Flight Attendant Careers: Gay vs Straight

By The Flying Pinto

Feb 18, 2011 Filed Under: Featured, flight attendant career, Flight Attendant Q&A, flight attendants

Q:”I would like to be a flight attendant when I’m older. But the thing is, I am male, but I’m not gay. I don’t want people to think I’m gay working as a flight attendant. So my question is, how many straight male flight attendants do you work with?”

A: I work with many straight male flight attendants. I’ve been a flight attendant for 18 years and from my perspective it is a great career for anyone. I’m currently reading, “The Art of Non-conformity” by Chris Guillebeau and what a great book! I couldn’t have said it better myself! The flight attendant career offers the type of lifestyle Chris Guillebeau describes in the book.  I’ve been able to travel the world. My twenties were spent exploring new cities every week. I got married in my thirties and got to travel a lot with my husband and now with a small child I am able to fly part time. My daughter travels a lot, she’s been to see the manatees in Florida, three Smithsonian Museums, and to London, England…all in the past four weeks! Oh and that flexibility I mentioned has allowed me to have a second career, blogging and podcasting.

So, back to your question, there are all different kinds of people who chose a career as a flight attendant. That is one of the things that makes it such a great career choice. I believe you have to be comfortable in your own skin to do anything well. Are some people going to think you’re gay because you’re a flight attendant? Maybe, there is that stereotype, but who cares? The career of a flight attendant offers such a great lifestyle for anyone. I recently discovered a blog called “Straight Guy in the Queer Skies” he maybe able to offer you some insight as a straight male flight attendant.

Interested in becoming a flight attendant? Have an interview lined up? I’m offering phone consultations,  we’ll go over how to prepare for your interview, your appearance, the type of interview questions they will be asking,  and how your previous work and life experience can be highlighted to fit the job requirements of a flight attendant while leave time at the end for your questions. The fee is usually $90 for the hour long session but, I am running a special for the summer at $50. Email me at [email protected] for more information.

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11 comments

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  2. Chris Guillebeau @ 2011-02-18 16:06

    Thanks for the props! I hope to see you on the road or in the skies somewhere.

  3. Michael Berryhill @ 2011-02-19 00:01

    I was a flight attendant for many more years than I care to say, and I am not gay. Amazingly I was made feel by most people that they assumed that I was gay, but it never really bothered me. However if you are a person who might be bothered by such, you may want to give the idea some more thought. But I don’t regret for one moment my FA Days, it made me a fuller, better, caring person. Some days I miss it, till I fly and see what they endure today, and then I get over it soon. Just some food for thought. Be Well and Fly SAFE!!

  4. Hunter @ 2011-02-22 04:49

    Thanks for answering my question. 🙂 I appreciate your input.

  5. Chris @ 2011-02-24 09:21

    I’m a male f/a (gay). I just got back from a really fun trip. It was made fun by my coach co-worker, a straight male f/a who doesn’t share the prejudice that the questioner has for gay people. He and I shared dating war-stories and made an otherwise boring trip a lot of fun. He couldn’t care less if people think he’s gay. No one should. Because the questioner has discomfort with various sexual orientations, I would suggest, he is not going to enjoy this career. People WILL assume you are gay most of the time – if that’s at all a problem, look for a different way of earning a living.

  6. Frederick M Knox @ 2011-02-25 06:32

    So you want to be a flight attendant
    The hell with what other people think. Do what you want to do and hold your head up high while you do it. Why do you care what complete strangers think of you if you become a f/a?
    By the way 90% of f/a’s are straight – just like the rest of the population. And for the 10% that are gay – who cares? That’s their business.
    Another by the way – choose your profession by your own preferences, not by those of others.

  7. Christina Baita @ 2011-03-05 11:05

    I agree with Frederick. I fly with both gay and straight male flight attendants and am not bothered either way. I of course am not one to think that I am better than anyone and love people, which is a must in this career. It IS a great career wether you are a man or a woman, gay or straight. I find that men are actually becoming more accepted in the profession.

    When it all started you had to be a nurse, singe AND female! I am not a nurse or single and I am not discriminated against. You should try being a female pilot! I had a man walk on my plane, see that BOTH pilots were women and curse. I flat out offered him the option of getting off with that mouth. LOL

    A lot more is tolerated these days and as long as YOU are proud of your job then who cares what the few uneducated think.

    Good luck and go for it!

  8. how to become a flight attendant @ 2011-03-14 17:15

    I’ve been a flight attendant for 10 years. I think there was a time when people absolutely thought a male wearing the uniform as probably homosexual. In my experience and from chatting with my male co-worker, people are less judgemental….but if it’s really a concern for you, then you should maybe give it some more thought.

  9. A. Lewis @ 2011-03-18 22:50

    I’m gay and have been a FA for 16 years. I work with straight guys all of the time. I have yet to be worried about whether anyone thinks I’m straight or not — unlike you who is apparently worried about whether others will view you as gay or not.

  10. Men becoming non-masculine because of their feminine jobs… « meninwomensworld @ 2012-07-01 15:59

    […]  are often openly gay. So where does this leave our straight male flight attendants? I found this site, a question/answer sight where the male asks what it would be like for him if he pursued his dream […]

  11. Steve @ 2014-03-27 20:25

    I am a straight male flight attendant. Fewer people than you think assume you are gay. Only a couple of passengers had made fun of me. First of all, who cares what they think. Second, they were coming back from a job on a oil rig that is stacked with other men, without a female in sight. I was flying with 3 younger women going to Hawaii the next leg. So I ask you, who likes being around dudes? Them or me.