"Kickin' Up One Hell Of A Fuss To Help Enact Social Change" : New Years Resolutions 2017

2016 has been the year when I finally decided to share my voice with the world through the media of Twitter and (often quite frankly poo-poo stirring) blog posts. I don't regret my decision one bit. Thanks to the wonder of online connecting, which on balance I've found to be more of a positive than negative experience,
I've managed to raise awareness of the importance of seeing us trans people as unique individuals rather than slutty, seedy pseudo-stereotypes perpetrated by those who cannot let go of draconian religious dogma. I'm glad my Lutheran Christian faith has been strengthened this year, having explored biblical quotations and texts that show Jesus was an inclusive, not divisive figure. It's been essential to realise too that intersexuality and asexuality deserves more media exposure so that the populous at large understand that being different isn't necessarily a bad thing and that queers, asexual and intersexual people deserve the same respect and attention that lesbian, gay, bi and trans people have gotten as part of the LGBTQIA community. Rejecting the Alt-Right poster-boy troll Milo's call to turn LGBTQIA people against each other on the basis of religion or fear needs to be continued well into 2017, especially now he's gone and got himself a book deal. Let's just say I'm yawning and tutting at the prospect of reading his explanations for hatred against those who are Gun Sense activists or Feminists, let alone his blatant Islamophobia. A Juvenalian laugh a minute, I suspect. #Sad.

Unlike Failo, I've found much joy in trying to help others in an active way. I've joined an amazing charity, GenderFreeDV that aims to improve service provision for all survivors of domestic abuse and domestic violence, irrespective of gender identity, sexuality, age, race, nationality, disability or religious beliefs. I've even managed to tell two of my favourite actresses, Heida Reed and Ruby Bentall, how much I admire their work, especially on Poldark (and also to declare my undying love for Mr Jack Farthing, who can't seem to do no wrong portraying the despicable George Warleggan with the same level of aplomb as the incredibly sweet Freddie Threepwood of Blandings fame).

So now my attention turns to concocting a new set of fitting New Years Resolutions that don't need to commandeered from the mouths of babes or Donnie Drumpf. Some are confoundedly easier to come up with than others but it's always good to try and outdo one's performance from the previous year....and since swearing to be morally better than silly Alt-Righters is a particularly low benchmark, it shouldn't be so much of a problem this coming year.

