Historians have recognized the significance of gay identity in the history of capitalism, yet the assumption that workplaces were "straight spaces" has led to a neglect of queer experiences in employment. This work highlights the fear of job loss as a critical aspect of queer life throughout much of the twentieth century, examining the political and legal developments surrounding gay labor alongside the histories of women's, minorities', and immigrants' labor. Beginning with the Lavender Scare, which saw the federal government's purge of gay individuals from the Civil Service, the narrative tracks the gradual, albeit uneven, opening of workplaces to gay workers in the latter half of the century. Utilizing archival sources and interviews, the author presents a history that reflects broader structural changes while amplifying the voices of underrepresented individuals. Central to this discussion is the concept of precariousness, which denotes the growing number of workers in industrial societies lacking stable employment. While women and racial minorities share this history, the LGBT experience has uniquely influenced the evolving nature of economic life by the century's end. The author reveals that businesses often led the way in providing antidiscrimination protections and domestic partner benefits, ahead of both government and labor unions. The concluding sections explore how gay rights emerged as a highly marketized civil ri
