Trans with Pride

THE WORKPLACE : TOWARDS A HEALTHY, HAPPY & INCLUSIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The Trans with Pride team members for this strand were: Gabe Barrett, Jin Haritaworn, and Tamsin Piper. With invited guests: PROFESSOR STEPHEN WHITTLE OBE (Press for Change) JO BERNARDO (Association for the Study and Defence of the Rights of Gender Identity, Portugal) In association with: THE GENDER TRUST

Gabe in the Workplace discussion

This strand included three sessions:

  • Sharing Experiences: In this session delegates shared their experiences (both good and bad) of being a trans person in the workplace, identifying the problems they may face, issues of privacy and disclosure of trans status, issues surrounding transition while working and issues surrounding the necessity of taking time off for medical appointments.
  • Examples of good and bad practice were identified and the discussions from this session fed into the second session (Developing Best Practice). stephen Whittle explained the legal position affecting trans people in the workplace and the support mechanisms that are available to trans people in the workplace in relation to protecting/enforcing their rights.
  • Developing Best Practice: This session concentrated on developing a best-practice guide for use by trans workers, employers, support organisations and trade unions. It built on the experiences shared in the morning session. The guide will potentially be a useful resource for colleagues of trans workers and help to educate them about the issues of concern in this area, suggesting how appropriate information can be communicated within the workplace so that colleagues are able to be supportive of trans employees.

Including Trans Sex Workers: Given the exclusion of trans people from the formal work sector, sex work is an important source of income for many trans people. The informal, unprotected and stigmatised nature of this work makes it difficult to improve working conditions, health and safety. For trans sex workers, many of who are migrant women, vulnerability to violence is an additional concern. How can trans organisations become safe spaces for trans sex workers? What are the lessons to be learned from the Portuguese movement, which was central in fighting for justice for Gisberta?