Kodak Reaches Out To Transgendered Employees

[Susan]

Kodak Reaches Out To Transgendered Employees (Video)

Patrice Walsh (Rochester, NY) 08/23/05 -- Transgendered individuals say their experiences are something no one can understand unless they go through it, but companies like Eastman Kodak are reaching out to transgendered employees to help them feel safe and comfortable in the workplace.

Kodak already has guidelines to prevent discrimination. On Tuesday, the company offered sensitivity training to workers.

Donna Rose was born Dave Rosen and lived in Rochester for 15 years. She has written a book, "Wrapped In Blue" and presents sensitivity training sessions to companies like Kodak....  [Read More]

[stephanie_craxford]

Hello Susan,

It's a good article, short, simple and to the point.  I forwarded the link to my HR dept at Corporate HQ.  I also asked them if our company was one of the 16 referenced in the article.  Like Kodak, our company changed our policies in order to accommodate me in my transition in the work place.  I think that every member here who's employer didn't have similar guide lines in place should forward the link to their HR Dept.  It would show that there are high profile companies out there who realise the diversity of their work force and how valuable they are...

Chat later

Steph

[Sarah Louise]

Hmmm, I wish I had a HR department to forward that to.  Being self employeed, I guess I am the HR dept.

But really, I might forward the article to a couple of the companies I do work for.

Sarah

[Chaunte]

You have no idea how proud I am of my former employer!  

And to have both Eastman Kodak and Xerox both be national trendsetters in non-discrimination policies for gender-identification pleases me to no end. 
This makes me miss the town I will always call home all the more.

Chaunte

[Valerie]

I work for a Fortune 500 company and recently asked one of our HR personnel if our policy specifically protects transexual people.  Her reply was,

"Transsexual persons are not specifically mentioned in any policy that I know of, but the company has a lot of information available about the importance of treating co-workers with respect."

 

I read the policy and it strongly promotes the respect of ALL employees as my HR director mentioned. I personally would like to see trans-gendered included in our policy, and will forward the Kodak article to HR.  But I'm kind of wondering, does it make a difference legally if transgendered persons are specifically mentioned in the policy, or is it just good sense to do so that transgendered people feel safer and more protected in the workplace? 

Valerie

[Leigh]

GID is in a class by itself.

Unless you claim a Lesbian, Gay, or hetero identity your job may be at risk. 

Why do you think there is a push for protections?  It isn't because people are treated fairly in many cases.

[Chaunte]

But I'm kind of wondering, does it make a difference legally if transgendered persons are specifically mentioned in the policy, or is it just good sense to do so that transgendered people feel safer and more protected in the workplace? 

I just took a quick look at the ACLU website in regards to transgender / gender expression law.

I am not an attorney, nor do I play one on television.  However, it appears that the courts are not necessarily extending GLB protections to include transgendered individuals.  I would guess that we are excluded because it is our gender expression that is different, not sexual orientation; and the law coveres sexual orientation.

Without specific protection, any transgendered indivual could be considered "personna non grata" for deviating from accepted norms of gender presentation for ones biological sex.  Deviating from these norms could be considered grounds for termination because a) our presence creates an unproductive workplace and/or b) we create a non-mainstream corporate face that could cost profits.

It doesn't matter how hard we work or how good a corporate employee we are.  There will be those who will not accept us, and will spend valuable time spreading rumors and generating fear.  Theses rumors and fears will cost productivity.  Without specific protections, we become expendable to protect productivity.

Chaunte

[Leigh]

http://www.equalityforum.com/fortune500/