• I aim to finish my supposedly incredibly important current writing projects:
• an exploration of Mrs Bennett's early life as the young wayward daughter of a country lawyer whose father has been besmirched by the actions of a cousin who can't help but be an overt chancer, philanderer and embezzler.
• a satirical piece on traversing the boundaries of gender non-binary and trans acceptability...everything from the astounding moment that you find out being a trans woman means you can only really date straight and bi guys (bring on the muscle bound cheapskates and low down woman haters, as Annie Lennox warned us about in the Eurhythmics' 1987 hit song, "I Need A Man") to confessing you own 12 boxes of sterling silver jewellery and causing your girl friends to go into shock when they see you own more  multi-glittery David Bowie style platform sandals than they do.
• I want to help inspire more Millennials to get involved in politics, at a local, national and international level. As I talked about in my previous blogpost, it's essential to try and shake off the apathetic mood that has currently gripped our country in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. Voters need to realise that social and economic changes happen when we work together to tell Establishment figures that enough is enough; that empty platitudes and divisive policies that only benefit the top 20% in society aren't the way forward. Chronic underfunding of local services needs to be challenged and the Government can't use the Brexit process as a reason not to make the necessary changes to funding decisions for rural counties. Social care needs more sustainable funding streams, SEN pupils deserve more 1-1 support in mainstream schools to help them, achieve the 5 A*-C grades they need to enter the local workforce. Whether Millennials choose to join a local party branch, blog/podcast/vlog their opinions and views or just bother to turn up to the polling station on election day, it would be better than the current unwillingness to engage on political subjects for fear of not making a real difference. If we don't try, we can't complain when policy decisions are made that go against our own wishes and aspirations for a better country. Anyways read my blogpost if you want to know more about my sentiments : http://sassysvensknorsk.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/reflections-at-christmastide-2016.html
• I'm going to continue working with GenderFreeDV to help raise their profile nationally and perhaps to help secure funding for key research to be undertaken into the reasons why there are low reporting levels of DVA amongst the LGBTQIA community and male survivors. I want to look into ways of making services more accessible to those who have a disability or have been victims of familial violence as a result of going against decisions made on the basis of a family relative's faith. I want to make sure that Sex and Relationships Education is implemented nationally and must be attended by all students regardless of their faith background. It's time to realise that having freedom of religious expression doesn't mean we can use it to harm others; it doesn't give a father licence to beat his daughter for refusing to marry the man he has chosen for her or for a mother to threaten her teenage son with cutting off financial aid because he has come out as LGBQIA (especially as the UK tax payer may be paying her Child Benefit to help support him during his educational period). I can't wait to meet with MPs such as the Shadow Women and Equalities Minister Sarah Champion or the Women and Equalities Minister Justine Greening to talk through these issues in depth and to work with Jess Phillips on a proposed DVA bill that will address service provision for male survivors.
• I hope to find an Administrative based job to help support me whilst I'm getting my writing completed. I have the skills, having studied English and Philosophy at York and then Accountancy and HR postgraduate wise but it seems difficult to get my foot on the jobs ladder. I've explored HR and trans issues through different prisms in my blogpost and I hope that I've helped those currently employed in workplaces around the world to have the strength to confide in their HR professional if they are a victim of workplace bullying or harassment or have decided to transition openly. I'd love to give HR advice and support myself within a large organisation one day and I'll keep applying for HR positions to help do this.
• I'm going to keep updating my blog and move into podcasting because I realise that some people would prefer hearing what I say in a short broadcast rather than having to scroll down my blog. I'm hoping to do it at least once a fortnight and to focus on a number of issues, including Votes at 16, left wing politics, LGBTQIA policy and transfeminism whilst making them accessible to those who may not have heard about such issues before. It's a bit daunting for me to think about it because I'm worried my verbal voice won't translate as well as my written voice but I'll give it a good go!
• Finally I'm going to be a lot more like Eddie Monsoon. I started my blog with her as a key inspiration and it's time to have oodles more fun just as she seemed to have in early middle age. No longer do I feel the need to hide myself away because of my body, gender identity or disability. I'm going to continue my Magpie antics, wear more amazingly swishy sequin dresses and just enjoy my life.

So it's time to say Ta-rah to 2016. I can't say it's been great 99% of the time but at least I've survived your soul destroying antics...just. You may have taken some amazing celebrities and it seems like the end of a truly progressive era but the fear you have espoused only makes me more determined to get my voice heard, to help craft a new generation of game-changers who want to improve the lives of ordinary folk like ourselves, whether they help create "super happy fake news" masquerading as exhilarating Horatian satire, to having the sheer gall slash bravery to stand as local councillors in the next round of elections. 2017 will be the year that progressive positivity takes over, banishing political and artistic apathy back where it belongs...lingering under the shivering, sad depths of people who share Donnie Drumpf's dark chameleonic soul.  I wish all my blog readers and ideological foe a very happy, prosperous New Year 2017!

 

Working With Transgender Employees: The HR Basics (UK)

Whenever I speak to employers and HR professionals I always seem to hear the same thing: "I wouldn't know how to act around a trans person in the workplace because I've never worked with one; what happens if a colleague tells me they wish to transition?...I'm not prepared ?" From the sidelines it can look like a daunting HR challenge. You don't know how colleagues might react to a trans "coming out" story, especially if they happen to be the first person going on this journey in the company's history. Pre trans employees have also heard the horror stories of trans people being openly harassed and abused in the workplace. The figures out there are startling; for example, when the UK Government announced its long awaited Transgender Action Plan, in 2011, it was stated that 88% of transgender employees experience discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is clearly unacceptable that so many trans employees are experiencing unsavory behaviour just because they have decided to make legal changes to their gender identity and be open about it. HR professionals need to take a reasoned compassionate approach to dealing with trans employees before, during and after the transition process. I try and outline the basics of such an inclusive approach to inform and educate potential trans employees as well as line management and HR professions below:

