Transgender Inclusion E-Book

A. C. Fowlkes

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 240

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Discover the realities for transgender people in the workplace and beyond as they move through any of the three recognized kinds of transition--and how to be an ally. In Transgender Inclusion: All The Things You Want To Ask Your Transgender Coworker But Shouldn't, clinical psychologist and trans inclusion specialist Dr. A.C. Fowlkes delivers an essential and remarkably honest discussion of the realities of the workplace for transgender people. In the book, you'll explore the experiences that trans people have in the workplace as they move through none, one, or more of the three recognized kinds of transition--medical, social, and legal. You'll learn answers to your questions about your transgender colleagues, so you can be respectful of your coworker's feelings and work together comfortably. You'll also find: * Discussions of how and why transgender people often feel excluded from the workplace and by their colleagues * Explorations of the unfortunately common reality of harassment and maltreatment of transgender workers * How and why information about transgender experiences in the workplace is helpful to everyone Approximately 1.3 million adults in the United States identify as transgender. If you don't already have a transgender friend, neighbor, or co-worker, you might very well have one in the future. A practical, compassionate, and evidence-based discussion of the transgender experience, Transgender Inclusion is a must-read guide for managers, executives, professionals, and allies who want to learn more and do more about trans issues in the workplace. With a foreword by Peggy Rajski, Founder of the Trevor Project.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

Introduction

Who This Book Is For

Why This Book

What This Book Covers

Part I: Transgender Basics

Chapter 1: Getting to Know the Transgender Community

“It's a Boy!”

“Um, Is It Really a Boy?”

Cisgender versus Transgender

The Numbers

Our Race

Our Age

Where We Live

What Language We Speak

Our Religion, Spirituality, or Lack Thereof

Our Level of Education

Our Finances

Our Disabilities

Our Citizenship

Our Sexual Orientation

Our Marriage Status

Being “Out” in Intimate Relationships

The Consequences of Being Out

Our Relationships with Our Children

Our Immediate Family

Being Kicked Out

Supportive Family

Faith Communities

Overall Health

Mental Health

Detransitioning

Not Homogenous

Chapter 2: Experiences in the Workplace

Being Out in the Workplace

Discrimination in Hiring, Promoting, and Firing

Response to Discrimination in the Workplace

Other Forms of Workplace Discrimination

Attempts to Avoid Discrimination

Seeking Employment

Limited Advancement Opportunities

Part II: Core Questions About Transition

Chapter 3: A Basic Understanding of Transition

Social Transition

Medical Transition

Legal Transition

Chapter 4: Questions About Medical Transition

What Percentage of Transgender People Transition Medically?

Is It Expensive to Transition Medically?

Can You Transition Back If You Change Your Mind?

How Often Do People Regret Transition‐Related Surgeries?

What Are the Most Common Complications from Transgender Surgery?

Does Health Insurance Cover Medical Transition?

What Are Some Ways to Transition Medically That Do Not Involve Surgery?

How Can Human Resources Support Someone in the Process of Medical Transition?

Chapter 5: Questions About Legal Transition

What Percentage of Transgender Individuals Transition Legally?

Is It Expensive to Transition Legally?

What Are Some of the Reasons That People Choose Not to Transition Legally?

What Advice Would You Give Someone Who Wants to Transition Legally but Doesn't Know Where to Begin?

How Can Human Resources Support People Through Legal Transition?

Chapter 6: Questions About Social Transition

What Percentage of Transgender People Transition Socially?

What's the Difference Between a “Tomboy” and a Transgender Person Transitioning Socially?

What's the Difference Between an Effeminate Man and a Transgender Person Transitioning Socially?

Is Transitioning Socially Easier Than Transitioning Legally or Medically?

What If You Transition Socially, but You Change Your Mind?

How Can Human Resources Support Someone Who Is in the Process of Social Transition?

Part III: Workplace Dos and Don'ts

Chapter 7: Taking Initiative

Chapter 8: Using Gender Pronouns and Chosen Names

Chapter 9: Respecting a Person's Individuality and Privacy

Chapter 10: Establishing Policies, Practices, and Procedures

Part IV: Building on This Foundation

Chapter 11: What If My Question Wasn't Answered?

