TS in the Workplace

Once a transsexual admits what they have known for years, that the gender by which society identifies them is wrong, the transition begins. That transition includes physical changes through hormone therapy and sexual reassignment surgery (SRS), learning new responses to social situations, and much more. These changes occur while the transsexual is employed.

How that transsexual is perceived by the employer and co-workers can help or greatly harm the transsexual's transition. Many law suits have paved the path to the current level of acceptance. Yet despite those law suits, there still exists a lack of understanding and outright discrimination by some managers and some employers.

Employers visiting this web page (as many do) might wish to check the following link:

Lucent Employees Workplace Guidelines for Transgendered

Also, Transgender at Work on The Transgender Network.

Those problems in the work place are one of the reasons so many post-SRS transsexuals remain "hidden" and unknown to their employer. However those transsexuals who remain married will stand out and will continually need to educate and stand firm with new employers.

As an employee of a company, obtaining standard family benefits for Allison has confused a couple of my employers. One firm wanted to have their benefit committee decide whether that company would accept our marriage license. No company has that legal authority to determine whether one marriage license is more legal then another. Another firm was equally confused, discussing the validity of our marriage license between upper management and the company's legal advisors. What I find interesting (okay, painful) is neither company was willing to consult with Allison and me, instead forcing us to "strongly confront" one of the companies simply to be treated the same as any other married employee of that company. Allison and I have discovered that unless an employer supports same-sex benefits for their gay and lesbian employees, those same companies will attempt to refuse benefits to their transsexual employees, even though those transsexual employees remain legally married following SRS. Be prepared to very firmly assert yourself to retain those benefits for you and your spouse.

 Additional protections for the transsexual are still needed within the workplace.

The two books shown here are new to the ever increasing information about transsexuals. Any accurate, positive information you can make available to your employer will help. These books are available from Amazon.Com and other sources.

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