Coming out in the workforce should not cost workers their jobs
By: Ian Schrauth
Online Editor
Remember when gay marriage was only legal in some states? I remember that time. I also remember when the Supreme Court made it legal in all 50 states.
I had just gotten back from a mission trip with my church, and when I got to work the next day, we were talking about LGBT rights. That’s when it came to my attention that gay marriage was made legal in all 50 states.
This news was shocking to me. Before I left for Chicago, LGBT marriage was legal in some states. When I got back, it expanded to the entire U.S.
Ever since then, I feel that LGBT rights have been extended. I feel it has given people hope, made gay people happier, and most of all, has led to better laws concerning job security for gay workers in every state.
One more thing: I’m joking when I say “better laws concerning job security for gay workers in every state.”
Even if it sounds harsh, it’s true. Upworthy.com shows a map of states that have the right to fire workers for being gay. And in 34 states, it’s legal to fire someone for being transgender.
Missouri is one of those states.
That is just horrible. If someone identifies as gay, then they should embrace it. Just because you are attracted to the same gender, or you identify as the opposite gender, shouldn’t mean you can be fired from your job.
That’s just like telling someone who likes dubstep music, and only dubstep music, that they can’t listen to what they want as they are doing dishes because the manager says so. And yes, I have had that happen before.
It just makes me mad that people would have the kind of thought to do that. People shouldn’t fire their workers because they’re gay. What if you fire a fast food worker? The fired employee would spread the news of what happened and possibly nobody would want to work there.
Long story short, it could possibly affect the business. If a case like this happens, let the company suffer. They shouldn’t fire someone for being gay.
If a manager fires a worker for being gay, shame on them. Their sexual preference/identity is not affecting your work team. If they decide to come out of the closet, then say “congrats” and move on.
We need to make it illegal in all 50 states to fire someone for being gay. We need to stop this; we need to stop it now.