Curiosity

Doing Your Own Research

Altruistic or Egoistic?

Nature of the Relationship

Safety

The Expected End

Asking the Question

Putting It All Together

Chapter 12: Conclusion

Chapter 1, “Getting to Know the Transgender Community”

Chapter 2, “Experiences in the Workplace”

Chapters 3 Through 6, “Core Questions About Transition”

Chapters 7 Through 10, “Workplace Dos and Don'ts”

Chapter 11, “What If My Question Wasn't Answered?”

Putting Your Allyship into Practice

Appendix 10 Things I've Learned During My Personal Journey of Transition

1. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Can Be Fluid

2. Sensitivity to Misgendering and Deadnaming Can Change with Time

3. Your Experience of Dysphoria Can Change with Time

4. Systemic Slights Can Be Just as Painful as Individualized or Personal Ones

5. Safety Is a Legitimate Concern for Our Community

6. Privilege Is Still a Thing

7. Being a Member of This Community Doesn't Mean You Don't Make Mistakes

8. A Transgender Person May Never Be Able to “Pass,” and Passing Should Not Be the Meter Stick

9. It's Hard to Hate Up Close

10. I Don't Have to Understand You to Treat You with Dignity and Respect

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Index

End User License Agreement

Guide

Cover Page

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Foreword

Introduction

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

Appendix 10 Things I've Learned During My Personal Journey of Transition

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Index

Wiley End User License Agreement

Pages

iii

iv

v

ix

x

xi

xii

xiii

xiv

xv

1

3

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

45

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

73

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

101

103

104

105

106

107

109

111

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

133

135

136

137

138

139

140

141

143

144

145

146

147

148

149

150

151

152

153

155

157

159

160

161

162

163

164

165

166

167

168

169

170

171

173

174

175

176

177

178

179

180

181

182

183

184

185

186

187

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

196

197

198

199

200

201

202

203

205

206

207

209

210

211

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

220

221

FOREWORD BY PEGGY RAJSKI FOUNDER OF THE TREVOR PROJECT

Transgender Inclusion

ALL THE THINGS YOU WANT TO ASK YOUR TRANSGENDER COWORKER

BUT SHOULDN’T

A.C. FOWLKES, PhD

Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission.

Trademarks: Wiley and the Wiley logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor authors shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

For general information on our other products and services or for technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762‐2974, outside the United States at (317) 572‐3993 or fax (317) 572‐4002.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic formats. For more information about Wiley products, visit our web site at www.wiley.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data is Available:

ISBN 9781394199259 (Cloth)

ISBN 9781394199266 (ePub)

ISBN 9781394199273 (ePDF)

Cover Design: PAUL MCCARTHY

Cover Art: © GETTY IMAGES | ARMAN ZHENIKEYEV

To Sherrie, the first boss I ever told that I was transgender

Foreword

A. C. Fowlkes – an experienced and highly respected consultant on DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging) for corporations, institutions of higher education, the prison system, and psychiatric hospitals – has written a thorough, inviting, and highly informative compendium of answers to the most frequently asked questions about what it's like to be trans.

His thoughtful, nuanced answers are informed not only by facts and figures from highly reputable research and resources, including the U.S. Trans Survey and the U.S. Census Bureau, but also by the deft blending of A.C.'s own lived experience as a trans man. Examples of his first‐hand experiences are clear, focused, and balanced in just the right places throughout the book.

The gift of this book is that it creates a comfortable, safe place for cisgender workers and associates to get many of their most pressing questions answered about transgender colleagues:

It lays out the essential basics – and differences – among medical, legal, and social transitioning.

It explains the various reasons why certain trans individuals might choose one or some – though not necessarily all – of these three options (medical, legal, or social) to feel they have successfully accomplished their own personal transition.

The book devotes several helpful chapters to “dos and don'ts” of workplace etiquette.

The book helps readers appreciate why greater understanding of their trans colleagues makes them even more valuable players in the world's increasingly diverse workplaces.

