I was interviewed a while ago for a newspaper story about the one-year anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death and how it had affected my career plans – it finally ran today.  Most of what I told the reporter didn’t end up in the story, but the basic gist was retained.

I’d been planning on being “out” during my job search.  I was very glad I had out faculty & staff people as role models when I was in undergrad and I felt like I wanted to do the same when I graduated.  When Matthew Shepard was killed, I started having doubts and second thoughts about being so publically out on campus and in my job search.

Luckily, I’ve come to realize that it’s more important than ever for everyone who can be to be out of the closet.  I’ve altered my job search a little to look for more residence life positions than library jobs, but I’m committed more than ever to being truthful and open during my job search.  I’m not looking to go to an Oberlin or Antioch though – I want to work at a college that isn’t quite so far along in their progression to accept their glbt students, faculty, and staff.  I don’t think that these colleges deal with these issues as well unless they have openly gay people on staff.

Anyway, the article ran on the front page and several people have already told me how impressed they were to see my name in the article.