Transgender at Work

Resources for Transgender Workers

You want to work for the best business in the world. Included in the working conditions should be a fair paycheck, a job where you can contribute your best, and a work environment where you can be yourself without harrassment or fear of discrimination. An employer who affirms, in their EO policy for everyone to see, that they will not discriminate against transgender people. How can you find such a company? If your company is progressive, but doesn't have the policy, how can you help them improve it?

This site collects resources for workers and advocates who believe that companies should treat all their employees fairly, including those whose gender presentation isn't quite Barbie or Rambo. While civil rights laws are important, Transgender at Work focuses on voluntary cooperation between employers and transgender workers.

How to Transition in the Workplace.

Not sure how to go about transitioning at work? Afraid they'll fire you?

It's scary. But people have done it before. If you approach it right, you have a good chance at a successful transition on the job.

For some tips, see the TAW Transition Checklist.

Does it work? One transwoman writes of her successful transition. .

Is your ERG Trans-Inclusive?

The missions of groups for Gay and Lesbian employees should be expanded to include at least Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender employees. Use inclusive GLBT language in all titles and publications of these organizations. The order of the groups is often rotated, such as LGBT or TBLG. If your ERG's mission statement specifies only gay, lesbian, and bisexual, TAW recommends that your first step should be to expand the ERG's mission statement to include all four groups. Consider including intersexual as well.

Good Companies to Work For

The snowball started in 1997 when Lucent Technologies added gender identity, characteristics or expression to their nondiscrimination policy. Apple did the same in 1998. Since that time, more companies are adding trans-inclusive language to their policies. Transgender at Work keeps a list of companies known to have trans-inclusive language in their policies. HRC's Worknet project also offers a search engine to find companies with good policies.

Trans-Inclusive GLBT Employee Resource Groups

Is your company's ERG trans-inclusive? If not, perhaps your first effort should be to ask them to amend their mission. You may find the resources about Gender Expression and the table of Common Issues to be useful.

Benchmark of Best Current Practices

In 2000, Transgender at Work sponsored a benchmark comparing the best current practices of five Fortune 500 companies affecting transgender workers. Can your company learn from the successes of other progressive businesses?

The restroom - What can you do?

It's often remarked that, whenever transgender people come out at work, the issue that always seems to come up is "what restroom will she (or he) use?" Restrooms are a mundane part of life, but yet this one issue causes more discussion than any other aspect of the transition. Ironically, it's not objections by coworkers that cause the problem, it's fear among the decision makers that somebody might object.

Guidelines for the Workplace

Mary Ann, while an employee of Lucent Technologies, has written a set of informal guidelines for transgender employees. These guidelines are not anyone's official policy, but they may be useful to others in the workplace of companies who do not discriminate against transgender employees.

How to start a new Employee Resource Group

If your employer doesn't have a GLBT Employee Resource Group, here are some tips on forming one.

Media Coverage

Positive media coverage helps both the GLBT and HR communities show how diversity makes a difference in the workplace.

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