While primarily focused on educating workers, the book is also an invaluable aid for managers, human resources, and other stakeholders in building a healthier, more effective, and ultimately more productive workplace environment.

Framed as a guide for a cisgender populace, it can also be a useful reference for the transgender community in thinking about how to help their cisgender colleagues build better working relationships in the workplace.

This book will be a powerful, useful tool for years to come for cisgender workers and allies alike. Ultimately, I believe those who read the book thoroughly and take its points to heart can develop more comfortable, inclusive, and effective relationships both in and outside the workplace.

In fellowship and community,

—Peggy RajskiFounder/Interim CEOThe Trevor Project

Introduction

Society as a whole is becoming increasingly aware of the transgender community. And while there is no shortage of opinions, there is a dearth of reliable, well‐sourced information. To fill this gap, more and more companies are bringing in subject matter experts to demystify the process of creating an affirming environment for transgender employees and customers alike. Is bringing in a subject matter expert going to right every wrong? No. But it is a good place to start. I am one of those subject matter experts, and this book is my contribution to what is quickly becoming a robust conversation around transgender inclusion in the workplace.

Is it possible to create the safe and affirming workplace we so desire? I believe so. Is it possible to create a work environment in which you get it right 100% of the time? I'm not sure I would go quite that far. But, while I might fall short of believing in our ability to create a fully utopian workspace, I do believe we can do better than we currently are. And that process begins with the acquiring of knowledge, the furthering of understanding, and the application of both. It is my hope that this book will assist you in accomplishing just that.

Who This Book Is For

You might be wondering who the intended audience is for this book. Is this a book for transgender individuals? Is this a book for allies? Is this a book for both? Neither? Who is this book for, exactly? Well, the answer to that question is this book is for everyone who desires to learn more about the transgender community in general and how we might better support and hold space for them in the workplace in particular.

I do not purport to know all of the answers (or questions, for that matter). I will, however, speak openly about my experiences and make recommendations that are rooted not only in those experiences but in my understanding as a subject matter expert. I have no interest in converting you. I'm not even particularly sure what that would mean. My only desire in writing this is for you to leave knowing more than you did before you read the book and for you to be better prepared to work alongside your transgender colleagues.

So I'll not ask you if you are transgender or cisgender, if you are an ally, an advocate, or an accomplice. I'll not ask you about your political leanings or your religious affiliation. I'll not ask you any of that. But what I will ask you is if you have the tools that you need to be the best version of yourself when interacting with your transgender colleagues. If the answer to that question is anything less than a resounding yes, then this book was written with you in mind. How so? Glad you asked.

This book is for anyone interested in learning about the three widely recognized forms of transition: medical, social, and legal. This book is for anyone who wishes to better understand what policies and procedures are transgender‐inclusive. This book is for anyone who would like to better understand the importance of utilizing a person's chosen name and pronouns. This book is for anyone who recognizes that there is value in all of us, even those who have historically (and presently) been pushed to the margins.

Whether you are an LGBTQ+ subject matter expert or know nothing of the community at all, this book was written with you in mind with enough information to provide a rudimentary or foundational understanding of the transgender community and enough nuance to take on higher‐order discussions of means, access, and discrimination. This book can be utilized across sectors in that the instructions provided are universal enough to be folded into existing systems, but also specific enough to meet the needs of the transgender community in particular.

Whether you are a supervisor or a supervisee, this book is for you. Whether entry‐level or the president and CEO, this book is for you. Whether you're a diversity equity and inclusion expert or know nothing of the topic, this book is for you. Whether you have personal access to the transgender community or do not personally know any member of the community, this book is for you. Whether you are cisgender or even transgender yourself, this book is for you.

Why This Book

What makes this book different is that it is written by a member of the transgender community who is a business professional and is currently undergoing the process of medical transition in the workplace. This book is not a nod to the hypothetical situations that one might find themselves in but is instead a direct reflection of my lived experience and the experiences of people I've had the great honor of working with. This book is different because it is written through a lens of belonging, and every recommendation I make will be to that end.

