Originally Posted by
2StgTurbine
What federal application asks about your sexual preference? You keep bringing that up as if it is a thing.
I can tell you that certain USFS locations have a disproportionately high number of homosexual employees. In fact, at some locations...all of them. I'm sure it's a coincidence.
This isn't to say that the agency is predisposed, but most certainly certain hiring units to look for a particular demographic, and I've personally seen people forced out who didn't fit that demographic, and I can also tell you that considerable hiring goes on specific to an individual, with vacancy announcements designed and tailored for that one person, or person(s). This is not unique to one particular agency.
Conversely, I had a phone interview many years ago with an operator who asked in if I smoked. I replied that I didn't. Then I was asked if I was married. No. If I planned to be. Maybe, at some point. Did I have had a girlfriend. I replied negative. Did I plan to get one? Maybe.
Did I know why the employer was asking? Yes, I replied. You want to know if I'm flexible and able to move quickly, and the answer is yes.
No, he said. I just want to know if you're gay. "I don't hire smokers or fags." Once he was satisfied with what he wanted to hear, I was invited for an in person interview.
Isolated in the industry? No. Not so often as overt, but preference plays a part, regardless of the lip service to equality that may exist. Like I said, we could go on all day, and tomorrow, and the next. It's not a small, or limited thing, nor is it something that occurs rarely in the industry.