Honoring and Respecting Your Trans Co-Workers and Employees

When I’m not managing software engineering teams, I’m sometimes working with The Rise Journey, a DEI consultancy. I published this on their blog for Transgender Awareness Week this year

November 13th — 19th marks the annual Transgender Awareness Week in which we mindfully dedicate space, time, and new practices to increase our understanding of the trans community. The week culminates with final and emphasized recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20th — a day to mourn members of the trans community who have been lost to violence or suicide. At the time of this article, the Human Rights Campaign has shared that 45 transgender people have been murdered in 2021 alone — with recognition of these being only the reported cases. For many transgender people, the workplace can feel especially fraught and risky. As we navigate this weeklong event, consider your own workplace and the ways you might create a more welcoming, validating, and safe work experience for your trans co-workers and employees.

Daelynn’s Personal Take

One of the most unexpected aspects of my own transition experience was the degree to which people forgot everything else about me. I went from being a complex, intersectional human being to, first and foremost, a transgender person. Suddenly, my…