I have posted a number of resources of late regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the LGBTQ, and particularly transgender, community. While that is extremely important, it is of potentially greater significance to recognize the difficulty many a well-meaning person may have in just understanding whom transgender and non-binary people are – a lived experience that is very different from their own. Working from the position that we all genuinely want to do the right thing in our human interactions – even from a safe six-foot distance – this resource, produced by the wonderful folks at The Trevor Project, does a superb job of covering all of the basics.
On this, the International Transgender Day of Visibility, I wanted to share some important information from the Williams Institute at UCLA. While many states, like Idaho most recently, seem determined to legislate away the rights for transgender people, public opinion seems to be moving in a different direction. The upshot: – 73% of respondents thought transgender people should be protected from discrimination – 71% of respondents thought transgender people should be allowed to have gender-affirming surgery – 51% of participants wanted the United States to do more to support and protect transgender people The bottom line: We ALL play a role in moving the needle in a positive direction for transgender Americans – inside and outside of the workplace….read more
Tomorrow, March 31st, is Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), and while our country – and the world – adjusts to life that is very different from anything we have ever known before, I ask that you turn your attention, if only for a few moments, and read on an open letter written my trans sister, Aimee Stephens, who was fired from her job as a funeral director after coming out to her employer. Her case is one of the cases heard by The Supreme Court last year regarding whether or not LGBTQ protections fall under our nation’s bedrock civil rights law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They are expected to render a decision soon.
As Erin Uritus, CEO of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates so eloquently puts it, “So even as we deal with the myriad challenges caused by the coronavirus, we must take a moment to listen to, and learn from, transgender Americans like Aimee. Read Aimee’s letter and let her powerful words ground you in the human toll of discrimination and the opportunities we all have to forge a more inclusive future.”
A big THANK YOU to Erin and all of my dear friends at Out & Equal Workplace Advocates for teaming with the ACLU to keep a light shining on this most pivotal issue for all transgender people.
Stay Safe. Stay Well. Be There for Each Other. We Are All in This Together.
Courtesy of my wonderfully amazing colleagues at PFLAG, a few timely suggestions for staying connected – at a time when we most need it.
Is your company on this list? If it isn’t, why not? Perhaps it is time to ask: how committed is your company to ensuring the rights and well-being of transgender individuals? They are your customers and in many cases, your employees. Is your company an ally with a capital “A”???
On the eve of Idaho potentially becoming the first state in the nation this year to pass a law specifically targeting transgender people, Chobani, GoDaddy, Hewlett Packard Inc. and Verizon today joined more than 40 major employers in a previously released open letter, calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular. These business leaders stress the importance of fairness and opportunity for their customers, their employees and their employees’ families. This letter was released earlier this month, but has been updated with these new, additional business signers.