Lesbians | Why Are College-educated Gays And Lesbians Choosing To Stay In The Closet At Work?

It may "get better" but many gays and lesbians are choosing to stay in the closet " at least at work.

A new study by the Center for Work-Life Policy has found that 48% of college-educated gay Americans choose to keep their sexual orientation a secret in the workplace.

It's not the corporate policies that keep workers from coming out at work " it's the attitudes of their co-workers.

According to the study, 37% of straight women and 52% of straight men say that they prefer gay people keep their personal lives to themselves, and 29 states do not prohibit employers from discriminating against LGBT workers.

Despite the fact that nearly 90% of Fortune 500 strictly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and 57% of those companies extend benefits and protections to gay couples, workers still choose to keep their private lives completely private.

"It's not just the policies, but also how well they're communicated," study co-author Karen Sumberg told The Lookout . "What we found is that people aren't always sure that they have these policies or what it means, both gay and straight."

It may be up to senior management to set the tone for the workplace, which is a problem when higher ranking members of the office choose not to reveal their sexual orientation.

Playing it straight during the day, while being out outside of work often leads to a feeling of living a "double life," according to the workers profiled it the study. Workers feel unable to discuss their weekend plans, their families or details of their domestic life, causing them to feel dissatisfaction about not being able to bring their "whole selves" to their jobs.