Legislation relating to transgender employees/ gender reassignment surgery (a recap):

• Equality Act (2010):
• Outlaws discrimination in employment and vocational training on the grounds of gender reassignment (as a protected characteristic).
• Trans people are referred to in law as transsexual as opposed to transgender. A transsexual is "a person who has proposed to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone gender reassignment surgery". It is advisable not to refer to trans people as transsexual except within the confines of the law as it is considered by the LGBTQIA community as an outdated term.
• Protects : actual and prospective employees, former employees, apprentices, contract workers and people seeking or undertaking vocational training. Some self-employed people are also covered.
• There is no legal requirement for an employee to tell their employer about their gender reassignment status, but it is unusual for people to undergo a level of social transition within their employment without notifying their employer. This does not mean you can force them to disclose their status.
• It is unlawful for employees/customers/line management to refuse to work with an employee on the basis of their gender reassignment, even if they refuse on grounds of religious belief.
• Types of unlawful discrimination include:
• Direct - Explicitly stating someone cannot be transsexual/transgender to perform their job role within a company.= Direct Discrimination
• Thinking someone is transsexual without any evidence/assertion from the individual concerned = Direct discrimination by perception (ACAS)
• Telling someone they are wrong to work with transsexual/transgender employee = Direct discrimination by association (ACAS)
• Indirect- Where an employer/HR department creates a workplace rule, practice or procedure that applies to everyone but particularly disadvantages those who wish to go through/ are going through/ have been through gender reassignment surgery. ACAS states an example would be if all employees had to disclose whether they have undergone gender reassignment (which is unlawful anyways).
• Harassment - Unwanted conduct which leads to violation of a transsexual/transgender person's dignity or creates a degrading, humiliating or offensive environment because of their gender reassignment status. For example, sexual harassment of a trans employee is unlawful under the EA.
• Victimisation- An employer/HR professional cannot discriminate against a transsexual/transgender person for using the provisions of the legislation to protect themselves. Equally someone who has helped a trans person to defend themselves using the Act provisions cannot be victimised.
• Exceptions to the Equality Act:
• Occupation requirement for the employee not to be transsexual/transgender: this might be enacted if a social worker had to be male because the client involved had suffered abuse/violence from a trans perpetrator.
• Organisation may indirectly discriminate if that discrimination is a proportionate way to achieve a legitimate aim (will be very hard to prove in law!)
• Gender Reassignment Act (2004):
• Allows transsexuals to change their gender legally through obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).
• It is not necessary for a trans person to gain a GRC to be protected under the EA.
• Once a GRC is issued however, a trans person is considered legally to be his/her required gender which allows them to:
• acquire a substitute birth certificate which recognises their gender change,
• marry in the new gender or form a Civil Partnership with someone of the same gender as allowed under the Civil Partnership Act,
• retire and receive a pension at an age that is appropriate to their acquired gender (that means reviewing changes to pensions by the Payroll team to ensure accuracy).
• HR staff can only identify a person's trans status if you have been given permission to do so. "Outing" a trans person is considered direct discrimination under the EA.
• Disclosure of a person's GRC is a criminal act  and is subject to a fine.

