Can "coming out" affect your career?

Courtesy of Biography.com

My family and I were talking about Ricky Martin the other day and why he hasn't come out with any hit singles lately. Did coming out as gay kill his music career?

My dad blames it on Barbara Walters. I already knew he was gay from the get-go, but the speculation didn't really start until after this awkward interview:
 

Barbara Walters later said she felt bad about it. 

After years of being told that the truth would destroy everything he had worked for, writing his memoirs and the birth of his two sons (by a surrogate mother) gave him the courage to come out. On his website he issued the following statement: 

"I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."

That was four years ago. Since then he hasn't released a hit single in the USA, though he is still a superstar in Latin America and starring in the Broadway musical Evita. 

One blog discussed the repercussions of other pop stars coming out, such as Elton John, George Michael, Adam Lambert and Clay Aiken. I don't think it would affect singers like Adam Lambert and Elton John who were obviously gay from the start. But if you're trying to market someone as a heartthrob, being open about your sexuality could have consequences.

Look at Taylor Lautner, the werewolf from Twilight. God knows he can't act, so his only selling point is his teen heartthrob status. Would he still be offered as many parts if he came out? An anonymous source from my sister's school in France has let me know that an openly gay student went out with him before.

Your welcome. Courtesy of Rolling Stone

For us mere mortals working in offices and the like, being open about your sexuality can have its benefits. David Stocum, a Life Coach who specializes in working with members of the gay community writes:

"Among the benefits of coming out is a potentially more pleasant environment with less stress and more mental energy to devote to your work. You also are less likely to have resentment and workplace conflict. All these factors combine to yield overall improved job performance, which you could expect would lead to more steady career growth, better advancement opportunities and a more successful career, not to mention the improvements in mental and physical health."

A caveat: Not all companies, or towns for that matter are openminded. Although there is proposed federal legislation against discrimination of homosexuals in the workplace, in reality discrimination is harder to pinpoint (how do you report a look or a snicker?). For more on gay-friendly companies, click here.

I am not gay myself so I have no idea what it's like to come out at work. Feel free to share your experience in the comments below.