Introduction
Gender is relevant for work and organization in the 21st century in many ways. The one that will be discussed is sexuality and organization and how it has improved over time due to formation of reforms to make it easier for people to work well in an organization. Sexuality can range from different things such as homosexuality, sexual harassment, heterosexuality and transsexuals. Homosexuality is the sexual or romantic attraction between members of the same sex. It is divided into two gays for men and lesbians for women. Heterosexuality is the romantic attraction between a man and a woman. There are many organizations that are involved with sexuality such as the international association study of sexuality, culture and society and the De frank lesbian, gay bisexual and the transgender community center.
Sexual harassment is the inappropriate sexual advances with a promise of reward in the workplace or in the streets. Transsexuals are people who change their gender in which they born with and live their lives as men when they were born women or vice versa. There are measures that have been used in order to protect people with their sexualities in the organizations. In an organization there will be individuals who will form relationships therefore, the organization must set the rules in which will protect the couple or the company when need be. There is also the office romance in which people form romantic relationships inn the organizations. Before people form relationship they should look at the pros and cons that it will have in the organization.
Sexuality and organization
Sexuality and organization combine both the social theories with the organization theory. The organization theory will demonstrate the behavior of the organization especially in certain situation. In this case the situation is sexuality and the organization. In the social theory covers the social conflicts such as inequality, exploitation and authority that exist in sexuality. First and for most we must know the definition of sexuality and organization. Sexuality and organization is the relationship that occurs between the organization's environments with the manipulation of sexuality. Sexuality is the biological aspect that defines men and women. Sexuality also means the physical and romantic attraction from one person to another. The sexual attraction is known to be in various forms such as one may be attracted to a person who does not respond to the same affections and there is the attraction for both parties, which sometimes leads to marriages. This brings about problem especially when one party is not attracted to the dominant person. This mostly occurs with the heterosexual men who end up harassing the women for sexual favors.
This harassment is also found with the homosexuals people as well. Over the years, we have had much evidence that shows how people have been sexually harassed in the workplace. According to the research that has been conducted the sexual harassments in an organization that usually occurs shows that there is a relationship between the issue of harassment and how the workplace handles the issue. This means in most organizations, they do not take this issue seriously thus sometimes it is ignored. In most organizations, the people of the higher ranking or superiors are able to get away with these incidents without any hitch because of power. This also shows that most men are in higher power than the female counterparts therefore, they are able to do as they please for they will back each other up thus leading to the sexually harassed victim to be fired or mistreated in the workplace.
Through the fight by female activist who have come out strong in fighting against sexual harassments in the workplace has enabled the government to listen to their please and therefore, has made many organizations to form rules against sexual harassment’s. This is what has made the modern day organization to have a reduction in the number of cases of sexual harassment’s and because many women are also in higher positions and will help other women when it comes to cases of sexual harassment’s. There are women or men who use their sexuality in order to get ahead in the organization (Borman 1996). Men exploit the women’s sexuality in the workplace such as giving them names like sweetheart or love. There are sex roles in the organizations that define the kind of work that women are expected to be doing such as fetching coffee for the bosses who are mostly men.
Homosexuality and transgender in organization
Some of the examples of organizations that are associated with this kind of issues is the billy De frank lesbian, gay bisexual and the transgender community center. This is an organization that does not make a profit but helps all people in the gay community. This organization is located in San Jose California. It initially began in 1981. Their main objective is to support, provide leadership, community and services to all people that are LGBT. They help many people in the bay areas to overcome any injustice that they get from their daily lives such as work or social setting.
Homosexuality and organization has been one of the major problems for a decade. In many organizations in the United States, have had to fire some of the workers who were considered gay without any reservations. When they do fire, these people there will be no consequence because according to the company rules they may have specified that gay people be not allowed. There has been a major debate about this matter in which it aims at improving the lives of homosexuals in the organizations (David 2007). Homosexuals encounter other problems in an organization such as they are discriminated against when it comes to promotions. They are at times harassed, ostracized and made a mockery by other people especially those who consider themselves heterosexuals.
In 1953, there was a law that was enacted which prohibited any sexual perversion in which homosexuality was considered as sexual perversion. This enabled most companies to fire any individual that was claimed to be a homosexual (Gruskin & Ferguson 2009). Later laws were reformed therefore; discrimination of any kind such as sexual orientation was prohibited. This showed that any person who was fired because of the sexual orientation was immediately taken to court in which they were fined heavily for emotional distress.
Recently there was a bill that was proposed by the name of the Employment Non Discrimination Act or otherwise known as the EDNA. This bill was set to stop discrimination about sexual orientation, which will stand by itself (Alice 2009). This was to be applied in all organizations and not only in the government but also in the private sector. Many organizations have formulated internal rules or a policy that has enabled them to stop any sort of discrimination. This has made working environment in the 21st century to be neutral because people do not use people's sexuality as a way of firing them, instead they concentrate on their work of whether it brings about profit.
