Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Human Resource Development Quarterly

ISSN

1044-8004

Volume

23

Issue

4

DOI

10.1002/hrdq.21148

First Page

487

Last Page

518

Publication Date

Winter 2012

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) employees create formal and informal groups within workplaces to provide social support and to seek organizational change at their places of employment. I present a case study of a coalition of these groups working together to attain domestic partner benefits within a large three-campus university system. These groups worked together to conduct employee-initiated organization development (OD). This development occurred through various approaches to organizational change and social organizing strategies. The study illustrates the distinct differences between employee-initiated OD in the corporate sector and in universities. It also demonstrates the utility in organizing through a structured activist group and a looser grassroots coalition at various stages of the effort. Successes were attained at various stages through both the more highly structured groups and through loose-knit coalitions. Additionally, this study illustrates successes in social organizing around both fixed, ethnic-type identities and through more fluid queer approaches. Both approaches were utilized to varying degrees as the activists worked toward goals of concern to (a) diverse groups (not just LGBTQ individuals) and (b) LGBTQ-specific constituents.

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