Transgender activist Drian Juarez is featured in a new article on the Forbes.com website discussing how workplaces can be more transgender friendly.
Juarez discusses the new toolkit which the transgender advocacy group Trans Can Work has developed to help employers create more inclusive policies that support transgender employees.
“This toolkit is really designed for HR departments and recruitment teams,” Juarez told Forbes, “to utilize when they’re onboarding, when developing job announcements to make sure they’re using inclusive language, when designing their promotional material or online presence like a website—making sure they’re putting information there that will relate to the transgender community—tools on inclusive pronouns and how to use them, and resources for HR to do a deeper dive into all systems and how to make them inclusive.”
The City of West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce recently partnered with Trans Can Work to launch an anti-transphobia campaign. That campaign included distributing the Trans Can Work toolkit to 500 West Hollywood businesses.
The toolkit was developed to address challenges and discrimination which transgender people often face in the workplace.
Juarez, the vice president of programming for Trans Can Work, explains that companies must first have a desire to be more inclusive with its workforce. That must then be followed up with policies which address aggressions that happen in the workplace, as well as plans to enforce and promote those policies.
“Microaggressions are a big thing for trans people,” Juarez said. “When we are continually misgendered, that can create a hostile work environment.”
Juarez reminds that trans people want what everyone else wants, a good job, a good salary and to live a life that feels genuine.
For more information about Trans Can Work or to request a copy of the new Trans Can Work toolkit, CLICK HERE.
I’ve known Drian for years and together we put on the most incredible Job Fairs for the Transgender community. I have yet to meet anyone that is more committed than Drian Juarez. She has overcome obstacles that most people would never think of. I admire her and treasure our friendship. She’s one helluva lady!!!
I agree! it is an amazing organization and Drian is a true champion. This toolkit is amazing and I hope many people take advantage of it.
god help us.
What great work! I hope our Chamber is working with its’ members to implement awareness of this program. West Hollywood should be promoting Ms. Juarez’s Toolkit through our participation in the League of Cities and the Association of Contract Cities.