celebration fully without risking my trans status being exposed. There are many other difficulties related to not being out at work that perhaps not many people consider. As an LKI worker I’d faced difficulties in the workplace when I needed to take some time off to complete my final stages of gender reassignment surgery. The procedure was very lengthy and complex – my consultant described it as the surgical equivalent of climbing Everest – so clearly I needed a lot of time off. When I requested this, I discovered that my workplace had no trans-specific policy to refer to, so my absence from work was initially managed under sickness management targets. That did not sit well with me at all and it made me feel very worried. Librarianship is my vocation and I feared losing my career because of the absence of a comprehensive policy to protect me.
I realised then that there were several wider organisational barriers that needed to be broken. I felt I had a real sense of responsibility to challenge the organisation in order to help others in similar situations. Therefore, I decided to share my story with the HR director and lobbied for an institutional change to protect and support trans people during their transition. This took a few years to develop, but I’m happy to say that my employer now has a published trans policy.
I live in a state of constant internal battle. On the one hand, I’m an extremely cautious and private person, but on the other I’m very keen to ensure that the perspectives of those, who choose to live stealth, are heard and represented. I want to continue defending the right to equitable treatment for all and I believe my lived experience can drive a positive change in the profession and wider society. I’d like to do what I can to help others feel safe and proud of their identity. I decided to get involved in the CILIP
LGBTQ+ Network, because I wanted to use my lived experience to support the network’s mission and meet others in the profession who identify as LGBTQ+. One day, I came across the LGBTQ+ Network page whilst updating my CILIP profile. The network’s mission resonated with me, so I reached out via Twitter and joined the committee. It has been reassuring to be welcomed into such an understanding group – all the committee members have been extremely supportive and I feel that the network is a safe space, in which I’ve found real comfort.
TV: It makes me really happy to hear that, that’s exactly the kind of space we hope to create. It’s
40 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
really inspiring that you have been able to so successfully lobby for policy change, too. Have you got any advice about institutions on how they can better support their LGBTQ+ employees, who choose not to come out at work?
JS: First of all, listen to and be led by them. The key is to understand why the individual doesn’t feel safe to be out in the first place. There may be several reasons why, and those reasons may be incredibly complex. Appreciate that it takes real courage to share personal histories and experiences. Understand and empathise with the fact that this process may take time. Remember, some people choose to live stealth and that is okay. Secondly, make it safe. Provide an option to engage in a way that feels comfortable to the individual. This could be via email only, on condition of anonymity or under an alias. Thirdly, make a real effort to develop a trans inclusive environment. Form a Diversity and Inclusion steering group. Ensure that workplace policies are fully compliant and be sure to consult with trans people in this process. Engage all staff in training and awareness sessions. The CILIP LGBTQ+ Network can support institutions with this process and signpost them to useful resources.
TV: That sounds like really useful advice, and definitely something the CILIP LGBTQ+ Network can offer support and resources for. And, finally – what would you like to say to others in your situation, who don’t feel safe to be out at work?
JS: Always do what feels comfortable or helpful to you – there is no right or wrong approach. If you ever find that you need support, please reach out to the network. I
appreciate that can feel difficult if you live stealth, but I can provide reassurance that the committee do understand. We are here to listen to you and support you the best we can.
Resources l ACAS – I found several resources for
Gender Reassignment at work and tips for employers. The website has since been revamped and now directs to a page on discrimination in the workplace. I’d definitely suggest signposting to ACAS as I’m sure if contacted they’d be able to provide similar or archived resources:
https://bit.ly/3sbPNBy
l Stonewall have a fantastic suite of Trans Inclusive Policy toolkit
https://bit.ly/3dU2Um3
l Unison have very recently updated their Equality Resources list: https://
www.unison.org.uk/about/what-we-do/fairness- equality/lgbt/. They also provided me with a model trans equality policy (which I used as a starting point in negotiations) leaflets on how to be a good ally to trans people at work, and factsheets on transgender workers rights, gender equality and non binary inclusion.
l I also shared this
Gov.uk guide with my HR department. It was published back in 2015, but still a worthwhile read for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation when requesting time of work for surgery. It’s very clear that absences should not be managed under Sickness Absence procedures or used for target setting. This one could really help.
https://bit.ly/3s9G6Up
Join the network if you are an LGBTQ+ LKI worker. It’s free to join and you don’t need to be a CILIP member. IP
l Contact us on
cilip.lgbtqnetwork@
cilip.org.uk
l Find us on Facebook: CILIP LGBTQ+ Network l Follow us on Twitter @ciliplgbtq
l More information on our work is available at
http://cilip.org.uk/lgbtq.
April-May 2021
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
