Abstract
Nondisclosure of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, or otherwise queer (LGBTQA) identities in the workplace is both common and stressful to those who do not disclose. However, we lack direct evidence that nondisclosure of LGBTQA identity affects worker productivity. In two surveys of LGBTQA-identified scientists, we found that those who did not disclose LGBTQA identities in professional settings authored fewer peer-reviewed publications—a concrete productivity cost. In the second survey, which included straight and cisgender participants as a comparison group, we found that LGBTQA participants who disclosed their sexual orientation had publication counts more like non-LGBTQA participants than those who did not disclose, and that all three groups had similar time since first publication given their academic career stage. These results are most consistent with a productivity cost to nondisclosure of LGBTQA identity in professional settings, and suggest a concrete need to improve scientific workplace climates for sexual and gender minorities.
Highlights
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, or otherwise queer (LGBTQA) identities are not necessarily evident without deliberate disclosure
LGB-identified individuals are less likely than their straight peers to persist in STEM undergraduate majors [49, 53], and they are significantly underrepresented in STEM careers [37]; LGBT
Open expression or nondisclosure of LGBTQA identities in professional contexts provides a window into the underlying causes of these disparities since, on the one hand, nondisclosure is generally recognized as a source of stress and job dissatisfaction [20, 21], and on the other hand, LGBTQA individuals who describe their workplaces as having welcoming climates are more likely to disclose their identities at work [1, 47]
Summary
Gay, bisexual, transgender, asexual, or otherwise queer (LGBTQA) identities are not necessarily evident without deliberate disclosure. This disclosure is popularly represented as a discrete “coming out,” though revelation and expression of queer identity is more often a continuous process [1–4]. LGBTQ-identified individuals continue to face barriers across society, including in healthcare [14, 15], housing [16], and economic and social services [17–19]. Even when their identities are legally protected, LGBTQA-identifying individuals may fear that coming out will have negative consequences for their relationships with colleagues [20–22]
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