Supporting Trans Workers

This guide is designed to help trade unions, and by extension trade unionists, to better understand the issues around trans equality.

It forms part of a range of guidance produced by the STUC LGBT Workers' Committee to help promote LGBT equality in trade unions. For further information on the guides available please see the STUC LGBT Workers' Committee webpage on the STUC website.

This guide will look at the issue of trans equality. It will provide:

• an introduction to the issues around trans equality;
• information on the legal framework that is currently in place in Scotland; and
• guidance on common workplace issues that are faced by trans members

It is important for trade unions and employers to have a clear focus on trans issues. Due to the nature of trans discrimination in our society unless an organisation is explicitly transgender inclusive, many trans people considering transitioning may fear the reaction of their colleagues and managers and will either never make the move to transition, with impacts on their mental health and productivity in the workplace or they may choose to leave the organisation rather than 'come out' as trans.

Making an organisation trans inclusive, is therefore an active rather than a passive process. This guide should help trade unions undertake the work necessary to make trans equality a reality in workplaces across Scotland.

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