There are books on the market that focus on the transgender experience, but not many reflect on the transgender experience in the workplace. I have worked with some of the largest, most respected companies in the world. I have been brought into these organizations to answer questions about the transgender community in particular, and the LGBTQ+ community more broadly, and what I've brought to this book are some of the most common questions that I interface with, as well as some of the areas that I find people most often misunderstand.

So this book is your opportunity to learn from an LGBTQ+ sensitivity and transgender inclusion subject matter expert while also getting a chance to hear a little bit about my journey and what has been most effective for me along the way.

All of that said, this is not a memoir. This book will provide peeks into my personal experience, but it draws heavily on research and statistics, especially the U.S. Trans Survey and U.S. Census Bureau, but also other sources. While this book is meant to assist you in better relating to transgender people in the workplace, it is also meant to broaden your understanding of the transgender community as a whole. We are more than our experiences in the workplace, and this book seeks to highlight that.

What This Book Covers

This book provides a wide variety of information regarding the transgender community, from topics of frequent discussion and debate, such as what restroom a transgender person should be expected to use, to rarely discussed topics, like the impact that coming out as transgender has on the relationship between transgender individuals and their children.

After we discuss the transgender community more generally, we will dive into a discussion of the experiences of transgender individuals in the workplace. What's more, we will discuss frequently asked questions about transition, dos and don'ts in the workplace, and transgender‐affirming policies and procedures. Lastly, we will discuss how to go about getting your questions answered if we didn't cover them in this book.

In terms of the structure of the book, Chapters 1 and 2 explore the transgender community and their workplace experiences. Chapters 3 through 6 examine the three types of transition (medical, legal, and social). Chapters 7 through 10 cover the dos and don'ts of transgender matters in the workplace, and Chapters 11 and 12 discuss how to build on all of this information and where to go from here.

Part ITransgender Basics

Chapter 1Getting to Know the Transgender Community

I think one of the most difficult balances to strike as a transgender person is the balance between novelty and normalcy. We are very much like you and not at all like you at the same time.

The transgender community is often misunderstood. Part of our very nature is the inherent dissonance between who others think we are and who we know ourselves to be. The writing of this chapter is particularly difficult because, while I want to highlight some of what we've come to know about the transgender community as a whole, I worry that such efforts can cast too wide a net. So as you read this chapter, please keep in mind that while these statistics speak to the lived experience of many transgender individuals in the United States and around the world, we are not homogeneous. We are beautiful. We are vibrant. We are nuanced. And we are often misunderstood.

But before discussing what we know about this community from a demographic standpoint, we must ensure that we understand what it means to be transgender. To do so, you must first understand the difference between sex assigned at birth and gender identity.

“It's a Boy!”

When a child is born, the sex assigned at birth is determined, and this determination usually takes place based almost solely on external anatomy. Whoever is in the room at the time of delivery, whether the doctor, the midwife, the doula, or whoever participates in the birthing process, is the one who determines the sex assigned at birth. Once a child is born, they look at the external anatomy, and they make a declaration as to the child's sex. In most instances, the child will be assigned either the sex of male or the sex of female based on the presentation of their genitalia. Sometimes a child will be assigned intersex instead of exclusively male or female, and this determination is typically based upon ambiguity in external anatomy.

“Um, Is It Really a Boy?”

It is important not to confuse sex assigned at birth with gender identity. Where sex assigned at birth is a determination based on external anatomy, gender identity is determined by way of self‐identification. Many argue that while sex assigned at birth is a physiological phenomenon, gender identity is a psychological phenomenon. So, where sex assigned at birth can be reduced to whether you look like a boy, a girl, or an intersex person based on your genitalia, gender identity can be reduced to what you feel like or whether you know yourself to be a boy, a girl, both, or neither.

