Transgender in the Workplace

Transgender in the Work Place

In order to understand and manage transgender issues in the work place the first thing that must be done is understand what exactly a transgender is. Transgender, by definition means “denoting or relating to a person whose self-identity does not conform unambiguously to conventional notions of male or female gender.” Or in other words, a person who feels like the sex they are born as is not the sex they are supposed to be. Many transgender people go through gender reassignment.

A few key things that should be noted are the specific laws that protect transgender people from discrimination in the work place. In 2013, fifteen states and the District of Colombia passed laws that prohibit hate crimes towards transgender people Transgender people are protected from being fired because of their sexual orientation by the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. If a woman is hired by this company and she later decides she would like to transition to become a male, then she cannot be fired for her choice.

North Carolina is currently in the process of passing a law that allows transgender people to go into the bathroom of which they identify with. The law has already been implicated in Charlotte, and is soon headed to the state legislature. This law in Charlotte has allowed transgender people to feel comfortable in their skin, and this company should open up and option for the employees to use the restroom that correlates with the gender they identify with.

To ensure that the employees of this company feel safe regardless of their sexual identity there needs to be rules put into place regarding hateful words towards transgender people, as well as respect towards everyone. Many transgender people do not open up to their bosses in fear of losing their job. This company needs to make sure there are policies in place that are against such prosecution toward the transgender. This company needs to implement training for managers on how to...