Transgender professionals tell how they get over hurdles in the workplace

While transgender men and women have long been the butt of cheap jokes, the discrimination they encounter is no laughing matter.

In a survey of transphobic hate crime in the EU, 79% of respondents said they have suffered from some form of harassment in public. Likewise, research by the Scottish Transgender Alliance suggests the workplace is one of the most likely places for discrimination to occur.

We spoke to transgender women Tara, Sarah and Ashlee to discover what challenges transgender employees face to help debunk some of the most common myths.

Myth 1: All transgender people have had surgery

Asking colleagues to flash their genitals in the toilet or give blow-by-blow accounts of their surgical history may sound wildly inappropriate topics to raise in any workplace context, but some transgender employees have found they are conversation-starters in the office.

NHS equality and diversity officer, Tara Hewitt, transitioned more than six years ago while at university. Yet the subject of surgery has proved a frequent but unwanted talking point with many of her colleagues in the past.

"I can't think of any other situation where it would be appropriate for someone to come up and ask you whether you have had a vasectomy or hysterectomy," she explains. "Yet when someone realises you are trans, that automatically becomes part of the conversation."

While Ashlee Kelly was working at a department store, one of her colleagues went even further, cornering her in the women's toilets and trying to look up her skirt.

She said: "As soon as people hear that you're trans, they think it's their business to know everything about your medical history or sexuality. On the one hand, I understand people's curiosity and it's important to ask questions. But it has to be at the right time and not in the middle of the workplace."

Despite the scrutiny, Tara has a thick skin and believes the only way to challenge these stereotypes is to be open and address people's questions in a positive, constructive way. But that doesn't mean telling them your life story, she adds. Just being yourself is enough to challenge the stereotype.

Myth 2: Every curious colleague is transphobic

Curiosity may be hazardous for cats, but it perhaps shouldn't be for work colleagues who may not know any better. With only around 10,000 trans women in the UK – and society awash with misinformation – some people may not have met a transgender person before and simply don't know how to engage with them. We should, therefore, give them the benefit of the doubt before crying transphobia, says Tara.

"Often, they can be more worried about how to interact with someone in a positive way and not say the wrong thing," she explains. "If you know that and you know that's how people are going to approach the situation, it's quite helpful as a trans person to understand that and not jump down somebody's throat. Nine times out of 10 they are not trying to upset you."

Kneejerk reactions only alienate colleagues more, she claims. In her experience, as long as you're doing your work, people won't have a problem.

Myth 3: Employing trans people is more trouble than it's worth

People's unconscious bias towards those who are similar to themselves means many qualified transgender candidates can be overlooked by recruiters, claims Tara. She has provided diversity training to both public and private sector staff and says the problem lies in the continuing lack of information about transgender issues. Even if you're the best person for the job, general ignorance means hiring a transgender employee is seen as an unnecessary risk.

Yet Sarah Savage insists that having a confident transgender member of staff is an asset, not a hindrance. The bartender moved from Jersey to the UK to transition and insists that being open about her gender identity has made her a better worker.

"I was working in a bar and my employer just saw me as a man in a dress," Sarah remembers. "They thought customers might be put off by this. But in actual fact, because I was presenting as a female I was finally taking myself seriously for once in my life.

"I am a better employee since transitioning. That point can't be emphasised enough. Before transition, I struggled to find the will to live, never mind go to work and put my all into a job."

Myth 4: Being trans is an obstacle to success

While research suggests that more than half of transgender people face discrimination in the workplace, trans professionals are just as capable of succeeding as everyone else, insists Tara. She points to the IT industry and politics for examples of transgender women and men who have carved highly successful careers for themselves.

"I've been told while running as a local candidate for the Labour party that I shouldn't stand in certain seats because being trans might impact on votes," she says."But I actually find that once you get over that and people interact with you in a positive way, 90% of the population will be grateful that you were open with them."

What myths would you add to the list? We'd love to hear about your experiences in the comment section below.

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