Tips for supporting transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse folks in the workplace!
Transgender Day of Visibility has been celebrated since 2009. It is a day to recognize, celebrate, and uplift the lives and accomplishments of transgender, non-binary, and other gender-diverse/gender-minority communities. More often than not, these communities are oppressed, looked down upon, and discriminated against. This day is an opportunity to take stock of our own experiences with trans folks and, if we are cisgender (meaning our gender identity is the same as our sex assigned at birth), to identify what we still need to learn in order to support and uplift the trans community.
There are many institutional and interpersonal barriers to trans folks being able to live and work as their authentic selves. There are many situations and places around the world where trans folks are unable to share their identity with others, due to risk to their safety, livelihood and comfort. There are still many states in the US (up to 25 according to this information) where people can legally lose employment simply for being transgender. Many countries do not offer specific legal protection to trans, gender-diverse, and other LGBTQ folks- which means it isn’t illegal to fire someone for having these identities.
We develop empathy for others when we try to understand their perspectives, get to know people from various backgrounds/identities and spend time forming relationships with those different from us. In the workplace, it is important for transgender employees to feel safe sharing their identity (if they choose to do so) in order to reduce the mental and emotional burden of hiding parts of themselves. When spaces are created that encourage all employees to bring their full identities and selves to work, then greater empathy and compassion can develop between colleagues.
So how can you support trans folks in your organisation? Some thoughts are below! It’s important to consider implementing these policies and ideas whether or not you know that there are trans folks in your organisation. It sends a message to all employees and potential employees about the values and integrity of the organisation.
1. Don’t wait for the law to tell you what to do
If you are a private company, you can add gender identity/expression and sexual orientation to your internal anti-discrimination policy (assuming a specific one exists in the first place). These policies are often explicit about race, ethnicity, gender, and religion but can exclude gender-diversity and sexual orientation. Adding these identities in (and others you might be missing, such as ability status), indicates that if complaints are brought forward regarding identity-based mistreatment, they will be taken seriously.
2. Replace “he/she” or any variation of that, with “they/them” in official documents
There are a variety of identities that can be considered gender minorities — these folks may use a variety of pronouns. When official documentation only reflects “he” and “she”, this doesn’t reflect the identities of all employees. Policy documents can be edited to read “they/them”; if gender is needed on applications or other materials, it can be indicated with a blank space instead of a drop down box (which usually only lists “Male” or “Female”). Changing the pronouns in documents is a subtle shift, but one that indicates acknowledgment of gender identities outside the binary.
3. Have trans-inclusive healthcare
If your organisation offers healthcare, taking steps to make sure that trans-inclusive healthcare, such as gender-affirming surgery, is covered can be extremely important for trans individuals. Trans people are often left out and left behind in healthcare systems. Having a healthcare plan that allows folks to choose their own doctors/medical professionals also supports trans folks in finding doctors who they trust. This is of key importance, as many doctors are not well-versed in trans-affirming healthcare and being forced to go to a doctor that cannot accurately meet health needs can be life-threatening.
4. Make it easy to update names/pronouns in company systems
A person may realise they are transgender/non-binary/gender-diverse at any time in their life. Since folks’ identities might change over time, it is important that internal company systems allow for these changes. An employee who realises their gender identity while employed at a certain organisation, should be able to change their name and pronouns in official systems. Different systems can have limitations and it is important to work with IT and other teams to figure out the appropriate ways to make this happen. It is not appropriate to require a trans person to have a legal name change in order for them to update their email address, business cards, etc.
5. Dress codes that are inclusive (or non-existent!)
Dress codes in general seem like something that are becoming less popular in organisations. If your organisation has a dress code, it should not be gendered, and instead offer a range of options for any employee. Rigidly enforcing a dress code on perceived gender of trans individuals could cause significant distress. If a dress code is necessary, describing the clothing that is appropriate, without using gendered terms, allows all employees to feel they can still choose how they present themselves at work. One technique that can be used is when on-boarding staff, share with them the general dress that folks have and encourage them to be within that range, while also wearing clothing that is comfortable and accessible for them.
6. Bathroom access
For organisations with physical locations, allowing employees the option of using the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity and/or creating gender-inclusive bathrooms is important. If there are already single-stall toilets, creating signage that indicates the bathroom is intended to be gender-inclusive and used by all can signal support. As infrastructural changes are not always possible, there are intermediate steps that can be taken in this regard. Requiring trans and gender-diverse employees to only use certain toilets can be demoralizing and distressing as well.
7. Be open and honest with trans and gender-diverse employees
If a trans employee shares that identity with you, don’t share it with others without their consent. There can be a very strong fear of being outed and having people gossip about someone’s identity, which can lead to ostracization and disempowerment in the workplace. If you learn an employee is trans, reaching out to them and asking them to share what their needs might be, and then working to meet those needs, will demonstrate support and empathy. There is no need to force anything on folks. Trans and gender-diverse folks are not a monolith- some will want to change their names in official systems and some will not; some may need additional healthcare information and some may not. It is important that management and supervisors especially are able to have a judgment free conversation and help to advocate for the needs of their transgender staff.
8. Learn more!
If learning about gender identity and transgender identity is new to you, that’s ok! It’s important to acknowledge where our knowledge gaps are; and it is equally important to make sure to find ways to fill those knowledge gaps. Bringing in trainers who can talk about creating supportive environments for trans folks and provide training in terminology, bystander intervention, and other topics can be immensely helpful. Remember, it isn’t wrong to not know something- but it is the responsible thing to do to become well-informed about areas we don’t understand.
Make a commitment this Transgender Day of Visibility to learning more. There are tons of resources, books, articles, videos and media that can bring education and awareness to organisations. Everyone benefits when all employees feel empowered and safe to bring their full selves to work.
Need help getting started? Reach out to Trident at andrew@tridenttraining.co for more information. We provide trainings, resources, workshops, and policy audits related to gender diversity!
