Getting a job or an internship is hard enough without being discriminated because of sexual orientation.

Last night about 15 Penn State faculty and students got together to talk about being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) in the workplace and in the classroom. It was sponsored by the group Out in Science, Technology and Engineering (oSTEM) and was held in preparation for PRIDE Week, next week.

Denise Conner, the president of oSTEM, moderated the five panelists and jumped into the discussion by asking, "Why should you come out at work?"

Ryan Morgan, an IT consultant in the Penn State housing department, said he found three situations when he can come out to his co-workers. First, during friendly conversation if discussing something personal, second, in a professional situation where a gay perspective would be an asset and third, if a co-worker says something offensive.

Rick Naughton, a second-year law student and graduate student in education, said he taught high school for four years and said he was probably the first openly gay teacher for most of his students.

Naughton also said a person can be fired in Pennsylvania for being LGBT.

"So in some cases, coming out is more than an act of bravery," Naughton said, "because you really could be fired or even demoted."

Conner talked about an experience she had with a former academic adviser she had. She said she had such a terrible experience with him that she "put it on the table" in the very beginning with her new adviser. She said her old adviser wasn't openly hostile, but was more passive-aggressive about it.

"I thought I left that behind in fifth grade," she said with a laugh. "But that's OK, he'll retire soon."

Naughton said, in response to Conner's story, that Penn State does have a non-discrimination policy.

Markus Maier, an academic adviser for the Smeal College of Business, said he grew up in Europe and the attitude there toward gay people isn't so black and white.

"If you say gay, white, male, that's now how I define myself," he said. "I'm a cyclist, I want to be a vegetarian. I think Europeans tend to think of it differently."

Maier said he felt that he would discriminate against himself sometimes in the workplace without realizing it.

"Because I was out, I had to be extra professional," he said. "I felt like I had to overcompensate. I let go of that, but it took me a long time."

Naughton said that currently, the Pennsylvania Senate could amend the state constitution to ban any recognition of same sex couples, which would affect the partner benefits that Penn State makes available.

The panelists applauded Penn State for its same sex partner benefits and recognized that it isn't like that everywhere.