Friday, March 22, 2013

Homosexuality Association on Career Paths in Different Occupations in the Philippine Setting


Homosexuality Association on Career Paths in Different Occupations in the Philippine Setting
Gandionco, Cloa, Santos, Sales, Tan


I. Introduction/Background

            Today, homosexuality is still frowned upon in other societies such as some religious cults protesting that homosexuality is an abomination and it is a sin because it is not what God planned for the humankind. However, homosexuality is gradually being accepted on many societies such as the Philippines. Though criticizing homosexuality itself may be clichéd, it is important to research on how homosexuals perform their tasks in regards to their environment, their fellow workmates and how their choice of sexuality affects both the pre-results and outcome of their work. It is through this study that we are able to understand how homosexuals affect our society, how they choose their career paths, and lastly how their sexuality affects their work and workplace.

II. Review of Related Literature

According to Alan Ellis, choosing a career path is complicated whether you are gay or not. It is important that we take into account our satisfaction in the job that we choose and how it defines us. But most of the time, our sexual orientation affects the way others perceive us and how we define what we want. Ellis and Vasseur discovered that people who discriminate against homosexuals tend to focus on their negative traits during job interviews. This is a major reason why homosexuals before have a tendency to choose careers that is socially dictated. They’re afraid their employer and workmates might discriminate them based on their sexual orientation.

When people perceive us a certain way, it affects their interaction with us. They only consider the qualities that support their idea about an individual and ignore those that contradict with it. This is called selective perception and in the case of gay men, the society sees them as the loud, feminine and artistic men. In a way, this limits the function of homosexuals in our society because of the way they are perceived.

Stereotyping is another problem that homosexuals have; it is the “negative exaggerated and fixed beliefs” about them that traps them in the society’s idea of them. The society categorizes the homosexuals as a group that is defined by their shared characteristics. It confines them therefore to that idea, and the homosexuals sometimes have no choice but to base their decisions on these stereotypes. People say that “stereotyping: belief creates reality”, which is true because it becomes the norms that people don’t bother to wonder or ask about.

According to a research regarding sexual orientation and career decision-making, there are a lot of factors that is being taken into consideration. These factors may be personal preference, personal experiences of discrimination, and even external factors such as LGBT role models. These factors contribute in the decision-making of a homosexual individual, they weigh their options and how it will affect them, positively and negatively.

The context of local culture still needs to be accounted when it comes to gender identity issues. Acceptance of homosexuality of a certain culture may differ from others. It depends on this culture’s traditions, and these traditions may change over time. Looking at the Philippine context, we can see that there is change with regards to our acceptance with the LGBT community. This means that the LGBT community is freer to choose the job that they want, not just because society forces it to them, but because it is their passion.

III.  Research Questions

1. How does your sexuality affect your occupation?

2. How did you begin your career?

3. Are you discriminated in your workplace?

IV. Theory/Perspective Used

For this research, we used both Micro- and Macro-level theories. We used the micro-level theories to relate how the individuals that we interviewed were affected. While the macro-level theories were used to analyze how our culture affects how the society reacts to homosexuals.

In our Philippine society culture constraints or limits our perspective on homosexuals. The Philippine culture is heavily based on religion which in turn dictates our values and beliefs against homosexuality. In any society, discrimination is a norm and it is morally wrong to be or associated with homosexuals. In the Philippines we practice social control wherein our society attempts to regulate people’s thoughts about the matter at hand. In a way, these homosexuals have a certain degree of freedom but are limited. We can also see inequality between homosexuals and heterosexuals, on which the heterosexuals have the upper hand in our society. We can also see how education and opportunities differ between the homosexuals and the heterosexuals. The distinction between social classes can also affect how homosexuals are perceived in our society.

Moreover, some homosexuals present themselves in a certain way that builds their personality as well as how others would view them. Their image in our society is based on how people see them. We can also identify a dramaturgy occurring wherein homosexuals’ front stage is being all gay about everything when in fact their backstage is being miserable because of the constraint pressure given to them by society. Our social construction of reality has left homosexuals to meet certain expectations that the society predicts for them.

