Sexual minorities continue to face workplace discrimination, which leads to concerns about
disclosing their sexual identities. Despite benefits of disclosing, relatively little research has
examined what organizational factors can work together to foster disclosure of a sexual
minority identity. Across five experiments (N = 1,662), ...
Sexual minorities continue to face workplace discrimination, which leads to concerns about
disclosing their sexual identities. Despite benefits of disclosing, relatively little research has
examined what organizational factors can work together to foster disclosure of a sexual
minority identity. Across five experiments (N = 1,662), we examined two main factors:
diversity ideologies and information about diversity climate. Sexual minorities were more
willing to disclose in organizations with diversity messages conveying that they value group
differences (an identity-conscious ideology) relative to those that downplay differences (an
identity-blind ideology). Identity-conscious ideologies also increased belonging, perceptions
of fair treatment, and perceptions of LGBTQ+ representation. Despite expectations that
contradictory evidence demonstrating a negative diversity climate might create mistrust and
impede disclosure, the benefits of an identity-conscious ideology persisted in the face of a
negative diversity climate. These findings point to the complexities of facilitating visible
sexual minority representation in many workplace environments.