Being Trans in the Work Place: Breaking Down the Closet Door and Breaking Barriers
The suffocation imposed by the closet on individuals stagnates businesses.
How would you like to work in a closet? Stuffy air, not enough light… We've all learned what it means to have to "make do" in less than desirable spaces during the coronavirus shutdowns, but for many transgender people, this discomfort is nothing new.
Andrea Breanna is working to change that.
She founded the highly successful strategic agency and content management system, RebelMouse, before coming out as a transgender lesbian. She believes her coming out story is imperative to the company's success.
"[RebelMouse] did a survey," Andrea tells us, "One of the questions is, 'How safe do you feel being you?' And it was 100%. And I think that's [a] beautiful thing... I should never have hidden it. I never should've stayed in the closet."
Andrea often stresses the suffocation imposed by the closet on individuals and the stagnation it sets on businesses.
"I think the most important impact RebelMouse can have is to inspire young people to help fight back the dark cloak of fear that makes them keep their lives in the closet. I hope our leaders inspire other leaders in other companies to create the types of safe environments that someone could come out and thrive in."
When it comes to representation of her trans peers in tech, she makes a distinction:
"I am less moved, motivated, and inspired by those who have achieved 'visible success' than by those who are struggling against the odds and making it."
Dr. Kortney Ziegler
Dr. Ziegler is of the people Andrea describes. After earning his Ph.D., he founded Trans*H4CK in 2013. The organization was devoted to creating a space for trans people in the California Bay Area's tech sphere.
"I finished my Ph.D. in 2011," he told us, "And it was really difficult for me to find a job. I know this is for LGBT folks, so I'm trans, and I'm really out about my identity. I had an interesting struggle trying to find employment. I ran up against... a lot of anti-trans discrimination. I needed to figure out what to do to not lose my home and my car and all those things that I had at the moment."
Inspired by the tech scene but stalled by the lack of representation, that's when he thought of Trans*H4CK.
"If I can't find a job, I know people who don't have my credentials are probably in way worse situations. So what can I do to kind of leverage being in the tech space and also figuring out how I can use that to help other people to find jobs? So Trans*H4CK was launched as a response to really build technology to make it easier for trans people to sustain our lives."
Trans*H4CK, though no longer in full operation, launched discussions that have since gone on to make the tech sphere a far more inclusive place than it was in 2013 when Ziegler first formed the organization.
"We've been able to really shift the ways that not only smaller folks in tech, but how larger tech organizations operate, as well as helping folks to make their companies more trans-inclusive and respect[ful to] trans people."
Creating Space
The smallest displays of support can build a network that's ultimately life-saving.
"Even if there are no trans employees," Andrea says, "finding a reason to share a story, to put a trans flag up, because it's Pride Month, and if you're a straight CEO and say nothing, you're causing a great deal of pain. And it's one of these moments where it doesn't take a lot, just takes this quick moment of finding some news story to share, something to put in the office or putting it in your signature."
Dr. Ziegler echoes the importance of creating a safe, supportive work environment:
"[M]aking companies inclusive, making people feel safe, adding policies for trans people in the employment policy, making bathrooms safe. I think that there are a number of things that the presence of an organization like Trans*H4CK has contributed to this space."
Moving Forward
Andrea Breanna and RebelMouse's success continues to expand with over 55 employees in 26 countries, all of whom work from home. A key to this success in RebelMouse's endeavors and environment has been emphasizing its employees' happiness and personal stability.
"The way we think about it is that there is no such thing as a business decision. It's always a personal decision. And when you put your own personal happiness first in the decision tree, a lot of magical things happen. We, for some reason, tend to put happiness last. Happiness is the most important measure of our lives," Andrea says.
Transgender Man's Emotional Reaction After Seeing His Chest For The First Time Following Top Surgery Has The Internet Cheering
A transgender man from Australia shared a huge catharsis with the internet following his top surgery.
Sol (@capritran) shared a video of himself immediately post-surgery when he saw his chest for the first time.
"Been waiting for this for a long time?" asks the nurse, as sol gets visibly emotional about the completion of his top surgery.
"I'd like to share my very personal chest reveal moment with the world, to hopefully show that despite the endless negative experiences we trans people have, we also get to experience some of the best feelings in the world. use this video to manifest your own future if you need to."
The biggest thing people took away from this video?
The trans struggle for gender confirmation and the emotions surrounding it are real.
