If you are a transgender teacher who has suffered discrimination or sexual harassment in the workplace, you are not alone. A recent NPR Ed survey revealed that over 50 percent of interviewed transgender teachers have suffered sexual discrimination or harassment in the workplace. The survey of 79 transgender and gender-nonconforming teachers examined the experiences of these teachers in their respective school workplaces. Respondents included high school and elementary school teachers from the United States and Canada.
Some of the highlights of the NPR Ed survey data include:
- Twenty percent of survey respondents reported verbal harassment
- Seventeen percent of survey respondents reported receiving requests to change their physical appearance by employers
- Two percent of survey respondents reported being fired due to their gender identity
- Forty percent of survey respondents believed that their students were more accepting of them than the adults at the school
Gender Identity
According to a 2016 UCLA research study, there are approximately 1.4 million transgender adults in the United States. It remains unknown what percentage of the transgender population is employed in an educational setting. Transgender or gender-nonconforming individuals identify themselves in a variety of ways, including nonbinary, gender queer, or genderfluid. The survey specifically focused on gender identity rather than on the individual’s sexual orientation.
One of the biggest challenges identified by transgender teachers was coming out as a transgender individual in the workplace. Since many transgender teachers can pass as their identified gender, they may not feel the need to reveal to their colleagues or employers that they are a transgender individual. With only fifteen states specifically prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity by law, many teachers fear that workplace harassment will go unpunished by school administrators.
Other survey respondents expressed concern that many school districts fail to have the necessary protocols in place to protect the safety of transgender teachers. Transgender teachers also have reported experiencing varying levels of verbal abuse from being called derogatory terms to suffering misgendering, intentionally calling a transgender individual by the wrong pronoun.
Transgender teachers often view the creation of a safe working environment as the first step in creating a safe place for the LGBTQ students attending the school. Despite facing workplace harassment, many transgender teachers continue their attempts to integrate LGBTQ related topics into their school by adjusting their curriculum, scheduling special school assemblies on related topics, advising LGBTQ student awareness groups, and providing training to fellow staff members.
Philadelphia LGBTQ Discrimination Lawyers at The Gold Law Firm P.C. Represent Transgender Victims of Workplace Sexual Harassment
If you have been a victim of workplace sexual harassment, assistance with your legal rights is available. At The Gold Law Firm P.C., our Philadelphia LGBTQ discrimination lawyers proudly represent transgender individuals who have been victims of illegal harassment in the workplace. With an office conveniently located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we serve individuals dealing with workplace harassment throughout the surrounding areas. To schedule your free consultation today, call us at 215-569-1999 or submit an online inquiry form.