Using the Structural Functionalism perspective, homosexuals are discriminated for our society to function. Social Conflict on the other hand, deals with the inequalities between heterosexuals and homosexuals that are present in the society. Even though it lessened significantly over the past few years, we can still see that there is conflict present. One of the most important perspectives used is Interactionism wherein our perspective on homosexuals affects how our society interacts with them. For this research, interactionism is used when evaluating how people around them judge and act around the LGBTs, whether they discriminate them or not.

V. Research Design

            We decided to use personal interviews as our research method. We scheduled appointments to ensure that the interview will be taken seriously. Each of these interviews were done separately to avoid bias and inconsistency among the respondents. The interviews were done at each respondent's workplace (salon, office, shop).

            The questions were constructed to fit the different professions and status of the three respondents. All of them were willing to take part in the study. The first respondent is from a low-end parlor; the second is an office employee of a company; and the third respondent is a shoe store supervisor. The three respondents give us an idea of how homosexuals are being treated in different parts of the Philippine society depending on their career choice, within and outside their respective workplaces.


VI. Findings

A.  Sexuality and Occupation
            Based on the data, two out  of our four respondents said that it affects their occupation in a positive way. The last one said that sexuality has no effect because sexuality plays no role in how good a person is at their job. For the two respondents who said that it is to their advantage and that it is a positive effect on their occupation, they backed their answers up by saying that being a homosexual they have quirky personalities that most clients appreciate. However one respondent explained how his community openly discriminates him.

            They say that being a homosexual appeals to their customers and can play a big part in selling a product and convincing people to purchase that product. This was applicable to the two respondents who belong to a higher class among the respondents. One respondent who also sells for a living often receive comments about his sexuality in his workplace. This respondent works in a much poorer society as a sari-sari store tindero.

B. Beginning of Career
            Based on the data, each person had a different start to their career. One respondent began his/her career by starting out as a shampoo girl at the age of 17 because it was an easy and the only job he/she could find. And at the age of 18, he/she started cutting hair. Out of no other option, he/she took a job at a salon and stayed there until the current time.

            Another one started out getting a job he/she really wanted. His/her career started out fruitful where he/she learned to hone his/her social skills, and interacting with different personalities. Although, he/she could have taken a job at his/her family business, he/she decided to go his/her own way to succeed in what his/her passion is.

            The other respondent chose a job that brought out highlighted his/her best characteristics. This respondent loved to talk and convince people about what she thought or felt. Because of this trait, he/she applied for a job as a shop supervisor.

            The last respondent wasn’t able to find a decent job, he was openly gay in his community and people did not take him seriously. He decided to just settle for a low paying job as a tindera in his neighbor’s sari-sari store.

C. Discrimination in Workplace
            Based on the given data, the two respondents belonging to the lower half in terms of social class were discriminated in a way and were not free to choose the profession that they really desire. The other two from the upper half had decent jobs and were respected in their workplace. In the interviews, it was often mentioned that in order for people to respect you, you should respect yourselves. One respondent even said that if you were good at your job, there is no room for discrimination however this was not applicable to all of the respondents.



VII. Analysis

            Homosexuals in general are lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered. These individuals are usually subject to employment discrimination, lower career expectations, take selfless jobs, make career choices on work value as compared to heterosexual individuals. Using data from the 3 respondents as well as our related literature, the researchers have found that these homosexuals expect lower wages. Due to all this, most homosexuals take jobs that are more compassionate and humanitarian.

            Based on the findings from this research we see that this is not the case anymore. All three respondents from different workplaces have embraced their homsexuality and searched for a job that they loved. Instead of picking a job that society would have them believe is the right job for them, they went for something that they were passionate about. In effect, their homosexuality was actually an advantage in all workplaces. Being it be in a parlor, a shoe store, or and office, they projected a joy for what they were doing and became the best at their profession. Regardless of their sexuality, they excelled in their jobs.

            Although there is still some discrimination towards homosexuals, We can see that in the Philippine context, homosexuals are accepted just as much as heterosexual people. Sexuality should not be a factor in the capability of a person to do a job.