According to history, there has been discrimination of people who are considered gay for example drag queens who have later transformed to be transgender. Everyone has a right to be whomever he or she chooses such as change his or her sexuality. This change may cause an individual with a great sense of happiness but it has many consequences especially in the organization and society. Most transgender people a percentage of 90 percent in the work place has experienced discrimination and harassment. According to researches that have been conducted most transgender people in an organization have one way or another experienced harassments from the straight counterparts who also make fun of them.
The survey also shows the same straight people when interrogated say that it is true that they do harass the transgender people. There are not many reforms that can protect the transgender community in the society or organization but since most companies have rules against any discrimination (Horton 2001). It is also very important for any transgender person to come out to their bosses and human resource management because when one is harassed they are able to report and they will be helped without any difficulties. When one does come out there are many challenges that occur such as acceptance from fellow workers in the organization.
Some relationship with people who are bigots will change and may turn hostile. In the worst case scenario is that the individual may end up losing their jobs or may result in death because they are met with violence. This may discourage individuals not to come out but it is better for them to be free to be who they truly are on the inside, which they will project it on the outside. Due to the changing times in history where people are accepting transgender individuals this has made it easier for people to work well and therefore, increases the profitability of the organization. There are also some reforms that have been enacted by the government and the organization that will protect anyone from discrimination.
Heterosexuality and organization
This is the most common and what is deemed as appropriate sexual orientation by society and religion. In most organizations, heterosexuals who are said to be a relationship between men and women and are in charge therefore, they instill their values upon others. It can be deemed prejudicial when people who are straight are not told to come out so that when some sort of discrimination occurs they will be helped or not. This in its self should be taken as discriminatory. In heterosexual world the male counterparts can be seen as superior compared to the female (Johnson 2005). This therefore, leads to sexual harassment in the organization. However, there are many reforms that are taken in order to stop or cub this behavior to change but there are still cases of this conduct continuing.
Relationship and organization
In an environment where people meet and spend time together it is bound for them to form emotional attachments that later becomes romantic relationship. The relationship is classified differently such as romantic relationship and casual relationship. When one mixes, romantic relationship and work in an organization will create some major problems for the individuals and the organization. Most organizations are known to have strict rules regarding romantic relationships in the workplace (Fisher & Anderson). When people are found to be dating in the organizations it may lead to one of them being transferred or both of them fired. In this office romance, this is when people use others to get ahead.
This is an ethical but no one looks at this issue as a problem but it is very common. In the modern organizations we still find that these cases are still being practiced but it has reduced due to the reforms in the organizations at one are needed requirements in order to get a promotion. Due to these cases when some people begin dating and supposedly when of them is superior to the other one in an organization the question of whether the person is dating you in order to get ahead always pops up. This will cause strain in the relationship and probably the couple is really in love and not for power (Heathfield). This is why most romantic office relationships within the organizations does not last longer. People who engage in office romances have no idea of the effects it has on the organization and the people surrounding them.
There are advantages of office romance such as they motivate other workers because of their love affair. When two people in the organization are in love, they tend to work harder because they are happy. Office romance has negative reactions or views by people therefore, the couple will find a way to work harder at their jobs as well as their relationship so that it does not become a failure. This motivates people in the workplace to do well in their jobs as well as their private lives. When two people working together in an organization get together as a couple then they are able to work together on projects while using each other’s brains (Pierce & Aguinis 2009). The advantages of romantic relationship in the workplace include when the couple has a fallout this will affect the organization because the individuals will not have the best working relationship they once butt instead they will try to avoid each other.
The bosses in an organization when they hear about peoples who are involved in a romantic relationship they tend to separate them no matter how good they are in their jobs together (Einstein 2008). This could affect the organization in ways that when the couples are separated it could affect the performance of the individuals. When the individuals start having romantic relationship they tend to forget about their jobs or they loose concentrations and all they do is look at each other and think about each other all the time (Einstein 2008). Relationship at times brings about the conflict because of jealousy when one individual is caught associating with another person. There is also conflict amongst themselves when it comes to work because when they are discussing their jobs at their homes one may pick an idea from another and end up getting a promotion.
Reflective analysis
When writing this assignment I have come to the conclusion that sexuality and organization is a very important aspect that can determine the progress of the organization. The key issues that I find important are the sexual harassment, homosexuality, transgender and relationship or romantic relationship within the organization (Martin 1992). I know that sexual harassment is one issue that may never end any time soon but with the formation of new reforms that will curb this issue and try to be more efficient in trying to stop this issue. I know homosexuality and transgender individuals are in the society and I do believe that they who they are and should not be changed for whatever reasons. This therefore, means that they should be treated as human beings that have every right to be employed in the organization and not to be fired for their sexual orientation.
