The Way of the World.... other cuss-worthy ev

You won't believe the week I have had.  I don't believe the week I have had.

Last May, I lost my job of almost four years.  I'm an interior designer...I hold my NCIDQ certificate and am a registered designer in my state.  In addition, I am LEED AP ID&C certified.    What all that means to those of you not familiar with the trade, is that I am a very capable and very educated designer, well versed in environmentally responsible design, and am able to create and submit permit ready drawings as long as I do not modify the structural integrity of the building.  My previous employer was very happy with my services, and I got glowing reviews and tears when they had to lay me off.  We worked in the financial sector, so we had a very bad crash and the business has barely held on.

Fast forward.  Eleven months of no job.  I upgraded my software skill set.  I began to see some job openings about 8 weeks ago, compared to the absolute silence that has been prevalent on that front.  I sent out resumes, and was called for an interview with a company about twenty five miles from where I live.  The interview went smashingly, and I was very excited, because that company works in the hospitality industry, which from a design perspective, is much much more exciting than financial design.   Four hours after my interview, they called and offered me a job.  Hallelujah!  To start one week later.  Oh, and by the by, would I be interested in attending a hospitality design conference in Las Vegas during my second week of work.  Heck yeah!

So I started the job, and the first two days they didn't even have a computer for me to use.  I spent the time familiarizing myself with their processes.  Then on day three they gave me a project, and my direct supervisor told me what I needed to accomplish.  I worked toward that goal, although I found quite a bit of missing information that I reported to my supervisor.  Then, the big boss came by and said he thought I should approach the job differently, so I completed what he said he thought I should.  I then repeatedly asked for either more information, or additional work.  I offered to help the other two designers on staff.  One of them was up against a difficult deadline and took me up on my offer.  I helped her complete her project within her deadline.  Then, it was off to Vegas, where a great time was had by all.  I shared a suite at the Palazzo with the other two designers, and although it was a bit awkward in the beginning, by the end of four days, we were experiencing what appeared to be the beginnings of a great friendship and working team.  Over the course of these four days of bonding, I revealed to both of these ladies that I am gay.  Both were surprised, but fine with it, and responded as straight people so often do with stories of the other gay people they know.  I returned to Atlanta, and went in to work on Monday.  Around three in the afternoon, the big boss called me and my direct supervisor into his office, and told me he didn't think I could adjust from the financial industry to the hospitality industry quick enough, and they would have to let me go.  My supervisor had no idea what was going on and just sat there with her mouth open.  Now, on the surface, this sounds like a valid concern.  Problem being, they never even gave me any real work to do to even be able to form that opinion.  I spent 7 days in that office, two of which I didn't have a station or a computer.

In case you are missing the connection:  I was fired because I am gay.  That is not a protected class in my state, so basically, I am just SOL.  Oh, and pissed.  Don't forget pissed.

The other two designers were both flabbergasted.  One told me that my supervisor was very upset by the whole thing.

I guess it is his business and he should run it the way he sees fit.  But in the mean time, he just fucked me and my family for some religious conviction that is meaningless for all intents and purposes.  I am not a threat to him or anyone else.  I am family oriented and quiet, intelligent and productive.  And, his company just spent probably two thousand dollars to send me to Vegas and he just pitched it in the trash.  Over nothing.  It's not like I was going to hit on his wife or anything.

Anyway, just venting I guess.  I know other folks deal with this all the time.  But for me, having been in a heterosexual relationship for most of my life and being someone who is not visually identifiable as gay, I don't often experience this kind of thing.  I guess I have been lucky in the past to find so many people who are accepting of me.

His loss, huh?  My partner keeps telling me that if that was what he was like, then I didn't want to work there anyway.  And, that's true.  But I was so excited to be moving into hospitality design, and now I am right back to square one.