Gay, You’re Fired! GA: Out in the Workplace- Part II

The following is true as it happened to me. This is my story and why I know we need to fight against homophobia, discrimination and intolerance.

The following story is a real life case. I should know, it happened to me. I know its not a movie, or part of a reality show, so I don’t like to make it sound so dramatic……but somehow it is.

My name is Antonio Capurro and I never thought this would happen, but things happen even when you are not looking for them. I would like to think good things should happen all the time, but I guess that’s not life. Let me tell you my story…

I was born in a fishing town called Chimbote (PERU) and I lived there almost my complete life. When I graduated in May 2001, I decided to move to Lima, the capital of Perú. I made the move because I had a very good job offer working for an open minded web site. I was happy. I took my backpack and packed my illusions and wishes and headed for Lima. I was happy not only because I landed a job, but to live for the first time my gay life, something that I always was looking for.

As the guys in my short stories or the feelings in my poems, I was reloaded of wishes for the future. Lima, the big city, was a challenge and a place to make a good beginning.

When I won first place in a poetry contest the sponsors offered a dinner on behalf of the winners. I will never forget that night as it was the first time I saw a gay couple kissing each other. It was at that moment I felt envious because I wanted the same for me. I had never been kissed before (like Drew Barrymoore in the movie).

The time went fast and I spent four years in Lima. They were years of hard learning, good and bad moments, tears and joys, a little of everything for a gay like me.

Boyfriends came and boyfriends left of my life, but I always welcome changes. Then one day, I found the love of my life by internet as many people do today. His name was Terry Lucas. he was a 50 year old, born in Salem (Oregon) and was all I needed. I felt blessed when I found him. I know is not easy being a bi-national couple as that is the extreme end of a long-distance relationship, but we did our best and he visited Peru whenever he could. Thing became tough however when we agree to make more of an effort and I tried to obtain a visa from the American embassy in Lima….who said no twice. I became emotionally tired. I experienced mixed feelings: anger, frustration and disappointment. Why I didn’t get a visa?

It was a difficult time to me in Lima, so I returned to homeland Chimbote. My town is well known because it has the smell of fishing in the air. It was all too familiar for me. Not too much time passed and I found a new job, Luis Antonio Capurro, at the age of 34, came to be a university professor. I was always a person who spoke out my ideas and thoughts without fear. Vehement and passionate, that’s me. I think if we don’t live with all intensity then isn’t a life. Live free without sorrow or regrets has always been my creed.

I know it’s not easy being gay in a small town and even less when there isn’t much tolerance. Relatively however, I didn’t see myself as having many problems. I enjoyed a good time in my life and my work. That is until mid-January of this year when Mr. Carlos Mendoza Sánchez, the former academic director of the University of Cesar Vallejo, Filial Chimbote, called me in for what seemed to be another appointment about courses and business, but it wasn’t.

I never felt so discriminated against in my whole life. “You won’t return to work in this university and we won’t renew your contract”, he said. I had been teaching there for two consecutive years. I had obtained a diploma for academic achievement and I was respected by my students. But all that ended that evening with what still haunts me as a horrible nightmare.

Suddenly I was a bad guy and I was accused without a chance to give explanations. I was shocked and not many words came out of my mouth. I felt as though a bucket of cold water had been dumped over my head without any warning. I was never given a chance to say my truth.

According to my ex boss, the only thing the university wanted was to avoid the scandal. The fact is, I never tried to hide who I was nor did I made apology of my sexual orientation. I thought could I take my partner and introduce him at the university social meetings as other straight workers did. No way! I had several networking profiles and many of my students joined me. There was the gay word in my sexual preference and pictures of Terry and I together.

But this all came to an end just when an angry mother went to the university and complained because her seventeen year old son revealed to her that he was friend of mine. That, according to her, meant a danger to the moral and physical integrity of her young son, as I was considered to be a bad influence.

