanwhile, tend to talk less and fall into to traditional gender roles, what one family describes as “pink chores” and “blue chores.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/04/what-gay-couples-get-about-relationships-that-straight-couples-often-dont/

 

'Ask Me': What LGBTQ Students Want Their Professors to Know

By: Julia Schmalz

The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 3, 2015

http://chronicle.com/article/Ask-Me-What-LGBTQ-Students/232797

 This is a video that shows transgender, queer, and gender non-binary students sharing what keeps them from feeling safe and thriving on campus.