Twelve years ago, I was sent to a very respected and highly successful executive coach. At the tender age of 31, he told me that I should leave my company as it was not – and would likely never be – comfortable with me as a senior or executive leader.  He explained that based on his (limited) observations I make company executives uncomfortable given my: a) comfort with being “out”, and b) my unwillingness or perhaps inability to conform to the standard model of who senior and executive leaders are.

This coach was wrong then, and his advice continues to be wrong today.   I should never be pushed to leave or be kept from an opportunity because of LGBT bias – real or perceived.

Thankfully, I had wisdom enough to ignore this Coach’s well-intentioned advice while still recognizing that he articulated a very real challenge I faced as an out gay leader who brings his whole self to work. I believe that no matter where I work, I cannot truly be a leader who can make my full impact unless I am being authentic. At the same time, I have had to be vigilant in assessing the “landscape” of cultures, behaviors and characters around me.  As I navigate my daily professional life, I have had to quickly analyze whether there are folks, team behaviors, HR policies, employment laws, cultural norms that could discount, limit, harm or destroy my abilities, role, authority or engagement.  Even in the most biased and hostile of circumstances, my analysis hasn’t ever kept me from choosing to be authentic.  It has helped me strategically navigate the dangerous waters of bias and discrimination.

I offer my experience as advice to others who may be experiencing a challenge as an OUT LGBT employee, but also as a reminder that LGBT folks do not have the same employment non-discrimination protections that others have.  In too many places, LGBT employees can still be terminated and/or denied equal pay and promotion opportunities without any federal or state protections.  This simply shouldn’t be the case.

LGBT employees, like other minorities, should not have to fear discrimination or bias in the workplace. Please support legislative efforts to pass LGBT inclusive non-discrimination protections at the federal and state levels, and please be an ally for LGBT employees in your workplace.