Kodak employees attend Toronto's Pride parade in 2005. Remembering the Lambda Network at Kodak, CC BY-SA

(ROCHESTER, NY) As corporations sponsor floats and employee marches during Pride Month parades, it’s important to remember just how recently the majority of American office workers felt they had to conceal their sexuality in the workplace.

In the 1970s there were no legal protections for LGBTQ workers outside of a handful of cities. If a company found out you were gay, it could fire you on the spot.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.