The Parallel Lines of ‘Toxic Masculinity’ And The Gay Employee In The Workplace

‘Toxic masculinity’ has been the buzzword in many conversations around manhood, patriarchy, friendships, relationships etc. But, exactly how does this play out in the workplace and could gay men be silently suffering at the hands of ‘toxic’ men?

For a very long time, the workplace has been described as one where only the ‘strong or aggressive’ employee will thrive. Men are often expected to carry themselves in a certain stereotypical way and effeminate men are seen as being weak. As a result, many organisations have intentionally or unintentionally fostered workplace cultures that require men to walk, talk, dress or behave in a certain way. The short end of the stick, however, is that many employers may not be aware that such a culture could be negatively affecting their bottom line.

Mason Donovan and Mark Kaplan of the book ‘The Inclusion Dividend’ highlight that many employers are losing out against their industry competitors as their talented employees are leaving workplaces with toxic cultures. They highlight that employees who are not engaged at work are less productive, less creative, less innovative and often have high absenteeism numbers. Comments such as “When are we seeing your girlfriend, Mark?” instead of “When are we seeing your partner”, or “Don’t be a sissy, put in more work” are indicative of a toxic workplace environment. On the other hand, queer men who have decided to dress to work in an unorthodox fashion have been told to go put on a “suit and tie.”

In the United States of America, the HRC Foundation’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index has showed that 91% of Fortune 500 companies have jumped on the wagon towards gender identity protection in their discrimination policies. In South Africa, we can only hope for more companies to get on board. Ways in which ‘toxic masculinity’ can be counter-acted in the workplace include speaking out against bad language/subtle discriminatory undertones, politely asking people about their preferred gender pronouns, inviting a gay employee for lunch, forming an LGBT network and allies, respecting people’s choice of dress-style and being more friendly. 

The Employment Equity Act, No 55 of 1998 places a positive duty on employers to see to it that equal opportunities are created within the workplace and that all forms of unfair discrimination existing in any employment policy or practice are eliminated. Conduct such as bullying, sexual harassment or the intentional side-lining of an employee (on the basis of their sexual orientation) are forms of unfair discrimination and employers could be held vicariously liable where they fail to take the necessary steps to eliminate such conduct. Employers need to be proactive towards creating an environment where gay men are free to be themselves and don’t feel the need to hide their true identity. Employers who are falling short of this duty are only hurting themselves in the long run.

Disclaimer : The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Emphasy! Magazine

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