Coming out as a gay ranger in the era of the assassination of Harvey Milk and the HIV/AIDS crisis

Abstract

The essay tells the story of a gay man, working as a National Park Service ranger, coming out to himself and in his workplace. This personal story parallels the national reckoning with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Asexual + issues ,including the assassination of the first openly gay elected official in San Francisco and the unfolding crisis of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The story tells how secrets can impact employee confidence and careers. It also shows how seemingly benign actions by colleagues and supervisors can have both positive and negative effects on the personal coming out process. It also suggests how supportive actions and the workplace environment can strengthen both the individual and the agency.