Out at Work (1996)
Out at Work (1996) A poignant film, Out at Work documents the stories of three individuals navigating the working world as out gay people. It is both in the very ordinariness of the principal subjects, in tandem with the extraordinary courage and determination they demonstrate in simply being open about their sexuality, that sustains the film’s narrative power.
Offering glimpses of lesbian and gay working class American life, Out at Work is clearly a political project, and advocates for equal workplace rights regardless of sexual orientation. Through a series of articulate and sensitive monologues, interspersed with footage of protests, popular media coverage, and footage of the subjects’ daily lives over a number of years, the film provides an extensive view of the daily workplace struggles of lesbian and gay Americans.
The film opens in 1991, in a small town in Georgia at the home of Cheryl Summerville, her partner, and their children. A reluctant activist, Cheryl came to political life when the Cracker Barrel chain fired her after three and a half years of model employee service as a cook in one of their locations. As her termination was the direct result of a new policy discharging employees who did not exhibit “normal heterosexual values,” Cheryl became an integral member of a larger legal fight against the chain’s discriminatory policies.
Juxtaposed with Cheryl’s story is that of Ron Woods, a Detroit-based auto parts electrician, whose life became affected by the Cracker Barrel case, despite the fact that he was not employed by the company. After hearing of the dismissal of fellow lesbian and gay employees, and of Cracker Barrel’s hostility toward unionized labor, Ron took part in a local protest. Subsequently, his picture appeared on the front page of a local newspaper which outed him as gay to his fellow auto workers. Despite the fact that Ron had long been an ardent and supportive member of the United Auto Workers Union, he encountered harassment by fellow workers and union members, ranging from verbal threats to physical attacks.
The last storyline is set in the traditionally gay-friendly city of New York, and follows the experiences of Nat Keitt, an employee of the New York Public Library. Although the city’s anti-discrimination policies include a clause protecting gender identity and sexual orientation, and although Nat’s coworkers are supportive of his identity and partnership, he ultimately faces hardship due to the absence of spousal health benefits. Nat’s partner of ten years, David, has AIDS, and is disabled and severely ill. Since Nat cannot marry David to legally cover his health care, the couple has to pay for David’s medical expenses out of pocket, leaving them fifty thousand dollars in debt.
In many ways, the film’s ending is unsettling. Departing from these stories, the viewer is left with mixed emotions. While Cheryl has not regained her Cracker Barrel position, and has to make a living working long hours at two menial jobs, she claims to have found solace in her activism, and has since managed to start a much longed-for family with her partner. Ron finds strength and workplace tolerance through his increasing involvement in the United Auto Workers Union, whose leadership supports him, but he still suffers from feelings of alienation and loneliness in the workplace and in his personal life. Finally, while Nat wins domestic partner health benefits for David in 1994, not long after, David succumbs to AIDS and passes away.
Overall, the film is successful at capturing a mid-nineties moment in which lesbian and gay liberatory movements were facing both great gains in some areas, and intense set-backs in others. As a document of lesbian and gay history, as well as a window into labor politics, this film richly represents its subjects’ lives as emblematic of larger social struggles.
Laura Grappo Yale University laura.grappo@yale.edu
