TURNING THE HETEROSEXIST TIDE
HOW TO DEAL WITH HETEROSEXIST MICROAGGRESSIONS IN THE WORKPLACE
WORDS KATHRYN LUM
Don’t let heterosexism silence you at work!
I was at work, preparing a meal in our communal kitchen, when a colleague of mine suddenly entered, and without even greeting me, said: “I don’t think gays represent 10% of the population, I think it is far less.”
I was momentarily shocked but tried to remain calm and composed, replying that, in fact, no one knows with certainty the exact percentage of the LGBT population, without giving credence to her belief that we represent a tiny minority, and by implication, make a disproportionate fuss about LGBT rights.
At the time, I felt distinctly uncomfortable and defensive, as if I had to prove something to her. This was not the first time that this colleague had made comments about gay people that I felt were stigmatising in nature. However, it was only some time after-wards that I was able to identify the pattern of aggression and why it made me feel so vulnerable: I was on the receiving end of a stream of heterosexist microaggressions that were steadily undermining my self-esteem, despite being out at work and speaking openly about my partner with my colleagues.