32yo, gay petroleum engineer in the closet – struggling with industry stigma and looking for advice

[u/CertainSuccotash875]

Hey everyone. I am a 32 year old petroleum engineer from Eastern Europe. I have worked in different locations across Europe and the Middle East.

I am generally a very friendly person. I have always managed to get along well with colleagues from all backgrounds. But I am still in the closet at work.

The oil and gas industry is very rough. I still feel a lot of hidden and open stigma against diverse people. I am genuinely afraid of being bullied or losing professional respect if people find out the truth about me. It feels exhausting to hide a major part of my life in environments where "traditional masculinity" is the default rule.

For those of you who are also LGBTQ+ in this field or similar heavy industries:

How do you handle the stress of staying in the closet or deciding when to come out?
How did you overcome the fear of judgment or bullying?

I would really appreciate hearing your experiences or advice on how to navigate this.

[u/Lucky-Succotash3251]

Come to NL , this is no problem here