High Tech Gayzette
Newsletter for High Tech
Gays and Their Associates of Silicon Valley
August 1997
Words from the
"Prez"
Texx
Recent events in my life have given me cause to
reflect on gay pride in the workplace. ItÕs been a wonderful several years here
in Silicon Valley. Despite ClintonÕs disastrous "donÕt ask, donÕt
tell" policy, things have indeed changed for the better. IÕve been doing
data systems contracting for a number of years. I was once fired from a well known aerospace defense company for being gay. Recently
I had a chance to work for a refreshingly progressive company. There I was
sitting in orientation, watching the overhead data projector view of the
internal web page with all the corporate services. Up popped the list of
employee groups and I recognized the link on the page leading to the gay
employees group. I felt a form of pride as they explained issues as the same
sex domestic partner benefits and the like. No one seemed uncomfortable.
Probably the best scene yet was when we discovered that a division manager was
the artist behind several shirts done for our group. The conference table in
the room was huge. Someone asked if we needed to clear the conference table for
runway model use and someone in my group did the infamous "snap" and shrieked "Work it girlfriend!". I thought back to
the aforementioned aerospace firm and realized the same joke then would have
gone over like the proverbial lead balloon. I note the decor of some of the
offices and feel my "gayer" going off and I realize that in this
environment no one worries about sexuality. Some people are unmistakably gay,
but there is nothing blatant. We simply have no need to hide it. We are first
and foremost colleagues in the same leading edge computer firm and if we happen
to be gay, we just have no need to hide. We use closets to store spare parts.
The gay group gathers every two weeks for lunch together and
have a blast. No one gets upset if we get a little crazy sometimes.
Then I sadly remember that not all are as
fortunate as I have been. Not all work in a tolerant, safe or supportive
environment. I now ask this question; do you have a supportive employment
environment?
I recall HTG involvement in the formation
of several gay employee groups. Some of these groups still experience uphill
battles. If your group is having problems, or if your employment environment
needs to become more supportive and safer, perhaps HTG can help. In closing,
IÕd like to remind everyone that safe, supportive and nurturing employment
environments donÕt just happen, they are made.
Coming Events
Sept. 3
Dinner at Fung Lum on South
Bascom in Campbell just south of Hamilton. We can each select a dish and eat family style. Meet at 7 PM in
the entry. No reservation is required.
Sept. 10
HTG Board meeting at 8 PM at the Billy DeFrank
Gay and Lesbian Community Center located at 175 Stockton Ave., San Jose.
Sept. 14
Monthly meeting and
potluck. Bring something tasty to
share and ideas to express. Also at the Billy DeFrank Gay and Lesbian Community
Center.
The EditorÕs Column
The communication that came to me this week and
is published as a Special Editorial on the following pages seemed to cry out to
be shared with the HTG membership. How many of us have tried to give blood and
be embarrassed by being refused because we are gay? How many of us have donated
blood and denied our true character by not admitting we are gay? Therein lies
some of the absurdity of the FDA blood donor guidelines. Also, heterosexuals
infected with HIV are not denied and, in some cases, support a drug habit by
selling their blood.
What happens in the blood donor case is
symptomatic of many other areas of life where gay and lesbian people are denied
the most basic considerations of a civilized society. We are denied the rights
of "traditional" family members like marriage, rights of inheritance,
visitation rights at hospitals, child adoption, and even the right to raise
ones own birth child. As we learned recently, we can be harassed by police for
gathering outside a coffeehouse, walking to our cars after leaving a bar, even
for working in a gay bar.
We like to think that conditions are getting better
for gays, lesbians, bi- and transexuals. In some ways that is true but donÕt
believe it so strongly that you let your guard down. There are people out there
that hate you without even knowing you and hate you in the name of an eternal,
loving God. Go figure! We need to be supportive of each other and truly be a
community.
Special Editorial
[The following article was
submitted by a reader and publication permission was granted. The
identity of his employer and himself are removed]
I work at XYZ Corporation where some lively
discussion is going on regarding our companyÕs sponsoring of on-campus blood
collections conducted by the Red Cross and local blood banks. The goal is
noble: to assure an adequate blood supply. The problem: FDA guidelines disallow
donations from any man who has had even one sexual experience with another man
since 1977. The guidelines also prohibit bone marrow typing.
Some gay and bisexual men at XYZ object to the
outdated and unscientific discrimination at work here. We, in this group,
believe that this discrimination is invidious on its face and runs counter to
XYZÕs excellent policies and track record opposing discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation, among other categories.
Other members of the gay community at XYZ believe
that weÕre making to big a deal out of this. They contend that we all benefit
from a safe blood supply even if gay and bisexual men canÕt make donations and
that on-site collections make it more convenient for donors and collectors to
connect. Their positions are not invalid. We respond that we donÕt want to
endanger the blood supply. We believe that our blood, as long as we are healthy
and HIV-negative, should be welcome along with the healthy and HIV-negative
heterosexual donors. We donÕt mind being excluded for scientific,
lab-certifiable reasons. But for blood collection policies to say "no
thanks" simply because we have not been celibate since 1977 seems more
homophobic than constructive to us. We have initiated discussions with our HR
staff who sponsors the on-site blood drives and
representatives of the Red Cross and local blood banks. We have voiced our
concerns and have had these responses:
+ The Red Cross representatives ac- knowledge
that people have complained about the discriminatory blood donation guidelines.
However, they declined to communicate those complaints to the parent
organizations believing that to be "inappropriate".
+ Our corporate diversity manager has written to
the FDA, which formulated the guidelines, to raise the issues that the
guidelines cause at a company quaran-teeing non-discrimination based on sexual
orientation. The FDA has not responded.
+ Our HR organization has allowed us to modify
the wording for company-wide announcements of blood collections. The new
wording voices support for efforts to convince the FDA to conduct a review of
the current blood donation guidelines, while still encouraging employees to
donate blood on site.
+ The on-site blood collections continue
Some of us believe the FDA has no incentive to
change its guidelines. We wonder whether a decision by XYZ Corporation to
suspend on-site blood-drives might provide an incentive. We believe this
suspension can be justified by XYZÕs policies that prohibit discrimination
based on sexual orientation. We are concerned about the downside of such a
move, but we are also frustrated and insulted that we are not permitted to join
our co-workers in supporting our communities with blood donations. We believe
that the guideline that disallows blood from any man who has had even one
sexual encounter with another man since 1977 to be outdated, unscientific, and
discriminatory. We believe it is unjust.
Has HTG ever taken a position on blood drives
and their implicit discrimination against gay and bisexual men on the sites of companies
that oppose such discrimination? Have any discussions or statements on the
issue taken place in the HTG organization? Have any actions occurred at other
companies? Do you know whether companies that support non-discrimination have
addressed the discriminatory nature of on-site blood drives? Any anecdotes,
pointers, or other help on this topic would be appreciated.
Many thanks in advance,
TF
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HIGH TECH GAYS -- professionals in high technology industry
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