The process of "coming out" as trans at work:

1. Employee informs line management of their wish to transition.
2. Line manager informs HR department of employee's wish to transition.
3. HR facilitates discussion with line management and employee, draws up Memorandum of Understanding. (See below).
4. Line manager manages any absence that may result from the transitioning process, including unpaid sick leave. Informs HR department of any discrepancies so they can follow up.
5. HR finds out when the employee is due to transition and how- for example if they are going to dress according to their expressed gender or changing their name.
6. On the day of transition, HR checks with line management to ensure they are fully prepared, including informing all members of the department/company of the nature of the employee's transition. Reiterate Equality and Diversity policies and consequences of breaching those policies and that employees can refer back to these documents at any time.
7. Line management makes sure email addresses are updated, workload has been agreed, monitoring/mentoring in place to help the transition happen smoothly at work.
8. If there is an issue that is raised by the trans employee, line management and HR must make sure that issue has been fully investigated in accordance with Equality and Diversity policies and disciplinary procedures.
9. If a trans employee wants to leave the organisation, HR must ensure the reference given is fair and complies with legislation (i.e. doesn't blame quality of work on the employee going through gender reassignment surgery, for example). Keep all documentation relating to trans an employee according to guidelines in case of a discrimination case being brought against the organisation on grounds of gender reassignment.
10. If a trans employee wishes to change jobs within the organisation during their transition process on a temporary/permanent full or part time basis (between hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery), line managers and HR professionals must be as helpful as possible in facilitating this; so if a role is mainly customer facing but they wish to do more backroom administration and there is enough work hours available to do this, it should happen. Make sure the trans employee is aware of changes to their hours/pay/working conditions if applicable and get them to sign an updated contract to state they consent to the changes made.

A compassionate HR approach:

• Treat trans employees with respect, dignity and compassion. All employees within the organisation must demonstrate a positive approach to dealing with trans customers, both internal (fellow colleagues from other departments) and external. Make sure your HR department creates an Equality and Diversity policy that refers to gender reassignment/ identity as specified under the Equality Act (2010).
• Consider creating an individual Memorandum of Understanding between line management, the trans employee concerned and a HR department member. Essentially a Memorandum of Understanding is an agreement between an employer and employee which summarises discussions about how the employer or employee might take certain actions, including:
• time off from work to attend Gender Identity Clinics (GICs), GP surgery appointments or when going through a major operation -e.g. breast enhancement.
• communication between different stakeholders within the organisation, including colleagues, management, customers, Govt. officials etc.
• equipment changes - e.g. organising a new name badge, changing email addresses, scheduling photography sessions etc.
• Allowing for dress code change
• Use of toilet/bathroom facilities.
• Any specific issues affecting the individual trans employee or employer.
• The memorandum should be signed by the line manager, HR manager and employee and witnessed by a HR team member. It should be available to be accessed in case of updating and copies distributed to line management and the trans employee for them to keep hold of.
• Data Protection Act (1998) record keeping wise, it is important to remember that a person's gender status and transition history is considered confidential and must not be disclosed without expressed permission (which should be given in writing). When a trans employee obtains a Gender Recognition Certificate, personnel records must be updated to reflect their expressed gender, unless they relate to pension/insurance details. Old details must be stored confidentially and according to the principles outlined in the DPA.
• When arranging social events, such as Christmas parties, meal nights out or team building days, consideration must be shown for trans employees. For example, a trans man should not be shunned for deciding not to attend a shopping trip that's only been organised for female employees and a trans woman should not be expected to dress in black tie to attend a ball just because they haven't yet fully transitioned. Care must be taken by HR staff to explain the situation to all employees involved with the social event as to why a trans person may or may not choose to attend so that they do not assume it's not a case of showing an unwillingness to support the team.
• If an employee discloses to you that they have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and the condition has a substantial and long term adverse impact on their ability to carry out daily activities, they may also be protected under the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristic of disability. This means reasonable adjustments will have to be considered to ensure the company cannot be accused of discrimination on this basis. However it is appropriate to ask for medical information including the diagnosis letter from the GIC.
• HR professionals must remember that it is unlawful to instruct someone to discriminate against a trans person on you or your firm's behalf; for example you cannot ask an agency you work with to reject a candidate on the basis of them being trans.
• Dress code should be negotiable; trans employees should be able to wear clothing associated with their gender choice ASAP. HR professionals and line management must be aware that the employee may have a definite view on what they wish to wear and they should be allowed to wear what they want provided it falls into accepted  practice- e.g. if a trans woman wants to wear jewellery you should allow them to do this provided it isn't against Health and Safety practices (if a trans woman is becoming a nurse then it is acceptable to insist on them wearing stud earrings and a plain gold band because this reduces the possibility of infection and you would say the same to any female nurse working in a hospital, so it is not unlawful.)
• Trans people usually express a binary gender preference when they refer to their gender identity- they want to be known as male or female rather than being trans. So it is generally advised that during appraisal/monitoring sessions, HR professionals avoid reference to gender categorisation and any links either assumed, perceived or given to their sexual orientation.