She didn’t stop with her defamation. She even threatened to go my other workplace in and attempt to have me removed from that university as well. The University of Cesar Vallejo’s academic authorities promised this woman to they would handle this business before it became a big scandal.

Sure I am gay and I love my country very much, but I want people and institutions respect us. The Peruvian gay community is working hard to make this change. I didn’t act in the moment, but I should have. After a few months I spoke with a lawyer only to find that one can only file a lawsuit within 30 days after being fired.

I am proud who I am and I will always be. Now is time to talk and face everything with courage and strength because I am not alone. I started making my case known on the web, mostly with Spanish sites that wrote about things similar to what happened to me. I also spend time talking with those that were my students (gay and hetero), in hopes to build a more tolerant place to live and to study with respect and tolerance.

I feel strongly we need to defend gay rights and to have a legal work support because nobody should be fired based upon sexual orientation.

No more victims of homophobia and discrimination. Nobody should be dismissed because being gay. We need to learn to live in the sexual diversity of our world. If only Cesar Vallejo University would have had the humanity of one of the best Peruvian poets, my story would not be written, but it was.

By Antonio Capurro

capurroantonio@hotmail.com

Fired for Being Gay: Another One Bites the Dust

As I was browsing through various blogs the other day, I came across one with a post of how someone had been fired for being gay. Unfortunately this happens all too often. Having had a similar experience myself, I always find myself interested in the circumstances behind the situation. Here are the basics from this story.

I was let go from my job. I was told that I was not a good fit for the company and escorted from the building within 10 minutes of that. I feel in a way that I was setup to fail by certain members of management, and that I wasn’t wanted at the company for quite awhile. All of this because I am gay.

Unfortunately, most states provide “at will” employment. Which means you can be let go, at any time, for any reason. Also unfortunately, there are few states with regulations against firing someone for there sexual orientation. There are still 33 states, where you can be fired for being gay.

I felt like I had been trapped. I had been set up to make a false step that would be used against me…the fact that I was openly gay and wanted to open a new market to the company that was considered “wrong”. I had outed myself…

Yes, there are those people out there who hate the GLBT community. I always wondered…is it because they’re not getting laid?

Was I dreaming? Was this REALLY happening to me? Everyone was so confused and couldn’t see why it was happening.

Reality bites. Yes, it happened. It’s not confusing for former employer, you were fired for being gay. Fortunately, there is a strange force in this world. If you stay positive, you will come to realize, you simply weren’t where you were suppose to be any longer. Always remember, no matter how things seem at the time, in the long run, it happens for the best. If this didn’t happen to you now, perhaps 10, or even 20 years from now, you won’t be in the right place. Sometimes we just have to step back from the situation to see the big picture. There are gay friendly employers. You can find yourself in a welcoming situation if you want it. You just have to want it, find it, and make it happen. No one will do it for you. As sad as it may be, someone can take a job from you for being gay, but unless you let them, they can never take your pride and dignity!

You can read the rest of this story at kaderade.wordpress.com.

Survey: Americans Favor GLBT Rights at Work

It has been reported in a recent national survey that seven out of ten heterosexual adults agree that how an employee performs at their job should be the standard for judging an employee, not whether or not they are transgender. The survey also showed eight out of ten heterosexual adults strongly or somewhat agree that an employees performance, not their sexual orientation, should be the determining factor in the employees rating.

The survey also revealed that;

– Three out of four (75%) heterosexuals feel that spouses of married heterosexual employees and committed partners of gay and lesbian employees both should receive leave when they lose a spouse/partner or close family member.
– More than two-thirds (68%) of heterosexuals feel that spouses of married heterosexual employees and committed partners of gay and lesbian employees both should receive leave rights for family and medical emergencies as outlined in FMLA.
– And, almost two-thirds (64%) of heterosexuals feel that spouses of married heterosexual employees and committed partners of gay and lesbian employees both should receive untaxed health benefits under federal law.

Find out more at marketwatch.com.