Agentic and Communal? The Impression Management of Gay Men in the Hospitality Industry

Research on discrimination against LGBT+ individuals and management challenges in the hospitality industry has advanced considerably in the last twenty years. While these studies have been explored across various disciplines, there's a growing focus on understanding the dynamics between consumers, management, and employees in hospitality. This area of study is particularly crucial as it identifies gaps in diversity management and offers theoretical frameworks to address them, aiming for fair employment opportunities for LGBT+ individuals in different sectors of the industry. In the hospitality environment, LGBT+ individuals may face overt discrimination, like denial of service, or subtler forms such as decreased friendliness. Their experiences of discrimination can vary based on their role in hospitality interactions and their conformity to social norms. To mitigate negative consequences, gay men might employ strategies to hide their sexual identity, aiming for better outcomes. However, research indicates that managing a concealed stigma can still have adverse effects on their well-being. Unlike traditional workplace settings, hospitality blends work with social interactions, making identity management a continuous process rather than isolated events. Moreover, there's a paradox regarding gender stereotypes; while hospitality values communal traits associated with women, leadership roles are often linked with agentic qualities more commonly attributed to men. Gay men, stereotyped as possessing communal traits, might face challenges in advancing to managerial positions. To address these gaps, this dissertation aims to explore how gay men manage their sexual identities in hospitality and how they're evaluated for frontline versus leadership roles based on communal and agentic language in their applications. The findings are crucial for understanding how stereotypes influence workplace dynamics and perpetuate biases against marginalized groups. This research underscores the complexity of identity management for stigmatized individuals and stresses the need for supportive frameworks and organizational policies to foster inclusivity. Future studies could delve into the long-term effects of identity management strategies and the effectiveness of inclusivity initiatives in organizations.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Hospitality Administration

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Beiza, Alberto

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Madera, Juan

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Sirsat, Sujata
• Boger, Carl
• Maneethai, Dustin
• Ruggs, Enrica

• Gay men
• Hospitality
• Identity Management
• Stereotyping
• Recruitment and Selection

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10657/17704

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/17704