There’s nothing like a good probing about your sexuality from a boss or co-worker. Unless you blow your cover with talk of a boyfriend or life partner, they’re not really supposed to ask directly.
But now the government is changing up those rules by asking federal workers if they’re gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender on the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, reports the Washington Post.
The survey is anonymous, and since government employees might be considered a microcosm of the general population, we could get a better estimate on how many LGBTs there are in America.
NOTE: This story has been edited to reflect that the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey is anonymous.
Mike
Is it anonymous?
jason
This is yet another nonsensical survey. People rarely answer honestly when it comes to sexuality. This is particularly the case with men.
This is yet more Big Brother stuff from the Obama administration. It’s utterly disgusting, and yet another reason to oppose him at the election.
PTBoat
Well, because there are no federal protections for gay people, nor are there any such protections in many states, an employer has every legal right to ask someone about his or her sexual orientation. That employer also has the legal right, federally and in many states, to refrain from hiring that person based on his or her real, or perceived, sexual orientation. If said employer later finds out about, or wrongfully or rightfully suspects, the employees sexual orientation the employer still, federally and in many states, has the right to terminate the employee. This will not change unless we have EDNA.
Because of these facts, the article is not only pointless, it is disseminating misinformation.
ScaryRussianHeather
I am totally anti-government and about as domestically Libertarian as you can get. So yeah, this is Big Brother and if done with good intentions, more misguided Liberalism.
But remind me again why children are supposed to carry the water, trans children are “brave” when their parent throw up their “interviews” on uTube, young boys are trotted out on talk shows to attest to why RuPaul is so wonderful, and adults have no responsibility to actually CHANGE society by LIVING out and actually being REAL role models? [I’m lookin at YOU Robin Roberts, for one.]
OH that’s right. It’s not worth losing a paycheck required for ALLLL that student loan money people got while going to med and law school in the closet.
Geri
Asking people if they’re gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is stupid.
The questionnaires should ask people if they consider themselves to be straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or (and) transgender, because a trans person may identify with any of the other options as well as transgender so trans people should be allowed and encouraged to tick 2 boxes. There should also be options for people to say: “rather not say”, “not sure” and “something else – please explain” with a space to write in another word like asexual, pansexual, fluid etc.
NB: Re ” consider themselves to be straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual or (and) transgender, because a trans person may identify with any of the other options as well as transgender so trans people should be allowed and encouraged to tick 2 boxes.” The UK Central & Local Government already does this on forms.
Steve
@jason: It’s a VOLUNTARY survey. Nobody has to complete it.
News flash: We’ve been getting these types of anonymous, voluntary surveys in the private sector for years.
Daez
@jason: Like you needed a reason other than that he was black and that you did not find him hot. Ahh, well there is the fact that unlike you he actually takes a stance on equal and fair treatment for women. That has to piss you off since you think that anyone that is not white and cisgendered male is so far beneath you they are not worthy of shining your shoes much less your knob.
Daez
@PTBoat: You are both right and wrong. Where you are wrong is when it comes to companies that state openly in there own hiring and firing policies that their anti-discrimination policy includes LGBT people. Then it becomes a breech of contract dispute if they refuse to hire or fire someone based solely on their LGBT status.
Also, the vast majority of places that anyone would really want to work have these policies. Almost every 501C has such a policy unless they are religious based. The vast majority of Fortune 500s have the same policies. Hell, a great deal of small businesses even have these same policies unless they are in some backwoods area.
It is more likely to see a non-discrimination policy that includes LGBT status than it is that does not at this point and time because when it all comes right down to it, companies want the best possible person for the job.
In the immortal words of Brian Kinney, “If you do your job better than everyone else, no one really cares where you put your dick.”