Being bias is one of the major problems that people seem not to shake when they begin working but with excellent reforms, this unfairness will be reduced, especially in the work place. In an organization that I will be managing some of the reforms should plainly declare or indicate that people's sexuality should not become a stage for them to be discriminated or under attack in the organization. When an individual is transgender, it is wise to come out in order to avoid any problems in the organization that I will be managing. The romantic relationship within the companies is an issue that should be deprived from others because human beings cannot control their emotions.
It is a fact that when people work or live together they are bound to be attracted to one another thus will end up having romantic relationships. In this assignment I have seen that it is important to have reforms about the romantic relationship especially when the disadvantages of the relationship out ways the advantages. I have seen the importance of having reforms or rules in the organization that will control the actions of people so that it can have a good working environment, which will bring about profitability.
Conclusion
Sexuality and organization is one of the most important aspects of an organization. There are different ways in which sexuality is defined such as the sexual orientation of individuals and the sexual attractions or feelings of an individual. Every person in the world differs from each other when it comes to sexual orientation such as homosexuals, heterosexuals and transgender. Then heterosexuals in an organization are the ones who are considered normal. This evident because in most organizations especially in the past were all controlled or were in the higher ranking and they fired anyone they considered to be different. People who are homosexuals over the years have been mistreated and discriminated against according to history especially in the organizations. This was because there were not any reforms or rules that were set to stop the discriminations and the government had set rules that made it harder for the gay and lesbian individuals. This caused the formation of certain organizations that will help the LGBT people in the society and in the work place. A good example is De frank lesbian, gay bisexual and the transgender community center.
These laws made it easier for the organizations to fire anyone that was considered gay. The gay and lesbian has many problems in the society and in organizations but according to statistics transsexuals are the ones who are said to have more issues because of harassments in the organizations. Due to complains and campaigns made by the people it has caused the government to propose new reforms that could be adopted in governmental organizations as well as private. This will help reduce the number of discrimination in the working environment. The reforms formed by the governments and organizations has made it possible for people who are in the organization to work efficiently without any fear of harassment’s or being passed up for promotions. This shows that gender relevance for work and organization in the 21st century has improved over the years due to improved reforms. For future research on sexuality and organization we should be able to find that the rate of sexual harassment and discrimination among homosexuals has completely reduced to a point where it has ended in order to generate profit in the organization.
Reference
Alice, l. (2009). Homosexuality in the workplace. Helium .
Borman, p. J. (1996). Women and work. New Yolk: Garland publishing inc.
Coming Out in the Workplace as Transgender. (n.d.). Retrieved from human rights campaign: http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/coming-out-in-the-workplace-as-transgender
David G. Embrick, c. s. (2007). Working class masculinity: keeping gay men and lesbians out of the workplace. Chicago: springer science.
Diamant, L. (1993). Homosexual issues in the workplace. Washington: Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Fisher, c. & Anderson J. (1991). Sex roles. Anderson and fisher.
Gay Workplace Rights. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.datehookup.com/content-gay-workplace-rights.htm
Gruskin, S., & Ferguson, L. (2009). Government regulation of sex and sexuality: in their own words. Retrieved from http://www.rhm-elsevier.com/article/S0968-8080%2809%2934483-3/abstract
Hearn, J. (1996). The Sexuality of Organization. California: SAGE publication Ltd
Heathfield, S. M. (n.d.). Twenty Dumb Things Organizations Do to Mess Up Their Relationship With People . About.com .
Horton, M. A. (2001). Workplace Guidelines for Transgendered Employees . Transgender at work .
Martin J. (1992). The culture of organizations. Oxford: Basil blackwell.
Johnson, P. (2005). Love, Heterosexuality and Society. Routledge: London.
Karl, K. a. (2010). "An Examination of the perceived fairness of workplace romance policies". Journal of Business and psychology 24 .
Krehely, C. B. (June 2, 2011). Gay and Transgender People Face High Rates of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment. Center for American progress .
Mirk, S. (2013). Four Ways our Government Regulates Sexuality, Beyond the Same-Sex Marriage Ban. Bitch media .
Pierce, C., & Aguinis. (2009). "Moving beyond a legal- centric approach to managing workplace romances: organizationally sensible recommendations for her leaders". Wiley Periodicals .
Einstein, B. (2008). The Ethics of Office Romance. Bloomberg Businessweek companies and industry .
Zoe Maletta, D. M. (2007). How to Improve Interpersonal Relationships in Organizations. Chrome .
