Trans Awareness Week 2020 runs from Friday 13 to Friday 20 November, and ends with Trans Day of Remembrance on Friday 20 November.  

Gender identity: what should we be doing to promote equality? 

Gender reassignment is a protected characteristic within the Equality Act, so it's important that NELFT as an employer are taking action to ensure gender identity equality within our services. 

While the 2010 Act refers to gender reassignment, it is more common now to use the more inclusive term gender identity as it reflects that the Equality Act covers a person from the moment they identify their gender as other than the one that matches their birth sex; and that engagement with related medical processes - eg, gender reassignment surgery - is an individual choice, not a pre-requisite for being covered by the Act. 

What does it mean when your gender identity is not aligned with your body?

For many transgender and gender nonconforming (GNC) people, this feeling of incongruence (sometimes called 'gender dysphoria') can be a daily reality compromising a person’s wellbeing, comfort, and safety. In addition to this, research shows that seven in ten trans workers say their experience of workplace harassment or discrimination has a negative effect on their mental health. This is why it’s important we all show solidarity as allies and acknowledge that we are stronger together. A trans ally is a non-trans person who is committed to being open-minded and respectful to people who may have a different gender identity to them or presents their gender in a different way. Every non-trans person can be a trans ally and work to ensure trans people are treated with dignity and respect. 

For advice on sexual orientation and gender identity, you can download the attached guide.

Transgender Day of Remembrance 

Transgender Day of Remembrance started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honour the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil commemorated all the transgender people lost to violence since Rita Hester's death, and began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. 20 November, is a day where we remember those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia and draw attention to the continued violence endured by the transgender community.

In the past 12 months, 350 trans and gender-diverse people were reported killed globally.

Research continues to find transphobia is prevalent within the UK, both inside and outside of workplaces, with research finding almost half of trans people have experienced bullying or harassment at work. This is not acceptable and something we can all help reduce and eliminate by being vocal and active in our support of the trans community to overcome divisions in our community, and attempt to find a way to educate those who are transphobic.

Stonewall vigil

Stonewall will stream a vigil to remember those whose lives have been taken by transphobia in the past year. 

The event will start at 6pm with their host, Mz Kimberley, followed by several guest speakers including Aquila Hope. It will be hosted in The Outside Project's Virtual Community Centre via Zoom. For more information about the event click the Zoom link. 

You can also set a reminder for the event and watch it on Facebook Live and if you would like to leave a memorial or light a candle, you can do so here.

For advice on sexual orientation and gender identity, you can download the attached guide.

LGBT+ Staff Network

You can follow us on Twitter: @NELFT_LGBT.