Why you SHOULD care about trans employees as a HR Professional:
Most HR professionals who study with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) will be familiar with the need to demonstrate a positive approach as defined under the Behaviours linked to the CIPD Profession Map as created by CIPD to guide HR professionals through their career. You can access the page here: http://www.cipd.co.uk/cipd-hr-profession/profession-map/behaviours/default.aspx.

As you can see, there are a number of behaviour buzz words that indicate why HR professionals should care about treating trans employees with respect, dignity and compassion:

• HR professionals should have the "courage to challenge" those who are wishing to discriminate against trans employees within the business. This includes using facts to challenge ideology that may be espoused by senior management- e.g. that "transmen cannot be men if they still have periods or don't have a penis" or "trans women can't use the female bathroom because they still haven't lobbed off their dick."
• HR professionals must be "curious" to learn more about trans issues; they should ask appropriate questions and show interest in trans employees as individuals rather than as a homogenous grouping. HR professionals should be inquisitive enough to carry out their own research and perhaps expand their knowledge to include finding out about all gender differences that aren't binary-based too. If HR professionals do this research, it may make it easier to create Equality and Diversity policies that truly protect trans employees and it may be easier to inform/educate all employees within the business about trans issues so they do not feel uncomfortable speaking to trans employees. This may even lead to better customer service standards as customer facing staff may find it easier to deal with trans/non-binary customers.
• Perhaps most importantly of all, HR professionals must be "role models" and be perceived as beyond reproach on all Equality and Diversity based issues. Be "personally credible" and authentic by challenging your own biases. If you don't agree with the notion of "transgender", make sure you put those feelings to one side and treat your trans employee with respect, dignity and compassion. They are still human beings. They can still function enough to carry out their previous job. Treat them in the same way as you would have done before but be mindful of pronoun preferences, dress codes etc.

It's not rocket science to equip HR professionals, line managers, colleagues and customers to be able to deal with trans employees, whether the company is in the public, private or third sector. Provided you are at the forefront of acceptance and inclusion and are prepared to be curious enough to learn more about trans issues whilst treating the employee concerned as an individual, you'll be on the right track. So be mindful of your own approach, be prepared to adapt but most importantly, be compassionate.

Trans Experience of Recruitment And Selection Processes: What You Need To Know (UK)

"Everyone is different and unless employers take diversity seriously they will fail to recruit, retain and engage the commitment of the talent needed to sustain and improve performance" (Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development)

It's a wishy washy Monday morning in September. The sun's nowhere to be seen, the rain's pounding on the window and you cannot stand its syncopated musicality. Yet you've been offered the chance of a job as a Trainee Finance Assistant, something you've wanted to do since you graduated from your Accounting Technician (AAT) course. You get dressed up to the nines, choose your favourite pair of cat earrings and get on the bus, making sure you time to spare to exchange necessary pleasantries with the Receptionist and impress the boss. When they come out the office and meet you they seem to give you the "Straight up and down glare", usher you in and desperately try not to refer to your state of dress until midway through the interview until they ask the uncomfortable question: "Are you transgender?" You offer an appropriate response affirming that you are indeed trans and then going onto explain how far through the transition stage you are and whether you'd need time off for attending the GP surgery/hospital for treatment. Everything seems to have gone well and so you go home thinking you've nailed the questions and impressed on experience. Then you get the dreaded phone call- "You're not deemed a suitable fit for the organisation". I.e. you, as a person, do not fit what they are looking for, even if you had impressed on paper. You then question where you went wrong, whether you had answered a question incorrectly or not studied the right qualifications for the role. However, when this keeps happening every time you attend an interview for a private or public sector job, you begin to think "Are they not interested in hiring me because I am transgender? Should I dress differently to the interview?" So what can a trans person expect to do to increase their chances of finding employment, particularly within the private sector?

