8 Ways to Support Transgender People in Your Workplace

Written By Leslie Bach

An advertising industry veteran of 41 years, award-winning historian, and diversity advocate Angie Piwinski talked to AIR members during our weekly meeting on ways to create welcoming and inclusive environments for Transgender people. Her wit, vulnerability, passion, and experience left us feeling inspired and ready to keep doing the work. Here are a few highlights: 

1.4 million people identify as Transgender in the United States and that number is growing. For recruiting and HR professionals, it’s important to be educated on how to include and support this community in the workplace or during an interview. Angie recommended the following ways: 

    • Educate yourself on what being Transgender means. It’s a gender identity (who you are) and not a sexual orientation (who you love)

    • Volunteer your pronouns first, then ask for their pronouns and use them in further conversation

    • Talk about how the organization champions diversity and how it strives for inclusion of all voices and highlight its policy on anti-discrimination

    • Don’t act surprised when a candidate’s chosen name or gender doesn’t match what’s on their ID card

    • Establish transition guidelines for employees and managers that provides guidance on how to respectfully engage someone who is transitioning

    • Don’t assume that Transgender people are different from others. They laugh, cry, and experience joy just like everyone else. Remember that being transgender is not a lifestyle. 

    • Honor and celebrate Transgender colleagues identities

    • Encourage allyship. Transgender colleagues need to know that there’s a strong network of active allies to feel valued, safe, and welcomed

Angie talked about how a colleague she trusted helped her broach uncomfortable and difficult conversations with clients and colleagues while she was transitioning. As an ally, it’s is critical to show up in a supportive, active, and intentional way so that Transgender colleagues can truly be their whole selves at work. Everyone thrives when they can live out their authentic selves, and it’s on allies to help create this type of welcoming environment. 

Angie is an inspiring example of how someone vulnerably living their own truth can empower others to do the same. See below to read more about the inspiring and trailblazing work that Angie has done and continues to do: 

  • Senator Mayer Votes for GENDA Legislation & Recognizes Local Leader
    Recognized on the Senate floor in January of 2019 by NYS Senator Shelley Mayer as a person who has “changed minds” as GENDA was passing in the Senate (i.e. Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression and adds transgender New Yorkers to those protected by the state’s Hate Crimes Law.)

  • America's first transgender cultural distric
    CNN Documentary about the first Transgender Cultural District in America in San Francisco. Angie plays a leading role in this short story which also talks about the closing of the longtime transgender bar and nightclub, Divas, where she discovered herself years ago. Further reading on the closing of Divas here.

  • Meet New York's WorldPride 2019 Ambassadors (video)
    In 2019 Angie was appointed as Worldpride Ambassador for New York State by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. See more coverage of her appointment from News 12 here.

Leslie Bach
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