Gay- and Lesbian-Identified Law Enforcement Officers

Abstract

This qualitative exploration examined how 14 gay- and lesbian-identified law enforcement officers managed career choice, satisfaction, and their intersecting sexual/vocational identities. Participants reported choosing the vocation for much the same reasons as others already mentioned in the literature, including service/duty to community, financial benefits, and family influences. Constraining and facilitating factors were discovered, shedding light on how participants managed their intersecting identities, and their influence on career satisfaction. These factors deepen the understanding of when participants shared their sexual identity with colleagues and to what impact within the career environment. The presence of homophobic microaggressions without institutional support to address the hostile environment significantly hampered job satisfaction and willingness to risk being out at work for some. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed, including the findings’ usefulness for other quasimilitary vocational settings in the aftermath of the repeal of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” legislation in the military.