Working Lives of Men Aged 45 and Younger

Abstract

Examines the work histories of the young cohort (29 men aged 18–45). These men turned 21 1986–2000, an important period in gay social history for the waning of the HIV-AIDS pandemic in the West and growth of gay-marriage movements in liberal democracies. Analysed as were those from the older cohorts, their working lives were organised around five principal narratives: creativity, which was important for this generation, care, social or political change, work as work, and travel. The most noticeable change in narratives being the change in the rank position of travel: from primacy for the middle cohort to minimal for the young. The section on being out in the workplace showed that, while homophobia can be less virulent now, it has not disappeared and it continues to affect the lives of gay men. Where those it affected in the workplace in the 2010s have an advantage over previous generations is from legislation that now forbids discrimination on the grounds of sexuality, in place in many advanced western democracies. The empowering effect of this structural change was illustrated in the case of one man who was able to confront a homophobic manager with the support and approval of senior management and win the day.