Labour market inclusion of transgender persons

A recent study on the inclusion of transgender individuals into the labour market shows that there is a general lack of information and knowledge about transgender persons in Malta. This often gives rise to workplace harassment and discrimination towards them. Many of the transgender respondents in the study had negative experiences at work. However, nearly all employers (97.5%) claimed that they would treat a transgender person equally during an interview.

About the study

A research project entitled ‘Inclusion of transgender individuals into the labour market’ was published by the Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) in July 2008. The research was undertaken as part of a wider project funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) that aims to facilitate the integration of transgender individuals into the labour market. This research sought to gather data on the experiences of transgender individuals residing in Malta and to explore the attitudes of employers and human resources (HR) managers towards transgender jobseekers and employees. The research identifies some of the barriers that transgender individuals face in their daily lives and puts forward a number of recommendations to various stakeholders.

The research included qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. The quantitative part was completed through an online survey, which was distributed to over 1,000 employers. In total, only 67 questionnaires were returned, of which 43 were complete. The qualitative part of the research consisted of seven in-depth interviews with transgender individuals and 15 in-depth interviews with a cross-section of employers, HR managers, trade union representatives and the equality bodies in order to get an overview of their attitudes towards transgender employees. Most of the survey respondents were from the private sector.

Main findings

The study found that, in general, there was a lack of awareness of transgender issues among employers. In fact, many respondents in the survey failed to distinguish between gay, lesbian and transgender persons. Results suggest that gays and lesbians were more tolerated at the workplace, possibly because they were less noticeable and visible than transgender persons. Overall, 35% of respondents did not feel competent in explaining to other staff about a colleague’s transition and only 9.8% of the respondents had scheduled training on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.

In general, the research suggests that the bigger the company is, the more tolerant the management is likely to be on transgender issues. In total, 97.6% of the survey respondents stated that they would treat a transgender person equally and on the same level as other candidates during a job interview. Yet, the same research shows that transgender individuals suffer from discrimination during the interviewing and recruitment stage. In fact, more positive experiences of work were reported by transgender individuals who were self-employed compared with those who were employed.

The research shows the severe difficulty of the situation in reality, from the perspective of transgender persons. Through the qualitative interviews, it transpired that four out of the seven respondents had attempted suicide, in some cases more than once. The study showed that persons who were in the process of transitioning or who had already transitioned experienced difficulties in finding a job. Many transgender individuals were working in lower-skilled jobs, not necessarily because of their skills level, but because they were often not hired for a job suited to their skills level. The research found that, when left with no suitable employment option, some transgender persons resort to becoming involved in sexual-related work.

Recommendations

The study recommends that trade unions should include transgender rights in collective agreement negotiations with employers. It also recommends that employers should have a written equality policy that specifically refers to gender identity and expression. Finally, the study recommends that, in the absence of gender neutral toilets, the management of companies should always allow the transgender person to use the facilities appropriate to the assumed gender identity.

Commentary

This research reveals a gap between the reality that transgender individuals experience at the workplace and the perception of fair treatment and equality by employers. In many aspects of their lives, transgender persons are often met with ridicule, shame, shock and ignorance. Due to a lack of information and knowledge among employers about transgender persons, this group of individuals are not often offered a job. Moreover, in cases where they are hired, they often encounter difficulties and get fired or they are forced to leave because of the adverse conditions at work.

Reference

Baldacchino, R., Grech, C. and Calleja, G. (ed.), Inclusion of transgender individuals into the labour market – A research study, ESF60 European Social Fund, Mosta, Malta Gay Rights Movement, 2008.

Anna Borg, Centre for Labour Studies