Analyzing the topic in a Sociological manner, we can explain this topic using the Major Paradigms in Social Science. These are Social Functionalism, Social Conflict Feminism, and Symbolic Interactionism. Social Functionalism answers the question; what keeps society together. In this case, society is accepting already to homosexuality but of course, it is evident that there is still discrimination in our society. They are discriminated because when they pick an occupation to pursue, they settle for jobs which society thinks is applicable for homosexuals. They are also discriminated because their background also affects the occupation, which they pursue.. Social Conflict answers the question; who benefits from a given arrangement. In this case, there is inequality between the heterosexuals and the homosexuals in the society. The heterosexuals are less discriminated and therefore get more opportunities than the homosexuals. The homosexuals with more opportunities are part of the upper class. Feminism also affects this topic because it answers the question; how does gender affect social arrangements.

Considering that this study is mainly about how the homosexuality of some people affects social arrangements, this question is vital to our study. The answer to this question is that to some extent, their homosexuality affects their work because let’s take for example homosexuals who work in salons. It is common knowledge that a lot of the employees in salons are homosexuals because society perceives them as people who are good at cutting hair. Lastly, Social Interactionism answers the question; how do people interpret their world. We perceive homosexuals as famous in doing some professions like working in salons. Therefore, people’s perception of the salon industry for example, is that homosexuals are the best in the salon industry. In an ideal world, the sexuality of a person must not affect the way people perceive who is good at what profession. Instead, everyone should be given an equal chance to excel in whatever field they choose. However, the problem here is when the homosexuals are discriminated when employers do not give homosexuals equal chances to excel in whatever field of work they want to pursue.


VIII. Conclusion

            Based on the given data, it can be concluded that the Philippine norms in society have changed throughout time. It has evolved enough to let both homosexuals and heterosexuals co-exist with harmony although today conflicts are still present, compared from before it has definitely improved. Our group has also found that a homosexual’s career also depends on the social class that they were born into. Education and opportunities of the homosexuals are based on their social class.

            In the past, most homosexuals would choose an occupation that would be altruistic of value as to not be under discrimination. Today in our country, it is evident to see that this is not the case for all the homosexuals. Some homosexuals choose their jobs based on what their passions are just like any other heterosexual individual while others have no choice on their profession like being a hairstylist or a tindera. In effect, homosexuality is not always a factor for choosing a career path but rather an advantage for many. Regardless of one’s sexuality, people can succeed in any occupation if they put their mind and determination to it. Although the Philippine society has been more accepting of homosexuals, it is still evident to see the presence of discrimination on homosexuality.

To quote one of our respondents, “Through much proven worth and through the quality of work we have executed in our respective line of work.  Coupled with the individual desire to succeed and be a survival species, that have been experienced in previous years, been discriminated, looked down at and keep in the dark.  All these said, had in turned, been the driving force for our current outstanding and future achievements.”


IX. Bibliography

Ellis, Alan, and Riggle, Ellen. Sexual Identity on the Job: Issues and Services. The Haworth Press, Inc, 1996. Print.

Williams, Rebecca, et al. "Impact of Sexual Orientation on Career Management Skills and Career Progression". Skills Development Scotland. 2011. Web Journal.

Radford, John. Gender and Choice in Education and Occupation. Routledge Publishing. 1998. Print.

Bain, Christian. Laboring for Rights: Union and Sexual Diversity Across Nations. Temple University. 1999. Print.

Herek, Gregory M. "Stigma, Prejudice, and Violence Against Lesbians and Gay Men." Homosexuality: Research Implications for Public Policy. 1991. Journal.

X. Attachments

QUESTIONAIRE
Name of Interviewee: _____________________

1. How long have you been in this profession?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How did you begin your career?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Why did you choose this job?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Are you happy with your job?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Was this occupation your first choice?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. If not, what were your other choices?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. How does your sexuality affect your occupation?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Is it to your advantage?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Do you think homosexuals are good at this profession?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10. Why yes or no?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


11. How do other people perceive homosexuals in this line of work?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

12. Are you discriminated in your workplace?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

13. How about outside the workplace?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



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