What Is the Experience of Gay Men Within Toronto’s Communication Field?

The public relations profession is continually changing with each passing year. Communication responsibilities in 2018 have evolved significantly in just under a decade. Common practices are not the only changes the field has recently seen, as the number of gay men working in public relations roles within Toronto has increased dramatically. This thesis examines what aspects of Toronto’s communication field have allowed gay men to excel in these roles and how organizations could benefit from understanding this trend. The intent of this study is to show how progressive Toronto is as a city and what aspects of the communication field allow gay men to flourish. The findings benefit younger gay men who may see public relations as a future career option based on the responses from primary research. A diverse group of gay men working in the field were selected for one-on-one interviews regarding their experience with being openly gay in communication roles within the city to better examine this topic, building on secondary research on related LGBTQ topics.