#transgenderdiscrimination

[nerdy30trans-blog]

While being detained not once was I told what for. Not once was I offered an explanation for questioning. Not once was I taken to a private room, this was done in sight of all travelers in line to OUT me and inspire other harassment. This is America, the true America. If they treat citizens like this imagine what is done at the border. I’m done with the conservative agenda, what has been created is a state that tries to rule by terror and intimidation. It’s no longer just a difference of opinion, it’s a difference of moral ethics and conservatives apparently have none. I will not stand by it, and can’t believe so many people do. #flyingwhiletrans #transphobia #tsa #transgenderdiscrimination #airportdiscrimination #tsadiscrimination #hrcpartner #illegalqueers #illegaldetention #resist #resistance #endbigotry @hrctrianglecommunity @grandrapidspridecenter (at Gerald R. Ford International Airport)

[jaidanredridinghood]

Going through a lot of this on the net, mostly because #transgenderporn #pornindustry #youtube @youtube #datingsites #transgenderstruggles #transgenderrights #transgenderdiscrimination going into my family background growing up #Intersex and being raised by and #singleparent

[transdiscriminationgws101-blog]

References

Sources

Burns, Crosby, and Jeff Krehely. "Gay and Transgender People Face High Rates of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment." Center for American Progress. 2 June 2011.

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbt/news/2011/06/02/9872/gay-and-transgender-people-face-high-rates-of-workplace-discrimination-and-harassment/

This cite was very useful in learning about statistics about discrimination and also put the scale of the magnitude of this form of discrimination into perspective.

 Burns, Crosby, and Jeff Krehely. "Gay and Transgender People Face High Rates of Workplace Discrimination and Harassment." Center for American Progress. 2 June 2011.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michelle_Dietert/publication/228462098_Gender_Identity_Issues_and_Workplace_Discrimination_The_Transgender_Experience/links/5523ffa80cf2caf11bfc6fcc.pdf

I used this source to get an idea of the specific kinds of discrimination some trans people face in the workplace after transitioning, as well has to get a bit more of a personal detail of what individuals go through.

 Koch, Katie, and Richard Bales. "TRANSGENDER EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION." UCLA WOMEN'S LAW JOURNAL 17 (2008): 243-67.

http://poseidon01.ssrn.com/delivery.php?ID=434125086106006085070012065031123120049012071021089062106127078028100089092000088066018100023057000108035092116112118114113127000072044080010071072086118006090125005058075106005121124115004122102095116026088081071085121096105091066090126112097104110&EXT=pdf

This source was very useful in understanding the legal aspect of trans discrimination and also helped me to understand how the problem could potentially be solved.

 Muhr, Sarah Louise, Katie Rose Sullivan, and Craig Rich. "Situated Transgressiveness: Exploring One Transwoman's Lived Experience Across Three Situated Contexts." Gender, Work, & Organization 23 (2016). Online Library.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gwao.12093/epdf

This source what I primarily used for my real example and the details of Claire’s life and day to day minor struggles helped me realize discrimination is also about the minor things.

 Ford, Zack. "Texas School Removes Transgender Teacher From Classroom After Parents Complain." Think Progress. 29 Apr. 2014.

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2014/04/29/3432042/texas-transgender-teacher-klug/

This source gave me an idea as to how institutionalized and internalized transphobia can be in society, particularly when it comes to schools.

 Wong, Alia. "The K-12 Binary." The Atlantic. 9 July 2015.

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/07/the-k-12-binary/398060/

I used this source to get an idea for the institutional example as well as to include some misconceptions some people have about trans persons in schools.

Additional Resources

http://www.transequality.org/know-your-rights/employment-general

Useful in learning one’s workplace rights.

http://transgenderlawcenter.org/issues/employment

Has many resources and informtional videos and examples.

http://www.hrc.org/resources/coming-out-in-the-workplace-as-transgender

This website is useful in that is has steps towards easing workplace transition and tips for avoiding issues

http://www.forbes.com/sites/karenhigginbottom/2014/06/24/how-to-support-transgender-employees-in-the-workplace/#61b4128458b1

This resource is useful for learning how to support trans people in their workplace.

http://www.natlawreview.com/article/transgender-issues-workplace

This article also explains and gives some information about the legal issues and obstacles some may face.

[transdiscriminationgws101-blog]

Solutions

There a number of possible solutions that I have thought about for this problem since starting my research. Though they are somewhat limited and may not have much of an effect immediately or if people work alone, together and over time they should help to shift gears toward solving this problem. The first possible solution I have identified is to get the Supreme Court and national government to require all state governments to protect transgender persons from discrimination. The Supreme Court ruled that transgender persons are protected under title VII, a nation-wide law, yet many states still do not have any form of protection for trans persons. To do this it is important for the national government to know that a large portion of the population demands that these institutions be held responsible for upholding the national law.