• Trans candidates need to realise it is not their fault that they are facing discrimination from recruitment managers/ owners in private sector businesses. Usually speaking, most of these people will have had very little formal training in HR or recruitment and selection theory so may not be aware of specific discrimination legislation and regulations that govern the recruitment and selection process. Therefore I believe it is incumbent on the candidate to know their rights as guaranteed under current law.

• First and foremost, trans people should be aware that if you are currently going through gender reassignment surgery or express an intention to do so, it could be seen as a form of direct discrimination if an employer turns around to you and says they "wouldn't hire you if you chose to go through gender reassignment surgery"; it is not a good enough reason for choosing not to hire someone. "Gender reassignment" is one of the nine protected characteristics named under the Equality Act (2010) and therefore, if it can be proved an employer explicitly didn't select you based solely on either a perception you are going through gender reassignment surgery (direct discrimination by perception) or because you have stated explicitly you are going through gender reassignment surgery (direct discrimination), an employer can be taken to an Employment Tribunal (EAT). At the EAT the burden of proof will be on the employer to show they haven't discriminated on the grounds of the protected characteristic. If they explicitly made a statement against your trans identity at the interview and it has been recorded, then it will be relatively simple for the judge to award damages in your favour on the basis of discriminatory recruitment and selection practices.

• If you have chosen not to go through gender reassignment surgery, you are still protected by the Equality Act. A person doesn't need to be registered with a GP or going through any medical treatment to be covered by the protected characteristic (apparently but may be hard to prove!) So it is perfectly acceptable to ask an employer to provide evidence of selection material after a rejection letter if necessary to check whether they have made comments regarding your dress/mannerisms against their job description, person specification checklist or interview question recording forms.(They have to keep certain data records relating to recruitment and selection for at least 6 months as advised by ACAS in case of a discrimination challenge). These may provide examples of selection bias and provide suitable evidence of direct/indirect discrimination because it might indicate whether they would have accepted you wishing to undergo gender reassignment surgery whilst employed at their firm.

• If an employer discriminates against you by rejecting you on the basis of your age and you are trans, remember that it is unlawful less it can be objectively justified; an employer would be unlikely to win a Tribunal case if they rejected you for a Finance Assistant role because they feel that you would be unable to keep up with updating client accounts, especially if they employ Finance Assistants who are around the same age or older than you!

• Employers are more than entitled to look at your social media accounts when considering whether you will be a "cultural fit" (suitable) for the company but they are not allowed to use this unlawfully to discriminate against you. If they see on Twitter for example that you are a trans activist and going through gender reassignment surgery, they are not allowed to use this one fact unfairly to write you off before or after an interview. As ACAS says on its website page Social Media and Recruitment: "Employers could face an employment tribunal hearing if they refused to interview or offer a job to someone based on a judgement they made through looking at the candidate's social media profile and then discriminating against them because of a protected characteristic belonging to the candidate which they noticed on the site."

• Some Job Centre advisors tell trans applicants to "dress modestly" when attending an office based formal interview. But what constitutes "modest dress"? I usually say that if you see what your potential female or male peers/friends are wearing to the office then you will be within the realms of acceptability. A trans man will usually be fine in a suit or shirt and tie or v neck jumper and trousers combination but it is more tricky for trans women. Wearing a skirt prior to transition may lead to the recruitment officer questioning whether it may offend coworkers. However wearing a midi length dress in muted with leggings/tights underneath would solve the "see through" genitals problem. Failing that, wearing a silk shirt and trousers with flat shoes would be appropriate. If the employer doesn't accept you in this state of modest dress then I question whether they're willing to take you on in the first place. You should wear what you feel comfortable in but take notice of office trends and you can never go far wrong.

