Re: [UUPoly-L] Coming out as Poly at work: Need Feedback.

["Les Addison" <les.addison@gmail.com>]

I'm out at work.  When I was in two serious relationships, I alternated
between "me and Joanne" and "me and Jay" photos as my wallpaper, on about a
weekly basis.

I've not had any "sit you down and tell you I'm poly" conversations.  But
the coworkers who I am closest to all know as I talk about my dating life,
or needing to leave work to pick up my boyfriend's son from school because
his wife got stuck in traffic over an hour away.  I started this job when I
moved to be closer to my boyfriend, and in the first week, when one of the
people I work for asked if I were living with him (or planned to soon), I
said 'no.  Its a little complicated.  And our relationship is a bit less
traditional.  He lives with his wife and three children in an 1100 SF
house.  I can't imagine living there with them."  The coworker/sorta
supervisor then asked if I'm "what-do-you-call-it?  poly?"  I think we also
dicussed the housing prices in the Bay Area (e.g., buying something bigger
so I could live there would be quite a challenge).

I have met my boyfriend's grandboss.  Had coffee with him on my own, and
have a monthly lunch with him, my boyfriend, and a friend of ours/coworker
of theirs (Sarah).  Grandboss knows that we're poly, knows Jay and I are
dating, knows that Sarah has a cohabitting romantic relationship with a man
and a woman, and knows that I used to date that woman's other boyfriend.

I'm dating a woman who has been to my office multiple times, and gone to an
office party with me.  She's comfy mentioning her husband, too.

I had to miss this year's Big Office Shindig.  Anyone who asked about my
attendance learned that I'd be unable to attend since it was also my
boyfriend's girlfriend's birthday party, and of course it was really
important to me to be there.

(I work in a Silicon Valley law firm.  My boyfriend works for NASA).

I've not experienced any negative repercussions from being out at work.  The
extent to which there is any curiousity/odd response, its actually more
about me dating men (I'm often perceived to be a lesbian) than that I'm in
multiple relationships.

Les