Work Inequality & Sexual Orientation STEPHANIE SHARPEE

Sexual Orientation “The classification of individuals according to their preference for emotional-sexual relationships and lifestyle with persons’ of the same sex ( homosexuality ) or persons’ of the opposite sex ( heterosexuality ) or emotional-sexual attractions to persons of either sex ( Bisexuality ).” Basically: who you choose to be in a relationship with

Discrimination in the Work Place  Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals have all experienced discrimination based on sexual orientation  Persons’ “sex” is protected under the Civil Rights Act  Sex is interpreted as Gender = not yet covered 1990’s

Discrimination (cont’d)  Many LGBT people report:  losing their jobs  missing promotions  Docked pay (based on sexual orientation)  1997 study, Gay & Heterosexual workers with = back- grounds and qualifications were surveyed  Gay workers earned less than heterosexual workers

Discrimination (cont’d)  2003, study between pay difference in lesbians and heterosexuals  Lesbians shown to have higher pay grade  Gays shown to have lowest  Heterosexuals ranged in between  Level of ‘Masculinity’ was shown to have affect on paycheck amount

Legislation  Sodomy laws  criminalize oral and anal sex between adults  More commonly applied to same-sex couples  June 2003, disbanded !  2004, Massachusetts 1 st same-sex marriage, sue DOMA

Legislation (cont’d)  Hate Crime Laws  Crimes based against race, color, religion, national origin  2009, individuals with different sexual orientation protected under this law as well! “[People will be protected against violence based on]… What they look like, who they love, how they prey or who they are” – President Barack Obama

Wisconsin Legislation  October 6, 2014 Wisconsin legalized same- sex marriage  Was halted one week later but legalization has resumed!  U.S. Senator Glenn Grothman, R-Wis  Is on the 2015 “faces of inequality list”

Recent Sexual Orientation Discriminatory Updates…  lying-abc lying-abc  Indiana Governor Mike Pence saying “the internet conspired against him” to him signing the new law about denying services to LGBT people  When asked directly if, in “yes or no” answer, if he supported it and if the conspirators were right; he replied with …

Citations  Leon-Guerrero, A. (2014). Sexual Orientation. In Social problems: Community, policy, and social action (4 ed., pp ). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.  Weichselbaumer, D. (2003). Sexual Orientation Discrimination in Hiring. Labour Economics, 10(6),  Wisconsin congressman makes 'faces of inequality' list. (2015, January 8). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from congressman-makes-faces-of-inequality-list.html congressman-makes-faces-of-inequality-list.html