Cisgender versus Transgender

So now that we have a basic understanding of the difference between sex assigned at birth and gender identity, we can begin to discuss the difference between cisgender and transgender identification. When a person is cisgender their sex assigned at birth and their gender identity align in a way consistent with the larger culture's expectations. For example, a cisgender individual would be a person whose sex assigned at birth was male and who identified, in terms of gender, as a boy or a man. Conversely, transgender refers to a person whose sex assigned at birth and gender identity do not align in a manner consistent with cultural expectations. For example, this could be a person whose sex assigned at birth is female but whose gender identity is male. It is important to note that there are also individuals who do not identify exclusively as male or female. This can present itself in a number of ways. For example, a person may identify as a combination of both male and female; they may feel as though they are neither male nor female but instead a third gender; they may also experience the absence of gender. In each of these instances the individual may be considered what we call nonbinary. Nonbinary people are considered by many to be transgender because while their gender identity may not be exclusively male or female, their sex assigned at birth (in most instances) is in fact exclusively male or female. So, when considering our earlier definition of transgender (a person whose sex assigned at birth and gender identity do not align in a manner consistent with cultural expectations), a nonbinary person would fall into that category. Having said that, not all nonbinary individuals identify as transgender, though they certainly could if based solely on the above definition.

When referring to gender identity, we are referring to a profoundly personal construct. An individual's gender identity is known on an intimate level. As such, cisgender, transgender, and nonbinary identification are a matter of self‐identification. Knowing this will help you better understand the transgender community.

The Numbers

There are many transgender individuals in the United States. Estimates range from 1.3 million to 2 million transgender adults in the United States alone. Additionally, an estimated 300,000 youth ages 13 to 17 in the United States identify as transgender. While the transgender community is not a monolith, there is some data to speak to common or shared experiences within the community. This chapter will highlight those areas of commonality. It is important to note that data referenced in this chapter will focus on transgender individuals in the United States.

In 2015, the results of the United States Transgender Survey were published. The U.S. Trans Survey focused specifically on the transgender community. What was so interesting about this study, aside from its point of focus, was the sample size. The 2015 U.S. Trans Survey was the largest of its kind. It has been nearly a decade since this study was published, yet despite the lapse in time it remains one of the most informative pieces of literature related to the transgender community. With participation from nearly 28,000 transgender individuals, age 18 and older, this study serves as our best shot at understanding the demographic breakdown of the transgender community in the United States. The rest of this chapter will explore the results of this study, sometimes also supported by U.S. Census numbers.

Our Race

Regarding race, 62.2% identified as White, 16.6% identified as Latino or Latina, 12.6% identified as Black, 5.1% identified as Asian, 2.5% identified as multiracial, 0.7% identified as American Indian, and 0.4% identified as Middle Eastern. (Because I'm representing the specific categories that the U.S. Census and Trans Survey provide in their forms, I'm using the term “American Indian” as opposed to “Native American” in this chapter.) These numbers are not too far off from the racial demographic information made available by the 2020 U.S. Census which recorded the following: 59.3% identified as White, 18.9% identified as Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% identified as Black, 6.1% identified as Asian, 2.9% identified as two or more races, and 1.3% identified as American Indian and Alaska Native. Unfortunately, the 2020 United States Census did not clearly differentiate those who were from the Middle East or North Africa from those who were White, resulting in our inability to draw a direct comparison between the level of representation of Middle Eastern people in the transgender community as opposed to the general population.

Our Age

When considering the age of respondents, there were some discrepancies between what we know to be the demographic breakdown of age in the United States and the demographic breakdown of the age of individuals who identify as transgender. Some of these discrepancies are worthy of further discussion. According to the census data available at the time of the 2015 U.S. Trans Survey, approximately 13% of individuals in the United States identified between the ages of 18 and 24; however, as it relates to the study, which focused on transgender individuals, 42% of participants identified between the ages of 18 to 24. Stated differently, while only 13% of the U.S. population are between 18 and 24, 42% of those identifying as transgender are between 18 and 24. Additionally, when looking at the age range of 25 to 44, we find that approximately 34% of individuals in the U.S. population fall between the age range of 25 to 44, whereas of those surveyed, 42% were between the ages of 25 to 44. Interestingly, whereas 34% of the U.S. population is between the ages of 46 and 64, only 14% of those surveyed fell between those ages. Lastly, where 19% of the U.S. population is 65 and over, only 2% of those identified as transgender are 65 and over.