Is your DEI strategy really that inclusive?

Regular Coteam collaborator Izzie shares her views on the reality of being a trans woman in the workplace

As a trans woman in the workplace, what would you say are the biggest challenges you’ve faced?

The easiest answer would be to say being openly trans! It really does place an extremely personal and vulnerable side of yourself on show for all the world to see. Even in a supportive environment with the right leadership, that’s pretty scary. When you’re facing colleagues, bosses and clients that might be less than understanding, it’s terrifying. 

But I actually think that’s part of a much larger issue, which is psychological safety. Do I feel safe at work? In most situations, no, not really. Part of that is due to experience – I’ve lost more than one client as a direct result of my transition – but part of it is due to a much wider societal and legislative bias against trans people.

What do you mean by that?

I think a lot of people think things are getting better for us and progress is being made, when the reality is considerably more complicated. You might be shocked to learn that more trans people are hiding their identity at work now than they did 5 years ago. 

I am not. Systematic discrimination is not new to us. As heartbreaking as it is to look at groups you’d expect to stand with you in solidarity and find them advocating for a reduction in your already tenuous rights, it’s not especially surprising. 

And that has a knock-on effect on your larger ability to feel safe under an organisation’s umbrella. When your very right to exist is up for popular debate on a daily basis, it’s hard not to be guarded, wary, and a little jaded. 

Of course, it’s beyond any employer’s ability to change that. What you can do though, is understand the stresses we’re under and try to be accommodating as much as is reasonable. We might be slow to open up and really embrace the team dynamic. Truly trusting management and HR might be difficult for people that have been systematically shamed and dismissed by authority figures in the past. 

For companies that are trying to be truly inclusive, how can we apply these learning across the board?

Great question! I think a lot of what I’m talking about will resonate with other people that belong to marginalized groups. Especially the constant fear that people take you less seriously, doubt your professionalism or will ultimately discriminate against you because of an aspect of yourself that you really have very little control over.

Which is why true inclusivity is intersectional.  Real DEI can only come when no one is left behind.