IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR…..

It’s June again, and you know what that means… Pride month is upon us! The familiar rainbow motif is in full force throughout the country, and the LGBTQ+ community and its allies are hosting parties, parades, and educational sessions to entertain and educate the masses.

2023 marks the 40^th anniversary of Dublin Pride and 30 years since the landmark decision to repeal Ireland’s buggery laws. We have come a long way since ’93, and that is a point of pride for many and even part of the new national identity.

Though we’re light years from where we started with LGBTQ+ rights and attitudes, there is still work to be done! 2023 has been a particularly trying year for the Transgender and Non-binary communities on a global scale, and WrkWrk would like to take this opportunity to give some helpful pointers on how employers can best support non-binary and transgender employees and make their workplace a safe haven.

THE UGLY TRUTH 

Transgender and non-binary peoples face rates of unemployment much higher than that of other members of society. The pay gap disparity between trans women and cisgender men is the highest in the workforce. While further legislation is needed to combat this, there are a few things that you can do to make sure this is not happening in your business.

Implementing a comprehensive non-discrimination policy that decisively states that any form of discrimination based on gender identity or expression is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated. This will set the table for a truly inclusive hiring process.

We all show up to work for that all-mighty paycheque, unfortunately, not all people are paid equal for equal work. This is particularly true for transgender members of the workforce. Performing a pay equity analysis of your company, will unearth any pay disparities, and allow you to rectify them.

PRACTICE PRONOUNS 

If you are unsure of someone’s pronouns, all you need to do is ask! Or you can simply use their name until you find out. Adding pronouns to e-mail signatures is also a great way of asserting gender identity in a virtual landscape.

NAME RECOGNITION 

‘Deadnaming’ takes place when someone, either on purpose or by accident, refers to a person by the name they used before they started their transition (ex. The name assigned at birth) When this is done it may cause transgender persons to feel as though their gender identity is not respected. Deadnaming in public may also effectively “out” them, whereas this may be something that they were not ready to share with the world.

If you didn’t know the individual before their transition, this most likely won’t be an issue.  If you did know them before, it may take some getting used to, but practice makes perfect!

SAFE SPACES

There are numerous ways you can make your business more inclusive to the transgender and non-binary communities. Something as simple as putting a small trans flag sticker on the front door or window of your business lets everyone, transgender, non-binary, or otherwise, know that your business is a safe haven for trans and non-binary people and promotes allyship.

It is best practice to supply gender-inclusive restrooms that can be used by all employees, regardless of gender identity. Forcing somebody to use a restroom not assigned to their gender identity can greatly increase feelings of anxiety, and unacceptance. When the restroom in question is public, this can also greatly increase the risk of harassment or violence that trans people may face.

DRESS TO IMPRESS, NOT SUPPRESS 

You can do a review of your business’s dress code policy and allow your employees to express their gender identity through their appearance, rather than following traditional gender norms. ‘Boys wear pants and girls wear skirts’, is an outdated and harmful approach. Not sure what a gender-neutral dress code policy would look like at your business? Why not involve your staff and figure it out together!

THE FUTURE IS FRIENDLY 

At WrkWrk, we wholeheartedly believe in the old adage “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It’s in this spirit that we stand hand in hand with Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community and are constantly evolving our policies and procedures through awareness and education. Together we can make the workplace a better place for everyone!

Now that you have some tools to help your business usher in a new age of inclusivity, grab a drink, march in a parade, and hug a drag queen! It is Pride Month after all!