Transitioning in the workplace.

apache

carrying on from links thread i thought i would ask how people get on in the workplace when they are transitioning. the emotional and cost factors.

is anybody going through it, at the start of the journey or at the end of the journey and how was it for them?

how was your colleagues reaction? how did you feel?

also as it is so expensive when you are not entitled to a medical card how do you pay for it?

i know in my employment i pay into a health benefit scheme and can get back the costs on a monthly basis or a yearly basis through the scheme. sometimes it is only a percentage though.

i am talking here about injuries and illnesses. i am not trans but think it is an interesting topic.

deirdre_dub

I've given my own experience of coming out at work in Link's thread here.

Off the top of my head, I can count 7 trans people I know who have transitioned on the job, and the only one who had problems was Louise Hannon.

deirdre_dub

GCN recently did an article about trans in the workplace - read it here

Freiheit

I recently read a book, Telefonate mit Denise who worked as a nurse during her transition. While she wasn't dismissed she experienced sad levels of covert discrimination from staff and patients. A few patients didn't want her to treating them because of her identity, sadly believable in Germany of a few years ago. She was assigned to unsuitable roles and hours, while verbally her colleagues supported her in practice she didn't receive it. Ended up leaving of her own accord , after a long period on 'sick leave' due to this treatment.

This is of course Germany,not Ireland, a country which is as socially liberal a state as you'l find (I think).

BanzaiBk

I think I posted about it before but in my last job I worked very closely with a lady who had transitioned (while still in her job) the previous 2 years. Maybe some members here would know her personally. We chatted about it a few times after she mentioned it, I had no idea. We were working in the civil service and she said her experience at work was very supportive. All luck of the draw maybe?

Louisevb

As you can see from the article in GCN which Deirdre linked to, transitioning at work can be plain sailing or it can be a nightmare as it turned out to be in my case. If employers deal effectively with future transgender employees my case will have been worthwhile.. If unfortunately they don't and a case needs to be taken up I hope my result encourages not only trans people but gay and lesbians to take their cases and use the law...It takes courage and dogged determination, but if the case is strong enough and the evidence is there, then cases can be won...

deirdre_dub

Freiheit wrote: »

This is of course Germany,not Ireland, a country which is as socially liberal a state as you'l find (I think).

Don't knock Ireland. I've talked to a trans woman who has done some travelling throughout Europe, and she told me that Ireland is actually pretty good.

For all the faults regarding the fact that we cannot get our gender recognised on our birth certs, the fact of the matter is that all the other identity documents can be changed easier in Ireland than in pretty much every other European country. In many countries, not only do you have to have been on hormones and living full-time for a period of time, you also have to be post-op and unmarried! So, in many countries, if you were married pre-transition, and your partner is accepting, you have to choose between remaining married and having your gender recognised.

In Germany, for instance, you have to be sterile and post-op to change your legal gender. And, if you are (e.g.) M2F and have frozen sperm and subsequently use that sperm to become a parent, your change of name may be reversed.

I think in Ireland, for all the social conservatism, there is a grudging admiration of anyone who "bucks the trend".

Freiheit

I wasn't knocking Ireland, I was merely highlighting the fact that it wasn't Ireland that I was referring to......Germany, writing from experience, does have various highly developed alternative cultures. It was a world leader in lgbtq rights and research before the Nazi's ruined the nation.

Often forgotten is that the concentrations camps were for lgbtq people also and the allies made them see out their sentences while simultaneously releasing Jewish inmates.

Aard

deirdre_dub wrote: »

For all the faults regarding the fact that we cannot get our gender recognised on our birth certs, the fact of the matter is that all the other identity documents can be changed easier in Ireland than in pretty much every other European country. In many countries, not only do you have to have been on hormones and living full-time for a period of time, you also have to be post-op and unmarried! So, in many countries, if you were married pre-transition, and your partner is accepting, you have to choose between remaining married and having your gender recognised.

Have there been any instances of a married couple where one of them transitions and subsequently wants to have their legal documents amended? That would then leave a m-m or f-f married couple, which would throw a spanner in the works for countries without gender-neutral marriage. I guess it's for precisely this reason that some countries, as you say, demand one be unmarried. I wonder if it's the case in Ireland?

Meesared

Well seeing as theres no same sex marriage in Ireland, Id doubt it!

blue nova

Aard wrote: »

Have there been any instances of a married couple where one of them transitions and subsequently wants to have their legal documents amended? That would then leave a m-m or f-f married couple, which would throw a spanner in the works for countries without gender-neutral marriage. I guess it's for precisely this reason that some countries, as you say, demand one be unmarried. I wonder if it's the case in Ireland?

Just to clarify here, There are many such instances of marriages still in existence and where one of the parties has transitioned, having changed their legal documentation (with the exception of their birth certificate of course). I know of 3 friends who are in that situation and am aware of many more. The situation is ignored at present but will come to the fore as soon as the Gender recognition legislation is brought forward.

Presently, An Irish Solution to an Irish problem, methinks......

Asry

Yeah but...if you're married before transition then it's technically not same-sex marriage. Sure it's not? Because the name on your marriage cert...? I don't know

In my head it's like priests who were married and had kids before they became priests. Having gotten...wait. Ok nevermind I'm opening that thread on a different forum. I had another question too but that's also for a different forum.


(also, I love that phrase - An Irish Solution to an Irish Problem )

Azure_sky

Freiheit wrote: »

Often forgotten is that the concentrations camps were for lgbtq people also and the allies made them see out their sentences while simultaneously releasing Jewish inmates.

This is so true, yet many forget or simply are not aware of it. I recommend a quick wiki of Alan Turing to show how the allies treated LGBT people who helped them defeat Nazism.