@capritran So happy for you!!! I’ve officially scheduled my surgery for April of this year and I’m still in disbeli… https://t.co/3cT9xYfFy6— Owen Shepard (@Owen Shepard) 1581966344
@capritran I’ve been feeling this way a lot - deep down I know I’m not a girl, but I don’t want to admit it just ye… https://t.co/XDjJgqnYcs— Anna • アンナ (@Anna • アンナ) 1582007000
@capritran I can't imagine how awful it is to see your own body & know it doesn't reflect your identity and the ide… https://t.co/3CJVRMuJNh— beegsf🌊🌊🌊 (@beegsf🌊🌊🌊) 1582133179
@capritran @DamianAsia I didn't draw the scars right, I think, but... thank you for sharing this. I hope I'm there… https://t.co/3vCMyhkLMb— 🏳️⚧️Cake🍰 (@🏳️⚧️Cake🍰) 1582011358
@capritran I don’t know you and I’ve got a LONG way to go before I understand how to be a proper ally but this vide… https://t.co/UVgQMgxRA8— Katie Tunn 🇺🇦 (@Katie Tunn 🇺🇦) 1581974643
Despite the fact that transphobia around the world has skyrocketed, plenty of folks were very supportive.
@capritran @Nefermira This is why I support. You can see the relief in your face. How dare somebody even judge peop… https://t.co/Tc7Djcii8Z— Curry Goat (@Curry Goat) 1581982651
@capritran Thank you so much for sharing this.— Dara Does Deep State (@Dara Does Deep State) 1582123308
@capritran I love seeing these videos. They are so revealing of the actual joy and emotions of my trans sibs. Well… https://t.co/jAsoQ1QQnx— Charlie (@Charlie) 1581960279
The HRC reports that violence against trans people is going strong this year, with a death already reported in 2020, and 26 deaths due to transphobic violence in 2019.
While the numbers sound small, with the tiny size of the openly transgender community, the percentage of deaths makes trans people one of the groups most targeted for murder.
@capritran I’m so happy for you 💙— Ida Skibenes (@Ida Skibenes) 1582024442
@capritran Oh goodness. The visible *Relief* when you look. I'm so, so happy for you!— Perrin Caristi (@Perrin Caristi) 1581960301
@capritran Please, how do you share this to Facebook? Would like to show my son— ankicat (@ankicat) 1581974879
@capritran This is the Type of energy we need in 2020, love that for you!!— tosh 🔜 AC(?) (@tosh 🔜 AC(?)) 1581963993
@capritran This 65-year-old grandma is very happy for you. I am sending you my strength to heal quickly and very be… https://t.co/EhHo1YDH69— Build Back Better (@Build Back Better) 1582034648
Let's hope the 2020s are the years of the trans community quickly becoming more accepted.
High School Athlete In Legal Battle To Stop Trans Girls From Competing Against Her Undermines Her Case By Beating Trans Opponent In Race
Chelsea Mitchell, a student athlete, filed a case against trans students participating on the track team.
She claims it's "unfair" for trans girls to race against her in the sport.
However, shortly after filing the case, she beat another fellow sprinter—who happened to be a trans girl.
The lawsuit was filed by the Christian law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, known for its strict anti-abortion stance as well as their attacks on LGBTQ equality. It argued that trans students have an unfair advantage to cisgender students, and that they have "deprived" them from titles and scholarship opportunities.
Despite statistics showing no such advantage exists, people still claim the lie is reality.
On February 14th, Mitchell beat Terry Miller in a 55m race. As a result, the case seems to have lost some credibility.
However, Mitchell stood her ground.
"I don't think it could go against [the case], there's still tons of girls that lose on a daily basis."
"I try to just clear everything out of my mind, this is just track, you know, it's just running, just focusing on myself, not trying to think about anything else that's been happening."
The ACLU made a statement on this particular case that it is a "a dangerous distortion of both law and science in the service of excluding trans youth from public life".
The same complaint was filed by two additional girls—recruited by anti-trans groups—in the Connecticut school system.
A week later, a united front of women and LGBTQ+ rights organizations stood with Miller, and released a public statement collectively. Many groups cosigned on the statement, which was in support of transgender student athletes competing alongside their cisgender peers.
Miller herself released a statement on the complaint, defending her participation as a sprinter.
"I have faced discrimination in every aspect of my life and I no longer want to remain silent."
"I am a girl and I am a runner. I participate in athletics just like my peers to excel, find community, and meaning in my life. It is both unfair and painful that my victories have to be attacked and my hard work ignored."
Many folks on the internet have jumped to Miller's defense.
