The only thing that should matter when you apply for a job is your ability to do the job. Your race, gender, religion, national origin, or age shouldn’t matter. Neither should your sexual orientation, so why is DoorDash asking applicants to share their sexual orientations as part of the job application process? Job seekers and employers alike will be interested in the answer.
A poster at Reddit’s r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit shared a screenshot of a DoorDash application asking the applicant to pick a sexual orientation. It seems invasive and unnecessary, but take a deep breath and realize that companies have been asking questions like this for years and years, and it’s probably a good thing. Here are the essential details.
To keep reading, click here: Why DoorDash Asks for Sexual Orientation on Applications
If it’s just for reporting purposes, they need to wait until after hiring someone to give them the opportunity to voluntarily provide such information. These kinds of preliminary inquiries are more likely than not to cause applicants to suspect discrimination, and they may then self-select out of the process.
Unless you’re reporting on the diversity of candidate pools, in which case it’s relevant useful.
The data should absolutely be kept separate from the rest of the application, but it’s invaluable information if you want to evaluate your recruiting practices.
If it’s ok to ask for sexual orientation can they also ask for sexual preferences? Like if you’re into anal, dildoes, nipple clamps, hot wax, role play, strap ons, gang bangs, etc. I’m just wondering where the line can be drawn. Some of this I realize can be assumed by the sexual orientation, but just curious if the employer is allowed to ask this specifically.
Why in the world would that be even close to relevant or acceptable?
Well why in the world is it relevant or acceptable to ask sexual orientation? Because in Texas it is illegal to own more than 6 dildos, several states still have anti-sodomy laws and if a company provides health insurance they may be concerned that someone is more inclined to injure themselves with certain other sex toys. So if we make it OK for a company to ask sexual orientation then perhaps they will assume sexual preferences that are potentially illegal or could raise insurance premiums and discriminate. Therefore, my proposal is that silly questions like these shouldn’t be allowed.
Your favorite sex toys aren’t a protected class under federal law, so there’s no likelihood of any government agency ever requiring you to report on it. Your sexual orientation is, and as the article points out, that reporting will eventually be mandatory.
If your sexual orientation is lesbian there’s a super high probability that you use a lot of dildos. If you are a gay male, there’s a super high probability you practice anal. Sexual orientation very clearly indicates the sex toys and sexual holes used. Pretending it’s a question about protected class is fine as long as everyone realizes you’re answering other questions at the same time that are entirely related to how you like to be pleasured in the bedroom.
I think the question to be asked is why is this question asked on applications, to begin with especially if the specific job has no qualifiers on it, that need that specified. I only question that in the same way, I question why they ask for your birthdate or schooling or race especially if dates are involved. I see questions like this as means to filter out candidates before your application is even looked at by a human.
Did you read the article? Because those questions get answered…
I just tried the link and it was “Article not found”. Anyone else have that problem?
Seems to be working now.