Gay Men, Straight Jobs

Depending on your point of view, writer Dan Woog might be either a maverick or a pioneer. In his earlier "Jocks" series, Woog may well have essentially initiated the diaglogue that acknowledged that there are gays in pro sports. Here, in "Gay Men, Straight Jobs," Woog again takes on the challenge of portraying gays realistically: as they behave and as they are expected to behave based on societal expectations and demands. And it's from that perspective - profiling the gay man within the framework of institutional mores - that makes Woog something of an academic sociologist. An array of occupations perhaps traditionally thought to be exclusively straight are presented here by their gay workers: police officers, fire fighters, upscale Wall Streeters and even television news reporters. What emerges is how workers in those and other fields manage to balance their sexual orientation with the expectations and mores of their respective professions, and how those expectations relate to the larger society. To gain any meaningful information from this book, particularly if you're a gay man struggling to fit into your own social and occupational frameworks, it's best to read the book as something of a self-help guide. Don't expect any simmering accounts of gay sex: if you want that, look elsewhere. More important than that, you might find something here that has actual long-term benefits.

As one of the subjects Mr. Woog chose for the book (park ranger) I was pleased to see how he treated my very personal story. Those who know me gave me great feedback on how accurate his depiction was and, more importantly, several people who are struggling with coming out at work have contacted me for help. The writing shows compassion and humor. My friends who have read it highly recommend the book as do I. Though I was a little shy about it, I'm glad I told my story to Mr. Woog.

Dan Woog has once again written an engaging and important book about being gay in America. It's tempting to call Woog the gay community's Studs Terkel, but that may not do Woog justice. The skillful manner in which he conveys his subjects' experiences makes this book fascinating reading no matter how close one is to the issue.