Gay Men, Straight Jobs

by Dan Woog

There is no denying that the closet door has swung wide open for gay men in many professions, from medicine to movie producing. But for many men, working in more blue-collar, male-dominated environments, the workplace remains a place of secrets and fear of discovery. Journalist Dan Woog, who has previously examined the intersections-and often collisions-of sexual orientation and societal expectation in athletics ( Jocks ) and education ( School's Out ) applies his sharp, empathetic skills to these profiles of gay men who work in what might traditionally be thought of as "straight jobs." Logging, Wall Street trading, police work, news anchoring and firefighting are just a few of the professions that seem to attract only straight men. But, of course, appearances do not match reality. The sometimes liberating, sometimes frightening, sometimes tragic experiences of gay men working in these environments are spotlighted in an intimate, thought-provoking manner that reveals important truths about what makes today's society truly work. Dan Woog is a journalist, educator, soccer coach, and gay activist. His articles and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated , and USA Today . He is a contributing writer for The Advocate magazine. He is the author of 11 books, including two collections of his most popular newspaper columns. Also Available by Dan Jocks TP 12.95, 1-55583-399-3 CUSA School's Out TP 12.95, 1-55583-249-0 CUSA

Genres: LGBT

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

Reviews

[Edie Kestenbaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the interviews that fit with the theme of the book. However, I'm not sure how investment banker, criminal defense attorney, and construction company owner became blue-collar professions,and the back of the cover talked about "gay men working in blue-collar, male-dominated, macho environments". All that being said, I doubt there are many other books that talk about this.