Letting him B: A study on the intersection of gender and sexual orientation in the workplace

Abstract

Compared to the attention that gay male, lesbian, and even transgender employees have received in the last 30 years, research focused solely on bisexual employees is lacking. With the exception of a handful of studies, there have been surprisingly few attempts to both understand the potentially unique characteristics associated with a bisexual sexual orientation and also develop related psychological theory. The current study focuses on this often invisible and understudied population and examines both individual and organizational characteristics that theoretically and practically influence bisexual employees' workplace experiences. Our data reveal several important findings, the most striking of which is the divergence of experiences, attitudes, and outcomes between men and women who are bisexual. First, we found evidence of more bias against bisexual men than bisexual women. Second, our data show that bisexual men are less likely to disclose their sexual orientation at work both prior to and during employment. Third, bisexual men report experiencing more workplace discrimination than do bisexual women, and they also report increased minority stress, psychological distress, and substance use. Finally, we conducted a moderated mediation analysis for this population, examining employee gender, psychological distress, and substance use. We ultimately concluded that sexual orientation moderates these relations (with the exception of substance use), which are also serially mediated by “outness,” workplace discrimination, and minority stress. These findings suggest that the distinct experiences of bisexual employees, particularly men, may contribute to more negative work- and health-related outcomes for this invisible group as compared to their gay male and lesbian counterparts. We conclude with directions for future research, as well as theoretical and practical implications.