Gay/Lesbian? How out are you?

I'm way out of the closet. Not that I wear a rainbow flag adverstising my homosexuality. I just don't hide it. Don't talk about my girlfriend or my wife, I talk of my boyfriend and partner, etc.

I've found health care to be the most open-minded field of any I've seen and I'm very comfortable being out. When I worked in the insurance business I kept in the closet.

Can't help you with the organizations. But there are organizations for everything nowadays, or at least websites and newgroups.

I find that by being out and honest and mainstaining high profressional standards as a nurse people don't care. They want a good nurse, caring profressional, educated, safe, and helpful working with them, what you do in your personal life doesn't matter to most folks.

I don't feel it's necessary to be out to patients. Patients don't need to know about my personal life.

I think it varies. I'm straight, but when I was in the Vancouver area there were more than a few openly gay staff. It was never a big deal. They brought dates and spouses to the Xmas parties and girls nights out. I do find the atmosphere different now that I am in the east of the country. People in general are more conservative and I don't know any openly gay staff.

I'm in the Midwest (straight) but we have several out employees. Like one poster said - it doesn't matter what your sexuality is - just always remain professional.

Does not effect me one way or the other. Have several openly gay and lesbian friends and coworkers both past and present. Had one whos partner worked OB/L&D, do know her coworkers were aware. Obviously you don't tell your patients but always wondered if any ever found out or knew, what kind of reaction she got/gets . Rj

As a "straight" nurse, it really doesn't matter to me whether my co-workers are straight or not. I don't want to hear the sexual exploits of my colleagues -- regardless of their orientation!! I don't share my private life with them -- don't want to hear theirs!! If you are a good nurse: empathetic, caring, professional, intelligent, -- who cares what your partner's sex is!?

There are a couple of "OUT" nurses here.... would trust them with my care or the care of someone I love above alot of the others employed here! Worked at a very rural hospital in MI where there were very few "out" -- knew of others -- but the community was EXTREMELY conservative and they may have been afraid of the community response if they were out. Guess, as times changed and we moved to a more urban area, the issue became a bit less of an issue.