Christine Forster gives advice on coming out at work

Christine Forster gives advice on coming out at work
Image: Image: Ann-Marie Calilhanna.

Sydney councillor Christine Forster has given her advice on coming out at work.

Appearing on podcast The Thinkergirls, Forster explained that coming out is not a once-off event but something LGBTI people are faced with regularly.

“It happens all the time. In some ways I had an easy ride because everyone knew who I was,” she said.

“In different places, workplaces, you have to do it all the time. It can be very uncomfortable.”

A listener asked for advice on coming out to the straight men he worked with.

Forster suggested starting by having one-on-one discussions with trusted people before coming out to everyone, and keeping the mood light with humour if necessary.

“Attack it on a broader sense with humour. Don’t be intense about it,” she said.

“If other people are uncomfortable, crack jokes and make light of it.”

Forster said that she thinks Australia has become more accepting of the LGBTI community, particularly since the positive vote for marriage equality last year.

“People now know that being gay is something Australia is okay with,” she said.

“I have physically noticed a difference [since marriage equality]. You see so many couples being demonstrative.

“The country has accepted us.”

Forster, who married partner Virginia Edwards earlier this year, recently spoke out about the importance of lesbian visibility.

“It’s a simple thing, but promoting visibility helps breaks down stereotypes, builds respect and provides genuine support,” she said in a blog post for Lesbian Visibility Day.

“The glass ceiling exists and it appears to be an even more insurmountable barrier for women who identify as lesbian.”

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