An Intersectional Perspective on Gender and Sexual Diversity

An intersectional perspective on Gender and Sexual Diversity

Adrienne Michelle, LMFT Therapist. Educator. Speaker

LGBTQ+ Marriage and Family Therapist

"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences." - Audre Lorde

“This world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another.” - Ellen DeGeneres “Openness may not completely disarm prejudice but it’s a good place to start.” - Jason Collins Gender Identity

Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt psychological identification as male or female, or, in the case of non-binary folks, as something else.

All people have a gender identity, not just transgender people. Cisgender Refers to a person who identifies with the sex they were assigned at birth.

If the doctor announces “it’s a girl!” and that person grows up to identify as female, they’re cisgender.

Etymology: trans- is the latin prefix for “across from”, cis- is the latin prefix for “on the same side as.” Sex vs. Gender

Sex refers to our biology or physiology.

Gender refers to our cultural beliefs, expectations, and assumptions about what it means to be a man or a woman.

We tend to use these terms interchangeably. Gender Binary

Concept, based on societal norms, that there are only two genders: male and female. Gender Spectrum

Belief that gender is not either/or. Rather, each of us has some characteristics thought of as masculine and some characteristics thought of as feminine. Gender Spectrum

While we may understand gender as more complicated than male or female, most people, including many transgender people, may still identify as male or female.

But that is not true for everyone, and it’s increasingly not true for youth… Non-binary

● Some transgender people identify outside of the gender binary. ● They do not feel themselves to be simply male or female. ● There are various non-binary identities and as language evolves, there are more and more terms to define various gender identities beyond male and female. ● Research has shown that younger trans people are increasingly identify outside the binary. Gender Identity ≠ Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation is who you go to bed with.

Gender identity is who you go to bed as.

Just like cisgender or cis people, transgender people can be gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, etc.

If a transgender man tells you he’s gay, that means he’s attracted to/dates other men.

If a transgender man tells you he’s straight, that means he’s attracted to/dates women. Transitioning The process of socially, legally, and/or medically changing but not necessarily from one gender to another.

Many young people transition socially, but then wait until they are older to transition legally and medically.

There is no one way, or “right way” to transition. Discrimination

Trans people can also face discrimination in the job programs meant to connect them with job opportunities and/or training.

In recent years, courts and federal agencies have increasingly taken the view that job discrimination against transgender people is prohibited by existing laws against sex discrimination. Step 1 – Management Acceptance

● Like many things in the workplace, employees will take their cues from management and their supervisors.

Set the standard Step 2- Anti-Discrimination Policies

● Amend and/or create workplace policies that specifically enumerate gender identity or expression as a protected class.

Create and Enforce the Policy Step 3 Communicate With the Employee

● Every transgender person is different and every workplace transition will likely be different. There does not have to be a one size fits all transition plan. ● Respect the employees right to privacy, especially concerning his or her personal medical information.

Support Employee as well as Staff Step 4 Communicate With Co-Workers

● Depending on the size of the company and the role of the transitioning employee, determine which co- workers need to be advised.

Training Training and more Training! Workplace Issues – Bathrooms, Bathrooms, Bathrooms

● Reality Check – transgender employees use the bathroom for the same reasons everyone else does – to go to the bathroom. ● Chances are the most uncomfortable person in the bathroom is the transgender employee. ● There are no reported cases of transgender women committing a sexual assault on a woman in the ladies room – NONE! ● Every women’s room has private stalls. ● Individuals whose presentation is not typically masculine or typically feminine are often singled out for harassment in these spaces. They may, or may not, identify as LGBTQ. Diversity does NOT start with your Employees

The reality is, you can’t just seek out diversity without changing the culture of the company. “There will not be a magic day when we wake up and it's now okay to express ourselves publicly. We make that day by doing things publicly until it’s simply the way things are.” - Kris Conner Adrienne Michelle, LMFT Therapist. Educator. Speaker

For more information or to request speaking engagements please visit www.adriennemichelletherapy.com