Cis-normativity at work: exploring discrimination against US trans workers

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine how gender variation in trans identities shape exposure to bias and discrimination. The authors then examine how trans identities intersect with race/ethnicity, education and social class to shape exposure risk to bias, discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach The authors use data from the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey with 24,391 trans-identified respondents. To account for the nested nature of trans people in state contexts, the authors use two-level logistic multilevel models. The authors are guided by Puwar’s bodies out of place as the theoretical grounding for this study. Findings The authors find significant differences in how trans women and men experience discrimination. The authors also find differences in race, education and social class. Finally, the presence of anti-discrimination policies presents mixed results. Originality/value The authors’ analysis reveals important differences in trans workers’ exposure to discrimination based on gender identity, social class, race/ethnicity and policy context, and draws upon a rich and large data set.

Passing as resistance through a Goffmanian approach: Normalized, defensive, strategic, and instrumental passing when LGBTQ+ individuals encounter institutions

“…LGBTQ+ individuals face further obstacles to accessing positions of power and authority if they reveal their identities (Janssens & Steyaert, 2019). For example, policies and human resources procedures may have implicit forms of sexual orientation and gender identity biases (Suárez et al., 2020).…”

When are trans women treated worse than trans men?

“…The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: https://www.emerald.com/insight/2040-7149.htm Suarez et al (2021). They report higher average income for trans women compared to trans men, but the average ages of respondents were 37 years for trans women and 26 years for trans men.…”

“…This result is robust for a variety of dependent variables and respondents. One of the two exceptions that observed more discrimination against trans women than trans men was by Suarez et al. (2021).…”

Protected, but Not Included? The Role of Workplace Inclusion for Sexual and Gender Minorities in the Federal Service

“…This approach necessitates use of a queer theory lens and an explicit 'queering' of administrative activities; that is, it examines agency-employer behavior and assesses the extent to which heterosexuality and cisgender identities permeate personnel policy to the exclusion of LGBT-identified individuals. 3 Heteronormativity, defined as the "belief system underlying institutionalized heterosexuality" (Ingraham, 2006, p. 307), implicates the systemic structuring of society and the institutions within it to legitimize and afford privilege to heterosexuality and heterosexual relationships (Gusmano, 2010;Willis, 2009), while cisnormativity similarly privileges individuals who identify as one of the two binary genders, male or female, assigned to the individual at birth (Suárez et al, 2020). Both concepts rest on the premise that only two sexes, two genders, and opposite-sex relationship are socially and culturally 'normal' (Giddings & Pringle, 2011), and prescribe conventional ways for one to live their life (Jackson, 2006).…”