Standing out

摘要

Looking up from a courtyard at the College of New Jersey in Ewing, passers-by can see a rainbow pride flag in the window of chemist Benny Chan. He has not always been so open. Chan came out as gay to just a few people in graduate school, and although he did not hide his sexual orientation once he started working at the College of New Jersey, he decided not to be vocal about it until he met the requirements for tenure. His past advisers and the administration at his new job were supportive, he says, but "there's always that little bit of doubt in my head" - one uncomfortable or discriminatory colleague could cause problems. Scientists do not always share their personal sides in the lab. Deciding whether to be open about ones identity can be an acute issue for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) researchers. Unlike some other minorities, LGBT people "have the ability to conform, because its not always a visible trait", Chan says. But hiding something as basic as sexual orientation or gender identity can be detrimental to mental health and work. "You need to spend a lot of extra energy if you feel like you need to hide a part of your life," says Chan.