How To Help Transgender and Non-Binary People At Work
December 30th, 2020
Share your pronouns
- Introduce yourself with pronouns
-
Add them to your email signature
Jules Chevalier
They/them
Software Engineer
-
Add them to your name field in chat apps like Slack
jules (they/them)
sweetnickname13 (they/them)
-
Add them to your name field in video apps like Zoom, like this:
Jules Chevalier (they/them)
Why Share Yours
If you conform to the gender binary, why would you draw attention to it? It makes the discomfort around sharing pronouns and gender more equal for everyone. If a person is trans or non-binary, every time they have to introduce themselves to a new person there is an internal debate of if they will be safe, seen and respected. From there, going to meetings bracing for someone to misgender them and the emotional energy of having a 1:1 correction conversation later if it's a repeat offender.
Impact
It normalizes discussions about gender, which benefits everyone. Sharing your pronouns says "I won't assume your gender" and that you are welcome here: just as you are. It shows you care about someone being able to bring their whole self to work. It shows acceptance and respect.
Use preferred name in systems
Companies usually have some sort of platform that serves as a database of employees. Modern ones have separate fields for legal and preferred name. If your company uses SSO like Okta, then the configuration is shared across all the downstream systems.
This is helpful for all employees, not just trans people because there are lots of people who go by a nickname.
Impact
I don’t want to be deadnamed when I log into a system. I do not want my coworkers to see my dead name in Workday or Jira. I don’t want to log into a system for the first time and be deadnamed. Please, use preferred name across systems as the display name.
Use the right pronouns
If you misgender someone, just say “oops they” or "oops {correct pronoun}> and move on. If you realize after the fact that you misgendered someone, do better next time. It is a difficult mental switch, so it can take some focus and effort to get right. Making the effort counts, even if it's not perfect every time. Perfection is a myth - for all of us.
If you hear someone misgender a trans/non-binary person when they are not present - correct that person. Step up and demonstrate allyship. Consider this permission to do so. If you are going to correct someone, do assume positive intent. Often just one short conversation one on one to correct is enough to make someone aware of it. "Hey, Jules uses they/them pronouns and we should refer to them that way."
Impact
This will help to take some of the burden off the trans person to do all of the work to reenforce the correct pronouns. Them not having to do all of the emotional labor is a wonderful validation.
Consider the language you use
It’s time to retire phrases like “Ladies and Gentlemen” or “Hey Guys”. Or at least expand them to be more inclusive, but “Ladies, Gentlemen and Persons” is a lot to say. Normalize using “everyone”, “folks”, “people” and “y’all” (the best contribution from the American south to the English language).
Here are some other ways you can use gender neutral language.
Lastly, here is how to support someone when they come out as trans.