All this b/c two Black trans girls Andraya Yearwood & Terry Miller of @ChangingGameDoc sometimes win their races &… https://t.co/rNYl29YwPi— alex schmider (@alex schmider) 1581530103
Kinda undercuts the whole argument that trans women competing vs cis women is unfair doesn't it https://t.co/XHMpM6X8tV— Maddie (@Maddie) 1581947563
https://t.co/0J8WAKdfGx So the CT sore loser actually beat her long time rival, who happens to be transgender, yet… https://t.co/NH9o5YzlrM— John McCrostie (@John McCrostie) 1582132019
After losing a championship race by two-hundredths of a second, Terry Miller applauded someone who is literally sui… https://t.co/6RxauiYLwb— Alex Putterman (@Alex Putterman) 1581739367
@transgrlinexile They will say she lost on purpose because of the heat— Emma Nicole W. (@Emma Nicole W.) 1581948800
Kate Farrar, the executive director of Connecticut Women's Education and Legal Fund, was one of the cosigners on the collective statement.
She told Outsports:
"The heart of feminism is acknowledging gender identify and recognizing all aspect of oppression. In that vein, we felt the need to show a united front of support for transgender rights in our state."
Trans Teen Overcome With Emotion As His Classmates Surprise Him By Raising Money For Him To Legally Change His Name
A heartwarming TikTok has been circulating the internet, showing a trans teen that was given a beautiful birthday surprise by his classmates, causing him to break down in tears.
Andi Bernabe was already surprised to find a choir room full of friends and classmates on his 18th birthday:
"They've been planning this for a month. You're abt to see why," reads the caption.
Within no time at all, the reason is revealed.
"Since you're like a legal adult," a classmate who walked over said, "we kinda raised enough money for you to change your name."
@komahina__ WHEN THEY SAID “we raised money for you to change your name” MY JAW DROPPED AND I STARTED TO CRY IMMEDI… https://t.co/tIEkaCuslg— 𝕍𝕚𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕥! ❤️🩹 (@𝕍𝕚𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕥! ❤️🩹) 1581190496
After receiving the envelope, Andi bursts into tears.
The video blew up on Tik Tok and has over 944,000 likes.
@komahina__ When they saw their friends singing happy birthday : 😊🥺🥰🤗 When they got their present: https://t.co/A8qQRaOKVw— Rubi. (@Rubi.) 1581157500
@komahina__ @Anna_DeNight Happy birthday to you Andi and I hope everything in your life is all that you hope for ca… https://t.co/NLrLe6OmOQ— ☆ ℬ𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃𝓃𝒶☆ (@☆ ℬ𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃𝓃𝒶☆) 1581142051
@komahina__ We need the arts in school! This is so sweet and an example of how to be exceptional allies. Everybody… https://t.co/GlBpJRs5Kz— soundscientist🧬 (@soundscientist🧬) 1581140350
@komahina__ https://t.co/not9T5DxxF— SketchyKay (ART RAFFLE!) (@SketchyKay (ART RAFFLE!)) 1581137117
Bernabe, who's from the greater Dallas area, says that he had "no clue at all, not even hints."
"They made this fake paper birth certificate and they all signed it," Bernabe told Yahoo! Lifestyle.
"I obviously dropped down to the floor and started crying. It was overwhelming honestly, I couldn't believe they actually did it, especially since it's $300. I was planning on getting a job to pay for it, and just putting a little bit away every month."
@komahina__ @transjohnny https://t.co/OFZtniBZDN— astrea (@astrea) 1581136973
@komahina__ @hanneskun My face when they revealed they raised money for his name change https://t.co/hY5NQVuMOq— Naomi Maybe 🎮 (@Naomi Maybe 🎮) 1581142372
$300 is roughly the fee for a name change in Texas.
The party the group planned for him was also in celebration of this big step in Bernabe's life.
"All the decorations were 'It's a boy!'-themed. The cake was strawberry and they put blue icing on top," he said. "The joke was, 'Oh, we accidentally made a pink cake for a girl but it turned out to be a boy'."
@komahina__ @LOV3JONES31 Was not prepared for the emotions I just felt. Wow this is awesome ❤️❤️❤️— Monique Samuels (@Monique Samuels) 1581190974
Texas has been notably unfriendly to its transgender residents, continually denying transgender citizens equal protections under the law, and seeing a number of transgender homicides in major metropolitan areas.
This small show of kindness is a step in the right direction for Texas and its future citizens.
Starbucks Praised For Its Powerful And Moving Commercial About A Trans Man Changing His Name
The Seattle-based global coffee shop chain Starbucks is raking in awards, turning heads on the internet and raising all sorts of money to support trans youth after making a splash with an effective and woke UK television ad.
