Abstract
Purpose. The purposes of this study were to determine if sexual orientation was a barrier toward career advancement, to determine if the demographics of the key decision maker were a barrier to career advancement, to determine the career barriers perceived by lesbian and gay male principals and female and male heterosexual principals, and to determine if there was a difference between these 4 groups. Methodology. The design used was descriptive, ex post facto. A survey given to the participants provided quantitative and qualitative data. The population for this study was 50 lesbians, 50 gay males, 50 heterosexual males, and 50 heterosexual females who worked in K-12 public schools in 5 Southern California counties. Findings. The findings of this study affirm that lesbians and gay men both experience workplace discrimination out of proportion to their heterosexual counterparts in 4 domains: demographics, religious/political views, psychological/heteronormality, and degree of contact. Conclusions. The key decision maker was a barrier to career advancement for lesbian and gay male principals. This was influenced by the key decision maker's demographics, the prevalence of the gay and lesbian community, expectations for conformity to traditional gender norms, and the degree to which they conformed to them as barriers to gay male and lesbian principals' careers. Gay men faced more discrimination than their lesbian counterparts, and their heterosexual counterparts faced less discrimination than either the gay male principals or the lesbian principals. Recommendations. It is recommended that organizations create a safe and affirmative environment for all individuals, including sexual minorities. Organizations can improve their productivity by creating an inclusive culture through the development of inclusive policies, providing clear communication, and offering diversity programs.