DRAFT Grace - Relevant

Transgender individuals in the UK still face significant disadvantages and discrimination in the workplace. Many organizations are failing to protect trans employees, with one in eight being physically attacked. Fear of discrimination has led 51% of trans people and 50% of non-binary individuals to hide their LGBT identity at work. The Trans Report by Stonewall 2018 includes a personal account of bullying and self-harm by a transgender individual who ultimately resigned from their job. Trans students in higher education also face negative comments and behavior from staff. This is why our topic is still extremely relevant in the UK today, and we need to reach a place where trans people aren't at a disadvantage. This will hopefully be achieved by organisations using the EDI initiative and reinvolving it in their workplaces. Unfortunately, at the minute, we've clearly seen that this is not the case, as organisations are clearly failing to protect trans individuals. One in eight trans employees have been physically attacked by colleagues or customers in 2018. Half of trans and non-binary people, 51% and 50% respectively, have hidden or disguised the fact they were LGBT at work because they were afraid of discrimination. A personal account from Sylvia, 30, from Wales, in the Trans Report by Stonewall 2018, said that they had recently resigned from their post due to being bullied by their manager after a conversation between themselves and a few friends was leaked regarding their transition. They were bullied into self-harm, had sexual suicidal ideas and resigned as they felt they had no other option and are now struggling to get a job purely just because they're transgender. This is also because trans people's rights and opportunities are significantly lower than cisgender individuals. More than one-third of trans university students in higher education have experienced negative comments or behaviour from staff.