When I began my career in radiation research, I didn’t see any out professors or peers. I was an undergraduate in 2007, at a time when my home country, Germany, was still a decade away from legalizing same-sex marriage. In 2025, the field looks basically the same. I still haven’t met a tenured and out professor and my contact list of queer junior faculty and trainees is surprisingly short; far shorter than statistics would tell.
I’ve heard the following sentiment often enough to warrant consideration:
Sexual orientation and gender identity are private matters and have no place at work.
However, there has never been a time when these aspects of who we are were not part of our work persona. Casual coffee chats about weekend plans, conversations about moving with your partner, bringing your plus one to a social… all of these reveal parts of our identity, whether we intend to or not.
For some people, these moments pass without a second thought. For others, the same moments have led to ostracism or harm. Anti-discrimination laws and workplace policies can protect against overt discrimination and harassment, but they often fall short in the spaces that are subtle, implicit, and nearly impossible to document. As the notorious saying goes, opinions don’t change–they die. And until then, they remain beneath the surface or hide under executive decisions that sidestep the need for explanation.
I prefer a more optimistic stance. As a social species, we are hard-wired for empathy and compassion. Stories have the power to reach our hearts and minds. They let us see the world through someone else’s eyes, expand our view, and sometimes even inspire us to grow.
Out in Radiation is built on that conviction. We create belonging through storytelling and increase the visibility of queer professionals and trainees in the areas associated with radiation research: the sciences, engineering, mathematics, medicine, technology, and their applications. We dare to share parts of ourselves beyond stereotypes and invite anyone who might think this is unnecessary to take a closer look–and see the whole picture.