5 Key Takeaways from the Trans Competency Training Series for Employers

As the Director of Programs and Events at Philly Startup Leaders, and a longtime hospitality and event professional, I strive to continue learning how to create truly inclusive spaces—and the ways in which previous attempts to do so have fallen short. We speak a lot about diversity, equity, and inclusion, but unless the learnings are put into practice, we will not be able to have demonstrable results.

With those thoughts in mind, I enrolled in the TransWork x Transgender Training Institute’s Trans Competency Training Series, a two-part workshop led by TTI’s Founder and CEO, Dr. Eli Green PhD, CSES.

Below are some key takeaways from the training:

  • Creating a Trans-Affirming Environment means an environment where:

    • Individuals are believed when they state their gender

    • Emotional support is provided, and

    • Collective action is taken to ensure individuals’ gender experiences are always honored.

  • Benefits of Creating a Trans-Affirming Environment:

    • Happier employees do their best work

    • Increased loyalty to affirming employers

    • Creating a safer workspace overall

    • Attracting values-aligned customers

  • Ways Employers Create Barriers to a Trans-Affirming Environment:

    • Hiring processes, including reference checking, name on job application, and sex markers for health insurance;

    • Policies, including lack of corrective action and termination policies for non-affirming employees;

    • Benefits & leave policies, including lack of gender-affirming healthcare & benefits;

    • Systems & Spaces, including gendered bathrooms and shared locker rooms;

    • A Workplace Culture that does not allow everyone to be their full selves;

    • a Customer Service Experience that lacks competency training;

One thing is clear: there are many elements that we as employers, leaders, colleagues, ecosystem builders and entrepreneurs can apply to our own organizations, internal dialogues, and individual policies and procedures; the work that the Transgender Training Institute does is imperative to creating an inclusive, welcoming and affirming workplace from the very beginning.

For more information and to learn more about bringing TTI to your organization, reach out to: info@transgendertraininginstitute.com

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