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in “opportunistic silence” regarding their sexual crossed my mind as I had always imagined a sort of
identity disclosure during networking and business haven within the LGBTQ+ community. She taught
social situations. me that racism is prevalent regardless of sexual
“This strategy was to avoid the possibility identity; it is inherent in the culture in which we are
of negative attention or risk of losing potential raised.”
business opportunities,” Michaels said. “For Hearing about this woman’s experiences
heterosexual women, it’s a non-issue and another revealed the gaps in Michaels’ own knowledge and
example of heterosexual privilege.” experiences as a cis-gendered white woman. She
Participants reported engaging in opportunistic hopes other academics will recognize the importance
silence more often early in their careers. Ten of the of learning from the BIPOC LGBTQ+ community and
11 participants are out at their current workplace continue her research.
and are “happy and thriving with no issues,” “My study opened the door for further research
Michaels found. of LGBTQ+ issues specifically related to travel and
Such is not the case when these women have a jumping-off point for the intersectionality of
to travel for work, however. Although most are lesbians of color in the workplace or
“straight-passing,” each demonstrated skill at business travel,” she said. “It’s clear
strategizing their sexual identity disclosure to that race and other intersecting “The participants
navigate the potential obstacles that may hinder identities play a significant role when described how they
their safety as women first and then as lesbians in choosing whether to disclose one’s would ‘read the
business travel situations. sexual identity. That topic was outside
“The participants described how they would ‘read the scope of the study but became a room’ to assess their
the room’ to assess their minority status,” Michaels glaring unintentional result that minority status.
said. “If they observed themselves as the only gay warrants an investigation all its own.”
person in the room, they would assimilate into the Additional study would be If they observed
heteronormative environment.” beneficial for policymakers to ensure themselves as the
In the same way Michaels would carefully organizational travel policies reflect only gay person in
change names and pronouns when talking about the diversity of concerns for sexual
her personal life while in the Navy, the participants minorities, Michaels said. Training the room, they would
in her research study use hat strategy to assimilate people out of using heteronormative assimilate into the
into unfamiliar environments. language would make a huge heteronormative
Michaels’ research is the first of its kind, and difference, for example. She also
while it does not provide recommendations for noted an emerging trend of online environment.”
immediate changes to policy and procedure, it travel agencies collaborating with — River Michaels
does serve as evidence that more study is needed. the LGBTQ+ community to be more
For example, one of the 11 participants in her inclusive.
study is a Black lesbian, the only person of color “In August 2020, the online LGBTQ+ travel
in the group. This woman’s experiences are similar resource, HospitableMe, launched a partnership
and yet wildly different than those of her white with Booking.com to offer training to organizations
counterparts. that want to demonstrate their inclusive support
“The only Black participant in the study for LGBTQ+ travelers and achieve Proud-Certified
experienced life-long discrimination, especially status,” she said. “I think that is amazing! I’m so
early in her career as a Black woman, making happy for all the strides being made to help LGBTQ+
it impossible to separate her sexuality from people breathe a little easier.”
her race; therefore, she is subject to multiple Self-Identified Lesbian Businesswomen Who Travel
stigmas,” Michaels said. “She revealed that such Domestically to Conduct Business in a Heteronormative
inequities were also prevalent within the LGBTQ+ Society: A Phenomenological Study is available
communities. Admittedly, that thought had never through ProQuest. 

SUMMER 2021 37
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