Alex Christen explains how businesses can best ensure they are creating a safe and inclusive workplace for transgender workers
At the end of last year, the UK government announced it would introduce a new law to ban all conversion therapy. It then made a U-turn in April this year, deciding that the ban would only apply to gay, lesbian and bisexual people, but not transgender individuals, due to “legal complexity”.
This comes at a time where this latest development has further intensified the debate over the exclusion of the transgender individuals in all aspects of society. And the public reaction to this mistreatment has bolstered the push for equality. So, what does this look like in the workplace?
Employment is one of the most legally challenging and difficult areas to navigate for transgender people. Barriers in the workplace include bullying, isolation, pressure to conceal identity, difficulty changing names and pronouns, bathroom and changing facility access and dress codes, especially where a uniform is required. The government’s latest stance will only exacerbate such difficulties.
What does the law say?
Legally, sex is binary. However, transgender individuals can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 to get legal recognition of their change of sex.
People undergoing the process of reassigning their sex will have the protected characteristic of gender reassignment under the Equality Act 2010 and the associated right not to...
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