On February 2, 2020, Starbucks premiered an ad Channel 4, one of the UK's four major television networks.
The ad portrays a young trans man as he navigates a world in which he is not the norm. Viewers watch as he is repeatedly called "Jemma," presumably his birth name.
The act of continuing to refer to a trans person by the name they no longer use is called "dead naming." It's a common microaggression many transgender people face.
You can watch the Starbucks ad here:
The ad underscores that names carry assumptions.
For someone in the young man's position, hearing "Jemma" during a fatherly introduction, seeing the name on a student ID and being confirmed as "Jemma" when receiving a package are not small mix ups.
The moments remind of his former identity and add up to a thousand cuts.
As the ad closes with the young man buying a coffee at Starbucks, where "James" is written on the cup and called out by the barista, the coffee shop corporation positions itself as a champion and safe space for trans people.
The Starbucks UK Youtube account included the following note along with the posted full ad.
"At Starbucks, writing your name on a cup and calling it out is a symbol of our warm welcome.
"It's a small gesture, but it's symbolic of what we believe in: Recognition and acceptance, whoever you are, or want to be. We welcome everyone."
On its website, Starbucks also published a full page dedicated to its global initiative to support trans folks.
The internet is thoroughly impressed with the advertisement, with many on Twitter expressing hearty gratitude to the corporation.
@StarbucksUK I changed my name in 2018 and it's still nice to see it on my cup https://t.co/Bhwhl74X68— Josie Kame (@Josie Kame) 1580700830
@StarbucksUK https://t.co/cGrVIvS26o— Jazz Rivers (@Jazz Rivers) 1580778215
Some tweets came from notable trans activists.
Amanda Jetté Knox, bestselling author of Love Lives Here: A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family, kept it simple.
@StarbucksUK This is lovely. Thank you for supporting trans kids.— Mx. Amanda Jetté Knox (@Mx. Amanda Jetté Knox) 1580696772
@DadTrans and @mimmymum, a couple of popular accounts run by the parents of trans children, also expressed their thanks.
@StarbucksUK @sophiearmishaw This is a lovely, authentic story. It will mean a lot to the trans kids who see this. Thank you.— TransHealthNow (@TransHealthNow) 1580678766
@StarbucksUK Gorgeous ad! As the parent of a trans son, this put a real lump in my throat 👏🏻💕 Thank you… https://t.co/NYH2hESfuu— Helen🏳️⚧️💙💛 (@Helen🏳️⚧️💙💛) 1580679392
This last tweet mentions an additional action of support from Starbucks folded in with the ad campaign.
The coffee giant is using the notoriety of the video to drive viewers to Mermaids, a UK-based charity organization dedicated to supporting trans kids and families of all gender diverse varieties.
Starbucks is also selling mermaid-shaped cookies and donating proceeds to the charity, pledging to raise £100k (~$130k) .
The cookies are being received quite well too.
Super pleased to see Starbucks raising money for @Mermaids_Gender with their mermaid cookies! Can confirm they are… https://t.co/1GCDmpxhnj— Frey Prevett (@Frey Prevett) 1580747482
The partnership is actually a match made in heaven, given the Starbucks mermaid logo (to be exact, it's a siren, as it has two tails).
starbucks.com
And people in the UK can plan to see the ad on Channel 4 plenty of times in the coming weeks.
Channel 4 awarded the advertisement its "Diversity in Advertising" award, ensuring Starbucks £1m ($1.3m) worth of no-charge commercial airtime.
In the past, the company has been far from perfect when dealing with marginalized groups—like when two black men were arrested for sitting in a Philadelphia Starbucks location while waiting for a business meeting.
The company appears to be performing a partial about face, at least with regard to LGBTQIA+people.
It now falls on every specific location worldwide to provide the inclusivity outlined in the "James-not-Jemma" advertisement.
If you or someone you know is struggling, LGBTQ+ Youth can get help through:
- TrevorChat — 24/7/365 at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help-now/#services
- TrevorLifeline — phone service available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386
- TrevorText — Text "START" to 678678. Available 24/7/365.
- TrevorSpace — online international peer-to-peer community for LGBTQ young people and their friends at https://www.trevorspace.org/
- Trevor Support Center — LGBTQ youth & allies can find answers to FAQs and explore resources at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/trevor-support-center/#sm.0000121hx9lvicotqs52mb1saenel
Transgender people can get help through theTrans Lifeline at https://www.translifeline.org/ or call US: 877-565-8860 Canada: 877-330-6366