Monday, May 2, 2011

Out Tuesday and A Visit With HR


Out Tuesday

Tomorrow, I will participate in two Human Sexuality classes at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.

Typically, four to eight trans people show up for this event. Professor Schildroth introduces us to the class, we each give a short biography, and then the students ask questions.

Sometimes the students have lots of questions and sometimes getting them to ask questions is like pulling teeth!

You never know, but either way, our participation gives us an opportunity to do outreach amongst the civilian population. To evangelize the fact that trans people are just like everybody else... maybe with just a little more fashion-sense.

A Visit With HR

After attending the Transgender Health and Law Conference on Saturday, I had questions for my Human Resource (HR) representative at work.

Before going into see my HR rep, I double-checked the employee handbook and as I remembered, there were no references to "gender identification" or "transgender."

I was concerned with the contradictory messages I thought I received from my HR rep on the two occasions I spoke to her about being transgender. I asked my rep about what I perceived as mixed messages.

Her reply was that there was no company policy regarding transgender or gender identity. On the other hand, she believed that the company would support my gender identity because it has always fully supported its gay employees.

She was very sympathetic and supportive. I don't think she was just humoring me, but you never know.

I thought about sending her a photo of myself en femme to show that I am presentable, but I hesitated to do so because I did not think it was the right thing to do at this time.

I did send her information about the bill in our state legislature that she was unaware of concerning the extension of the state's non-discrimination laws to cover transgenders.

And so it goes.

7 comments:

  1. AnonymousMay 02, 2011

    Ask them for a clarification in writing. If they won't then you know where you stand.

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  2. You might want to tell her about the 2000 CHRO ruling.

    But lets talk tomorrow.

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  3. You have good instincts. Trust your feelings!

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  4. Your employer's primary interest is their business - HR are there to help them do this effectively and within the law. Good employers (like mine) will also have an interest in the wellbeing of their employees, so long as this doesn't prejudice their primary business.

    Policy can never take the place of goodwill. It sounds as if there is a generous well of goodwill at your workplace.

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  5. AnonymousMay 03, 2011

    Yes, ask for something in writing... confirmation is always important... make them commit themselves to support T persons in the workplace...
    deborah

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  6. AnonymousMay 04, 2011

    stana, it sounds to me as if the HR person is infering that you may be gay, judging by that statement that the company supports thier GAY employees. Sugest you definatly get clarification on that point.

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  7. Anonymous --- The HR rep was trying to indicate that they would treat transgender folks the same way they treat gay folks. She knows I am not gay, NTTAWWT.

    ReplyDelete