Supporting Trans People in the Workplace

As we talk about Transgender people in the workplace, I think it’s helpful to begin with what we mean by the word Transgender. Transgender is the umbrella term for people who do not identify as their assigned gender at birth, this includes but is not limited to Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming people. 

While things have changed quite a bit regarding LGBTQ+ discrimination at work, more than 50% of transgender people are still not comfortable being out about their identity at work for fear of discrimination and judgment. So let’s break down why the workplace might not feel welcoming and how your workplace can become a welcoming and open place for Transgender people.

Reinforcing Stereotypes

Common stereotypes of Transgender people take root through both popular culture and many laws and policies that reinforce them. For example, at least 18 states have issued laws that restrict Transgender student athletes to play sports in teams that match their gender. Essentially, these laws are rooted in a group of people’s strict adherence to gender norms and these laws impose their ingrained stereotypes of gender norms onto everyone.

We all live in a society where we have been told that the opinion of others on how we behave, look, and what activities we like matters and must match the gender we have been assigned from birth. From books to toys, to clothes, to activities, we have been carefully taught, from a very young age, how we should display proper gender behavior. Think how, from a very young age, clothes for boys seem to push for adventure and achieving something big, whilst girls' clothes have slogans about being pretty and kind. The same goes with activities where boys are more encouraged to play sports to channel their energy and stay clear of more creative pursuits which are often directed to girls. Sadly, these assumptions can lead to discrimination when someone doesn’t seem to follow culturally-imposed gender norms.

This means that although the United States Supreme Court has clarified that Trans people should be protected from discrimination, many are still getting fired, forced to resign, not being hired, or denied promotion because of how they identify.

As a Trans/Non-Binary person myself, the constant gendering of everything I do or wear has led to bouts of depression and a lack of confidence. Having to conform to a gender that is not my own has also brought on feelings of dysphoria and eating disorder as a way to deal with it. Because of this constant push from society to learn such behaviors, they are now so ingrained that any form of change will require ongoing, persistent, and consistent work. 

Employment Discrimination

The biases formed through ingrained stereotyping–whether we know we are stereotyping or not–can lead to a disparity in unemployment, pay gap and promotion rates between cisgender and transgender people. A 2021 report from McKinsey & Company found that cisgender people earn 32% more money in a year than Trans employees, and as revealed by a report by various human rights organizations, “A Broken Bargain for Transgender Workers,” Transgender people are twice as likely to be unemployed than cisgender people. 

Even from the application stage, seemingly common steps can feel like a barrier to entry for Trans people. For example, when applying for a job, every step, even if not intended as such, can be seen as a process that scrutinizes every detail of your life. Ticking binary boxes for “male” or “female,” showing identity documents, and having to disclose previous gaps in employment all feel incredibly revealing. For a Trans person, the gender box might not match their gender, those documents might not reflect their true identity yet, and the employment gap could be because of the time they took off for a medical transition or whilst they were waiting for their new documents to be approved. These are only some of the issues Trans people might face when looking for a job.

When someone transitions while they’re employed, there are a whole other set of barriers. Barriers can include a lack of accessibility to gender-affirming healthcare, although gender-affirming healthcare for adults remains legal, there have been quiet steps to try and limit it. In addition, many providers are actually not knowledgeable enough in this area, which can cause an increased level of mistrust and a reluctance to seek those treatments for fear of judgment and added stigma. Additionally, Trans employees face a lack of internal understanding and support such as availability of time off or remote working during recovery and to availability of support groups.

Imagine how many hurdles are placed in our way that stall our career progression once we find one.

What Can Be Done

From the top-down, much work still needs to be done at a legislative level. Governments should be pushing for gender self-identification on official documentation, making document changes for Transgender people much easier. Additionally, there should be more legislation to include a wider range of options for “gender” on official documents to counteract the onslaught of anti-trans bills that have been proposed, and we need an increase in inclusive gender-affirming healthcare options. 

