Being Gay/Les on Street?

I know nearly all banks have support groups for lgbtq employees but what is it really like to be a gay/lesbian banker on the street? Is it better to be in closet or people don't really care. How does your identity affect your networking with clients/colleagues?

 
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Nobody gives a shit. If you do your job well and are able to get along with your coworkers that's what matters, not one fuck is given about who you choose to sleep with. There's no stereotype of "homosexuals are bad at excel and PowerPoint" floating around, in fact the few gay coworkers/teammates I've had excelled (hah) in attention to detail across their work product and were generally great people to be on projects with. The only consensus I've encountered is that anyone who needs to make their sexuality the core feature of their identity and the nexus of every conversation they have is seen as both insufferable and uninteresting.

 
KennedySexTunnels:
The only consensus I've encountered is that anyone who needs to make their sexuality the core feature of their identity and the nexus of every conversation they have is seen as both insufferable and uninteresting.
I would give you 10 SBs for this if I could.

Find a hobby. Talk about that. Ideally one that most guys would find interesting so you can kill two birds with one stone.

If in doubt, you can do worse than owning a Yamaha.

 

I'm not out because I rolled into my current position through a few acquisitions, and an old boss hated all minorities, with specialty diatribes for Indians and women being regular in the office.

Currently we basically get a 100 score from everyone, and had a trans employee featured on Bloomberg (sad, as she would've been one of my few yesses on banging on the floor had she remained a he)

I'd say it's generally just not talked about. A new experienced hire is gayer than christmas, but talks about his wife, and I'm just whatever.

 

I don't think anyone cares. If anything, they're going to tiptoe a bit more carefully so as not to offend you and run afoul of HR. You're all good. Do your job well, and you'll be rewarded. Simple. And don't make a big deal about your orientation, or folks might get the idea that it defines you... as opposed to being defined by your professionalism and quality of work.

 
Prospect in S&T - Other:
How does your identity affect your networking with clients/colleagues?

I think you should realise how blindingly ridiculous it is to bring up your sexual orientation even when networking with clients and colleagues. They would either think you have no manners, trying to get a bad reaction so you can be "triggered" or you're inappropriately trying to solicit a sexual interaction and neither of which is good. If you're networking with males I imagine it similar to someone telling women what size breasts or ass they prefer during a networking event.

Nothing wrong with what you said or what the person in my example said, but if you constantly feel to need to let every body know regardless of the environment you find yourself in I guarantee your sexual identity is not the problem if any issue arises.

Also if you come out the closet why would you need to tell your work colleagues? Would it affect the quality of your work somehow? I don't think Ray Dalio's positions would be liquidated and all the stocks he hold would be shorted into oblivion if he suddenly came out as gay or trans. Neither do I think you would be locked out of excel for doing so. If you perform well or poorly most people at least do not care about your personal life, they would judge you solely on your results.

Everybody has their quirks and preferences and that is okay but don't feel to need to plaster everywhere.

 
thebrofessor:
IlliniProgrammer can opine better than most

regardless of your preference, I don't want to hear about anyone's escapades. so keep it professional, but never apologize for who you are

Try not to make an issue out of it.

You're a professional first, an obnoxious Illini Basketball fan second, and a _______ (insert identity here) third if it ever comes up. But usually it shouldn't.

I think a lot of younger millennials have to get over the fact that your personal life isn't your coworkers business, as long as it doesn't affect work. And likewise, what your coworkers think of your personal life is none of your business, as long as it doesn't affect work.

 

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