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a:gender

trans matters

Transgender people are those people who identify their gender to be different from the physical sex at birth. Transgenderism, sometimes known as gender dysphoria, is recognised as a medical condition. It is accompanied by a sense of discomfort with one's physical body and a wish to go through a process known as gender reassignment or transition.

Some transgender people undergo medical treatment - gender reassignment - which can include cosmetic treatment, such as electrolysis for hair removal, hormone therapy and/or reconstructive surgery. Some people elect not to undergo medical treatment and simply live their life in their new gender role. It is very much an individual decision.

The term transsexual is usually used to describe a person who intends to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone gender reassignment (which may or may not involve hormone therapy or surgery) is transsexual. This group of people is currently offered legal protection by UK law sex discrimination law, and so is covered by the provisions of the gender equality duty. Throughout this guide the term "transsexual person" is used to indicate those who are specifically covered by the legislation. As a matter of good practice the EOC recommends that public authorities should ensure that their policies and procedures cover transgender people as well as those who are transsexual.

Trans people often experience harassment - including verbal abuse and physical violence by other employees, customers, clients or suppliers - and discrimination in recruitment, promotion, remuneration, benefits and other aspects of employment.

Transsexual staff, like any other employees, have valuable skills to offer. As an employer, you have a legal obligation law to ensure that all your staff, regardless of whether they intend to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone gender reassignment, do not suffer discriminatory treatment at work and it is best practice to ensure that they are able to reach their full potential.

It is recommended that public authorities ensure that their policies and practices provide protection and support to all individuals who define as transgender or gender variant, not only those who fit the narrower definition of transsexual.

The process of gender reassignment or transition

The term gender reassignment or transition refers to the process that a person goes through to present themselves permanently in their new gender. This usually includes a regime of specialist psychiatric evaluation, hormone treatment, real-life experiences and sometimes reconstructive surgery.

The process of diagnosis and treatment can take anything from a matter of months to a period of years. The initial diagnosis is usually followed by hormone therapy, after which an individual may proceed to one or more reassignment surgeries. If the individual opts to undertake any irreversible surgical intervention, he or she may live and work in their new gender for a period prior to the surgery – this is referred to as a real life test. A real life test is a prerequisite to obtaining a gender recognition certificate and to obtaining gender reassignment surgery in the UK.

At some point in this process the individual will start to live and work full-time in their chosen gender and at this point their name and other records will be changed. A person may choose to live full-time in their new name and gender without having previously undergone any surgical intervention. Surgical intervention is not a requirement and some people may choose not to undergo surgery due to age or other health factors.

It is important to remember that both the precise content and timescale for this process will be different in each individual case and could vary quite significantly. It will depend on the circumstances of the individual, waiting times for treatment and, to a certain extent, on whether treatment is being privately funded or carried out by the NHS.

Further reading

Meeting the gender duty for transsexual staff Guidance for GB public authorities

Trans topic in the proud2serve.net public forum

page: trans :: index.htm
updated: 28 Jun 07