Category Archives: General Info

Workplace Blog and Resources for 2015 Transgender Day of Remembrance

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Rita Hester, transgender woman murdered in 1998

Rita Hester, transgender woman murdered in 1998

This blog is loaded with links – please do use them!

The Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, November 20, started in 1999, about a year after Rita Hester, a transgender woman and activist in Boston, was found murdered in her own apartment. It is very sad that transgender people are murdered or physically harmed at an extremely high rate compared to the general population, often fueled by hatred of this misunderstood segment of our community. Just this year alone, 2015, 70 new names have appeared on the Transgender Day of Remembrance site (link).

There are now a lot of resources available for people to learn more about the general plight of transgender people, and some are included within and at the bottom of this short blog. As a workplace diversity consultant, I want to focus on one area that can really help our transgender brothers and sisters; equal opportunity in the workplace and the ability to make a living. Transgender people often have the same education, skills, and work ethic as all other people companies employ, and deserve the same chance for gainful employment. Providing equitable opportunity for work is one way we can assist in helping everyone see transgender people are totally equal human beings.

Certainly this workplace journey has just begun, and according to recent statistics, much more focus and work is needed. A comprehensive survey from The Taskforce reported that 15% of US transgender people are living in poverty compared to 5% of the general population, and that transgender people are two times likely to experience assault or discrimination at work.

Here is a quick list of things companies can do to support transgender people in the workplace:
• Add “Gender Identity and Expression” into the corporate non-discrimination policy
• Provide appropriate benefits for employees undoing gender transition, including counseling, hormones, surgery…
• Including transgender information in diversity training that should go out to all employees.
• Appropriate handling of employee record changes, new email addresses, new badge, etc.
• Management coaching for managers who have transgender employees
• Trained Human Resource practitioners to respectfully case manage employee gender transitions
• Trans-supportive handling of the restroom configuration and policy.

As an HR diversity consultant, I am a strong advocate for corporations and organizations taking the lead to provide full respect and opportunity for transgender people.

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Additional Resources:

North Carolina’s LGBT community newspaper QNotes has their early November edition focused on the transgender community.

Trans-supportive religious material from Metropolitan Community Churches.

A blog I wrote earlier this year called “The Perfect Trans-storm” highlighting the increased focus I have seen around transgender people.

A more comprehensive outline on Human Resources for Transgender Employees that I wrote for the Workforce Diversity Network.

A blog I wrote last November: “Five Things to Never Say to Transgender People.”

What Diversity and Inclusion Is and Is NOT

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This particular poster does not propagate diversity and inclusion, and instead could contribute to a hostile work environment.

This particular poster does not propagate diversity and inclusion, and instead could contribute to a hostile work environment.

UPDATE June, 2020.  This blog was written 5 years ago.  Things have changed so much.  I no longer support the use of the language “All Lives Matter” since that minimizes and denies the grave injustice of racism that Black people face.

My current position: I feel I need to respond to those people, when they see a “Black Lives Matter” post or picture, respond back with “All Lives Matter.”

Yes, all lives do matter but at this time we have to focus more on the extreme injustice done to black people. How many white people are shot while they jog through a neighborhood? How many unarmed white men are killed by police over a minor offense? How many white teenagers are shot walking through their neighborhoods? Let’s not hide behind this “all lives matter” rhetoric to avoid discussing the scourge of racism in this country.

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Do check out the links to some additional blogs about diversity and inclusion at the bottom on this page!

As a diversity consultant, I do get into a lot of interesting discussions. One discussion which can be quite controversial is around people who believe that it is their right within diversity to issue derogatory or “less than” statements about other groups. I believe that is totally unacceptable and not part of legitimate diversity and inclusion. Let me explain and provide some examples.

First, I do want to share that the diversity topic has progressed over the decades from diversity and tolerance to diversity and inclusion. Tolerance is more about accepting difference, sometimes even grudgingly. Inclusion means to fully accept others who are different as equals, deserving of full equal rights, and realizing that the workplace and the world are stronger because of the diversity that is in it. Diversity and inclusion should be a competitive advantage for companies that want to win in the marketplace and organizations that want to provide superior customer service.

So what is NOT legitimate diversity and inclusion? It is anything that propagates that one form of diversity is the only form acceptable, or is superior to other forms of diversity.

An example – let’s assume a man may want to place a poster in his work space that says “Marriage = One Man + One Woman” and claim that is his right under a company’s diversity policy. I disagree. This poster creates a hostile workplace for those in same gender relationships since its intent is to declare that only heterosexual relationships are legitimate. It would be far better for this employee to show his love for heterosexual marriage with a photo of him and his wife with a caption such as “I love my marriage” or “I love my wife.” This celebrates his diversity as a heterosexual man without putting down other options.

This poster shares its message in a positive and inclusive way.

This poster shares its message in a positive and inclusive way.  See note above – as of June, 2020, I do not agree totally with this particular message

So what about supporting the “Black Lives Matter” campaign in the workplace? That is fine because it makes a statement about supporting the diversity of Black people without minimizing those of another race. What would not be acceptable is a poster that states “ONLY Black Lives Matter” or “Black Lives Matter MORE.”

Human Resources Diversity Practitioners will need to continue to educate all in the workplace that diversity and inclusion is a practice that values and includes everyone without putting others down or propagating that one aspect of diversity is better than another.

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ADDITIONAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION RELATED BLOGS:

A blog that explores the two theories of diversity – melting pot and salad bowl.

“The Various Growing Types of Diversity” – over the past decades, diversity has expanded so much further beyond the gender and race areas.

A discussion on “Diversity as a Key Strategic Initiative.”

The Business Case for Diversity also provides a methodology for developing a financial business case to invest in diversity programs.

And finally – “Three Components of Diversity and Inclusion Training.”