Share your thoughts on today’s webinar! #forumwebinar 28 th Annual Forum on Workplace Inclusion March 29-31, 2016 Minneapolis, MN Today’s Webinar: The

Share your thoughts on today’s webinar! #forumwebinar

28th Annual Forum on Workplace InclusionMarch 29-31, 2016Minneapolis, MN

Today’s Webinar:The (R)evolution of the Transgender Workplace Inclusion Conversation

with Stephanie Battaglino

Share your thoughts on today’s webinar! #forumwebinar 28th Annual Forum on Workplace Inclusion

March 29-31, 2016Minneapolis, MN

Upcoming Webinars

October 22 Dr. Deborah P. Ashton

Does Race or Gender Matter More to Your Paycheck? How Can You And the Company Get Pay Equity?

November 19 Howard Ross Everyday Bias: Identifying and Navigating Our Unintentional Blind Spots

https://www.stthomas.edu/workplaceforum/events/webinars/l

Register for a webinar today!

http://www.stthomas.edu/mcf/sessions/webinars.html



The (R)evolution of the Transgender Workplace Equality Conversation

Stephanie BattaglinoFollow Your Heart. LLC

“Making Waves 2015”

The Forum on Workplace InclusionMinneapolis, MNWednesday, March 18, 2015

©FollowYour Heart, LLC

Education

Understanding

Acceptance

The Journey to Full Workplace Equality

©FollowYourHeart, LLC

Objectives & Assumptions

“Table Stakes”:◦ Basic definitions

◦ Difference between Gender Identity/Expression and Sexual Orientation

◦ That Trans & Gender non-conforming (GNC) people come in all varieties of Expression and Orientation

◦ Logistics of executing a transition in the workplace / workplace policies

Objectives of this workshop are to: ◦ Specifically discuss what happens when the dust settles after

transition

◦ How ‘being trans’ affects a person’s history and future

◦ Evolve the workplace transition narrative beyond its current state


Stephanie Battaglino

Corporate Vice President, Fortune 100 financial services company

Successfully transitioned in October, 2005 Board Member:

◦ PFLAG National◦ LGBT Community Center of New York◦ Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF)

National Media Appearances◦ Documentary series, Sex Change Hospital◦ New Republic◦ Huffington Post Live◦ HRC◦ The Advocate◦ GLAAD◦ Diversity Best Practices

Founder & Owner, Follow Your Heart, LLC


Survey Says . . . Being transgender can have consequences

◦ 97% of transgender people are harassed on the job◦ 26% fired because of their gender identity◦ 19% homeless because of gender identity◦ Trans people of color disproportionately likely to live in

poverty

Suicide attempts index significantly higher◦ Ten times greater than the national average◦ Four times greater than that of the L,G,B population

Many trans individuals are experienced, yet under employed◦ Statistically better educated than the general

population◦ 47% with college degree (27% of general population)Sources:

Williams Institute & the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-Suicide Attempts among Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Adults-Findings of the National Transgender Discrimination SurveyNational Center for Transgender Equality-Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey ©FollowYourHeart, LLC

Marriage Equality is Not a Panacea for the Trans CommunityFor many Trans and GNC individuals,

marriage equality is akin to “putting the cart before the horse”

Think “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs”


Take a Walk in my Shoes “And the day came when the risk to remain tight

in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

-Anais Nin

Staring Down the Abyss . . .

“The Plate Spinner”◦ When you transition, EVERYONE around you transitions

with you◦ The workplace is just one of many simultaneous

“venues” where transition takes place

The timing of my workplace transition was “gated” by the progress I was making with my son ◦ Wonder Woman in a phone booth . . .


Climbing Both Sides of the Corporate Ladder The GOOD NEWS?

◦ I’ve Completely Assimilated into the female workforce at my company

The BAD NEWS?◦ I’ve Completely Assimilated into the female

workforce at my company

I face the same workplace challenges that my cisgender female colleagues deal with every day


My Workplace Story Hitting my Head on the Glass Ceiling

◦ Loss of Male Privilege

Thickness of the glass varies with the culture of the company

Did I Suddenly Become Less Competent?◦ How do I compensate for this?◦ What ARE they thinking?

◦ Have I Become too wrapped up with ME?


What Did I Learn? It’s NOT All About ME?!

The Social Euphoria of Delayed Adolescence, aka . . . .

“Get Over Yourself!”

The Value of Mentoring Cannot be Overstated

The Bottom Line: Your company, however supportive, still expects

you to fulfill the responsibilities of your position


Hiding in Plain Sight??? Stealth refers to the practice of a

trans person “fully disappearing” into their correct gender identity

Used to be the “normal” accepted practice

Can be unsafe

Isolating

Impossible! ©FollowYourHeart, LLC

But the Game is Changing . . .

An Intergenerational Reality is quickly emerging The Millennials

Stealth isn’t even a concept, for the most partWill have had the benefit of more information

and not being isolated – the Internet!They will arrive at your workplace socially,

and medically (if they choose) transitionedArrive in the workplace with an entirely

different set of expectations from their employer

Fully embrace the Gender Continuum vs. the Gender Binary

The wider emergence of Gender Expression©FollowYourHeart, LLC

Where the Narrative Has Been

Workplace conversations, if they happen, are typically focused on accommodating a transitioning employee during the time of change

But . . . What happens after?


Where the Narrative is Headed

Moving From Policy to PracticeInitial efforts have predominantly involved

policy and procedure creationTrans Inclusive EEO & Non-discrimination policiesTransition guidelinesJust the first step in building true inclusion

Policy & Process addresses situationsLanguage & Engagement addresses the

underlying human interactionsThe lowest common denominators for putting

Policy & Process into action


The Journey Continues . . .What is Your Organization’s E.T.A.?

EmpathyTrustAdvocacy

These virtues are imbued in your company’s culture

It’s HistoryIt’s Legacies & LegendsIt’s SymbolsIt’s Rituals & RoutinesIt’s Stories & Myths


It Really is All About Culture

Company Culture Matters

Cultural Velocity How quickly do you adapt to shifting societal and

generational change?

Context Matters

Language Matters – esp. in the Trans and GNC communityBoth Verbal & Non-VerbalNon-verbal creates mindful and authentic intentDiversity Best Practice’s “Getting the Language

Right”©FollowYourHeart, LLC

The Role of Your LGBT ERG

It can, and should, play a significant role in this process

Change Agent“Beachhead” for the newly

transitioning or new Trans or GNC employee

Source of Education for the employee population at-large

Quantifiable Contribution(s) to the enterprise


What Role Do You Play?

Be a Supportive Ally/ColleagueWe cannot do this aloneThe numbers don’t lie

Move From Ally to AdvocateBe informativeBe prepared Be specificBe confident


What Role Do You Play?

Educate yourself About the Trans & GNC communitiesAbout the issuesPFLAG’s “Guide to Being a Trans Ally”

and “Welcoming Our Trans and Gender Nonconforming Family and Friends” are very comprehensive and educational resources

Build community wherever possible

Be aware of, and embrace, “teaching moments”


Thank You!

Stephanie BattaglinoFollow Your Heart, LLC

Email: [email protected] Facebook: Follow Your Heart, LLC Twitter: @StephanieFYH

LinkedIn: Stephanie Battaglino, MBA & Follow Your Heart, LLC


Documents

Share your thoughts on today’s webinar! #forumwebinar 28 th Annual Forum on Workplace Inclusion March 29-31, 2016 Minneapolis, MN Today’s Webinar: The