• I always believe being open and honest is important during an interview. It's not essential that you disclose your wish to transition or that you are going through the transition process already but if you are dressed in clothing associated with the opposite gender it may be difficult to ignore. At least you will be letting the employer concerned know "where the land lies". They may wish to address whether you need time off to attend Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) or GP appointments and whether you'd be prepared to cover these using allotted holiday time as much as possible to reduce absentee hours. If you give the impression that you're prepared to do this it shows that you are not expecting to be treated as a special case per se; they may be more sympathetic if they choose to hire you when you do need more time off to recover. Be prepared to answer any "silly questions" the employer may have about your trans status; most of the time they are just intrigued/curious, especially if it is the first time they have met a trans person in the flesh! A common definition to have handy is that of Gender Reassignment Surgery: Gender reassignment is a personal, social, and sometimes medical process by which a person's gender appears to others to have changed. Anyone who proposes to, starts or has completed a process to change his or her gender is protected from discrimination under the Equality Act. A person does not need to be undergoing medical supervision to be protected. So, for example, a woman who decides to live as a man without undergoing any medical procedures would be covered.

• I ask what the company's Equality and Diversity policies are; this is to see whether they understand the need to treat all employees with dignity and respect. If they mention they have employed trans people in the past it generally bodes well for the rest of the interview as they will have already experienced some of the adaptations needed to accommodate a trans person in the office. If not, I ask them whether they have met a trans person or dealt with a trans client or have associations with LGBTQIA based charities. It sounds a bit nosey but it is classed as building rapport with an employer and does get them to open up a little about their feelings towards trans people generally. I can usually tell by voice tone and body language what their generic response is. Remember that you have a say in whether you wish to be employed by the firm. If you feel uncomfortable around the boss/recruitment manager, chances are that type of office environment may not be for you. Just remember not to sass them whilst you are on the premises and not write a damning review until the selection/rejection process is complete.

• Be careful which references you choose to give to an employer, particularly if they are character based. Character references are usually acceptable from teachers, university tutors, a charity organisation you may have worked with or a client you had helped out. So there are plenty to choose from! Equally it would be potentially unwise to give a reference from an former employer who didn't accept your gender identity or had implicitly shown an inkling for intolerance, as they are more likely to give you a bad reference even though this is now discouraged. However for younger trans workers this may be difficult as they may have only had 1/2 employers in the past and potential employers are now keen to have knowledge of any gaps in your employment (it's usually better if you are honest and open about those gaps on your CV or explain them further at interview). If you are given a bad reference (you can check when you are employed with a new employer but can't ask your previous employer for the reference), you can take them to court and ask for damages because your previous employer has given you a misleading reference. The employer then has to prove the reference was justified by providing appropriate documentation (such as warning letters). Workers then have to prove whether they suffered a loss -e.g., a job offer was terminated as a result of the reference being given. If the employer cannot provide sufficient evidence or the evidence shows a bias towards transphobia and the worker can prove they suffered a loss, then damages will be awarded. Remember that people. If you feel you have been discriminated against on the basis of a bad reference, you can contact your local Citizens' Advice Bureau for help and support. Some employers may only give a brief reference " job title, salary and when the worker was employed" but this may sway the potential employer into believing you had not performed particularly well whilst employed previously. You have to provide references (usually 2) but remember to think about the references you give!

So there you have it! A few tips to remember when going for a job interview as a trans person. Know your rights, dress appropriately for the job role but don't leave your personality in the washing basket. Don't feel intimidated when you go to the office for that grilling; you are just as important as any other job seeker going for the role. Be as open and honest as you feel you can be regarding your transition. Show how you could be an asset to the company rather than a liability by emphasising your skills and experience. If you feel you have been discriminated against, don't be afraid to reach out to organisations such as ACAS or Citizens' Advice Bureau. You are valued, you matter. You will get that dream job eventually!! :)