While legislation is often out of the control of a company (although larger companies do have some power to advocate at the legislative level), there is still a lot that companies can do to create a work culture that helps Trans people thrive and feel accepted in the workplace.

Internal policies are a place to start and are certainly important, however the truth is that day-to-day discrimination towards Trans people comes from microaggressions. Microaggressions are the everyday, subtle, verbal and non-verbal behavior that express prejudice and discrimination against members of a marginalized group. Sometimes microaggressions are intentional, but oftentimes they’re unintentional coming out of a lack of awareness. Some workplace examples of microaggressions include misgendering, deadnaming (referring to a Trans person by the name from before they transitioned), toilet accessibility, and imposed dress codes.

It is, therefore, crucial for people to understand and move away from implicit biases and stereotypes through inclusive training and practices.

Training

One way an employer can support their Trans employees is by offering training to help address day-to-day microaggressions. Diversity training can help your cisgender employees find their footing and understand the struggles and needs of Trans people.

Practical diversity training is well-funded and relies on internal and external contributors who can use their combined life experiences and training to raise awareness about the adversities they might face in the workplace.

Create a culture of accountability with regular training programs, where your employees can learn how to hold themselves accountable for any mistreatment they might have caused. My previous article on “Moving Beyond Performative Allyship” has some great examples of actionable steps for businesses to follow. 

Workplace

Turn the workplace into a welcoming space.

Think about all the small things like bathroom, dress code, gender expression, name-changing, support networks and pronouns practices and how you can improve them to make all your employees feel safe and respected. 

• Support people in choosing and using bathrooms that align with their gender. If possible, have non-gendered bathrooms instead of gendered ones. 

• Changing the dress code to allow employees to wear clothes that align with their gender identity. A fantastic example of this would be the latest Virgin uniform campaign. 

• Think about different gender expressions. Some people might present differently at home than at work. If remote working, give the option to keep the webcams off.

• Providing optional pronoun badges, email signatures and allowing people to introduce themselves with their pronouns during meetings. This encourages employees not to assume a person's identity and to ask for the pronouns if unsure.

• Allow for a smooth name-changing transition. Include instances when Trans people might not be able to legally change their birth name but would still like for a different name that aligns more with their gender, to be used. 

• Create LGBTQ+ support networks for your employees.

• Most importantly challenge homotransphobic behaviors and comments (this Healthline article has some tips).

Policies

Institutional policies are also an important way to support Trans employees. Starting from offering equitable wages to lower the pay gap to support policies and legislations to further combat discriminatory practices. Here are some examples of policies you can implement in the workplace.

• Offer pay transparency to improve accountability on your wage practices.

• Commit to recurring reviews of your salary budget and see where you can improve.

• Check your “glass ceiling: advancement for employees from historically marginalized groups. Make sure that you are giving them expanding opportunities.

• Support legislative measures to improve equal pay protection.

• Make sure that your non-discriminatory policies include both sexual orientation and gender identity.

Additionally, think bigger than just internal policies. Because of the restrictions of the binary system, many Trans people are discriminated against for things that might happen outside the workplace, like starting a family or accessing gender-affirming healthcare. Here are some issues your company can get behind to show you’re a true ally:

• Parental Leave: does your policy move on from gendered language so everyone can use it? Do you have policies in place for parents who might seek out surrogacy or adoption?

• Gender Affirming Healthcare: does your company offer support before and after? Think of gender-identity-specific benefits, support groups, and recovery work-from-home options.

• Diversity, Equity, Justice, & Inclusion (DEJI): talk to your employees and figure out where changes are needed and how to implement them. Make sure you track them, figure out if they are working and make more changes if necessary. Do not simply tick a box and move on. You can read more about what DEJI can look like in the workplace at one of my previous blog posts.

Don’t forget that by implementing all these changes and inclusive policies, you are not only making your workplace more inclusive, you are also showing other companies how to move forward and make similar changes. Also, by doing so, you are transforming your company into an active Ally that is pushing for changes and responds to its employees needs with actionable commitment.