Another solution I have identified may seem like an obvious one. In order to make sure trans people are granted the protection they deserve it is important to elect officials who will make sure they will be protected. Researching a candidate’s history of official matters involving transgender persons or other lgbtq person would be a good way to know whether or not they can be trusted with this issue. In order to change the policy and laws regarding the discrimination of transgender individuals, the people in official positions must also be changed.

The last solution that I identified was to boycott businesses that have discriminated against trans persons. This may be harder than the others as it may be harder to know whether or not certain businesses have discriminated against transgender people or not. However, if a company, large or local, has been reported or has been accused of discriminating its transgender employees, then continuing to shop there only shows support or apathy towards their treatment. Boycotting these business shows that their behavior is unacceptable and needs to be changed or else they will suffer consequences.  

[transdiscriminationgws101-blog]

Summary

This problem is a fairly significant one as demonstrated by the vast majority of trans individuals in the workplace as demonstrated by previously showed statistics. This is a problem that, although is more common and concentrated in certain areas, is found throughout the country. Even though the nation has laws against discrimination of trans individuals there are still places in this country where being discriminated for being transgender is completely legal. The extensiveness of this issue is it reaches across the country, into organizations both big and small, at numerous levels and yet little to nothing seems to be happening about it.

I found what I learned from this research to be somewhat similar to what we learned while reading Emily Baxter’s article “What Occupational Data Show About the Causes of the Gender Wage Gap” ,in an important way. There are some obvious differences but there are also a few similarities. The main message of her article is that women should not be paid less or discouraged from entering certain jobs or careers simply because they are women. Through the research I’ve done I have also found that trans individuals do not want to be excluded from jobs, ones that some of them have held for quite some time before transitioning, simply because of their gender identity. In both cases people suffered in the workplace in one form or another because of their perceived gender identity.

[transdiscriminationgws101-blog]

Intersectionality

This problem is an intersectional problem regarding class and education level. In terms of class, people of lower classes have less access to health care and options than others due to cost. This relates to transgender discrimination because if a personal of lower class is transgender, they have less access to materials and resources to undergo transition or if they do they are likely not as effective as others. This brings up the problem of “passing” which is very important for many trans people. With having a harder time passing, they may experience more discrimination in their place of business. Also, since lower class people tend to work in smaller businesses or hold lower positions, they are viewed as less important to the company and can be fired to be easily replaced and the trans person may not have the means to bring up an official case. Trans people of lower classes can become easier targets for discrimination making this an intersectional issue.

The level of education a trans person has achieved can also affect their position in the workplace. With less education people tend to have either a lower position in a large organization or a moderate position in a small organization. The problem is trans people, once they come out at work as trans may be targeted for discrimination or being fired, using the lack of education as the justification. It may also be hard to bring a case if one is part of a smaller organization because there is less focus on smaller organizations than large, nationwide organizations. Both of these issues show that being transgender can affect people of different classes and education levels in varying ways. It is an intersectional issue because trans people are not a single group that is completely separated from the rest of society. They can be parts of other groups as well demonstrating that it is not just a Trans person issue.

[wolfsuitisshed-blog]

DENIED-SURGERY IN OREGON VIA MEDICARE/HEALTHNET

It was not a good day. I live in one of FIVE damn states where supposedly Trans Rights EXIST in some form. Supposedly the Feebs are all about protecting and enabling HUMAN RIGHTS and making our lives better, yet I am trying to enable my life and become who I am so I can get OFF disability, become a functional person, maybe not be crushed by depression and all the horrible things that go along with being in the wrong form. 

I had dotted every damn i crossed every damn T, I had the letters, I live as a man, I have been on T the requisite amount of time, the physicians all agreed it was the right time, my doctors agreed it was the right time. 

I am FORTY-FOUR YEARS OLD. I have had CHRONIC BACK AND SHOULDER ISSUES AS WELL. We submitted the request in the proper way to OREGON HEALTHNET VIOLET OPTION D along with all the proper paper work, and I followed the claim on my website, checking in almost daily to see if they needed more information, and they never requested anything. The website never updated from,"Pending".'

Today was the 14 day deadline. Tomorrow is my pre-surgical appointment with the team. I called to find out what was the decision and I was told by "Jorge" that they had denied the procedure as,"Not an authorized procedure" . 

I reminded them I live in Oregon, that they were discriminating and that it was not simply cosmetic that I intended to appeal. I was advised to contact the physicians office and get the information I needed to do so. 

I faxed the appeal at 2 pm with a request for information on their legal counsels contact information, as of yet I have heard nothing back.

My surgeons office has been very compassionate, but the fact of the matter is, that unless I pay cash in the amount of $5050 by Monday, my mastectomy is canceled due to discrimination by Medicare.