Step 4: Find a Job

I love frozen yogurt. It tastes as good as ice cream and makes you feel better about yourself after you eat it. Best of all, it is entirely customizable; you can choose pecans, Raisinets, Oreo cookies, chunks of pineapple or even banana. Queer people in the job market are just like frozen yogurt; a tasteful alternative and fat-free. (Okay, this metaphor has stretched far enough). While not every company complies with Equal Opportunity Employment (EOE) standards, there is an increasing awareness that LGBT workers need to be valued to the same degree as all other employees. Who would have thought?

As a job-seeking queer, you have a lot more power on your side than you may think. After researching a company, you are in a better position to know if it’s worth your time or if you can find something better based on their EOE qualification. It’s best to find a job where you feel comfortable enough with your surroundings than to find the job that pays more or has better benefits. Always go for what you like doing, with people you like doing it with (bonus points here if you work in porn).

If you enjoy stirring up the pot, then work with LGBT rights groups. Find ways to tackle discrimination, legislation and general hateration that adversely affect the queer community as opposed to throwing yourself into an internal and individual battle. It doesn’t work in trying to escape from inside a python, and it may not work here. This is not to say that you should lie down when an opportunity smacks you in the face—opportunity usually comes in the form of abrasions, oddly enough—but always make sure you have the best resources to battle for your rights.

Kevin Sparrow is a queer writer living in Chicago. Currently, Kevin is the editor of Cul de sac Magazine, an online blog dedicated to social justice and cultural analysis from an LGBT perspective.