Stories from LGBTQ social work faculty: What is the impact of being “out” in academia?

Abstract

This article describes a qualitative study of 17 self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) social work faculty members’ experiences with being “out” in an academic setting. Data were collected utilizing direct scribing, a method that promotes collaboration between the researcher and participants, allowing participants to edit their transcript in real time. Thematic analysis with inductive coding was used to identify three dominant themes: risks, rewards, and responsibilities associated with the decision to disclose one’s identity to students, colleagues, and superiors. Results indicate that most participants were open regarding their sexual orientation despite possible negative consequences as they reported feeling a sense of responsibility to self, students, colleagues, and the social work profession. Implications for social work teaching and research include evaluating practices in schools of social work to ensure they match the core values of our profession, including providing a safe environment for all students and faculty, valuing and promoting diversity, and modeling cultural competence through teaching and research.

Keywords:

• social work faculty
• LGBTQ
• identity disclosure
• direct scribing