Transgender Inclusion at Work: Combining Inclusive Structure with Inclusive Culture
This conversation will take participants on a journey from wherever they may be starting to champions of inclusion. We'll start with updated key language and vocabulary that are used in conversations with and about transgender and nonbinary people, and I'll share my personal story of coming out at 15. We will ground our discussion in current research around transgender people in the workplace, such as the statistic that 20% of Gen-Z are LGBTQ+, to help participants understand the urgency of this discussion in all workplace settings. We'll then move to talk through specifics around building safe and supportive environments past the level of just sharing pronouns. Building inclusive workplaces means combining structural change and cultural change, and we will talk through many practical examples of this, as well as how best to respond to backlash around these practices. To close, Ben will open up to a 100% judgment-free Q&A for any lingering questions.
Learning Objectives:
- Leave the session with a strong knowledge of inclusive language and terminology for conversations about the transgender and gender non-conforming community.
- Understand the reasons for urgency in these conversations, and the reality that just because you can't see any transgender people at your organization does not mean they are not there, just that they are not comfortable enough to come out.
- Leave with clear ideas for inclusive best practices to implement in their workplaces and will be equipped with the tools to respond to questions and backlash around these policies.
In-person session offerings are on a first-come, first-served basis.
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All virtual sessions inherently run the risk of audio or visual issues due to factors out of our control. If any technical difficulties arise, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work diligently to resolve it. Most virtual sessions are recorded and will be available to view on demand until Monday, August 14 at 8:00 AM PT.
Ben Greene
As one of only two transgender people in his hometown, Ben Greene has always been the “designated educator”. After giving a successful TEDx talk in 2019 called “Where are you Sitting?”, he decided to go into education and advocacy full time and now works as a public speaker and LGBTQ+ inclusion consultant. Since graduating from Brandeis University in the summer of 2020 he has spoken in many different domains: at HR conferences like DisruptHR, and SHRM, school training sessions for religious and secular high schools, DEI summits like Diversity Live! in the UK and Pitt Diversity Forum 2021, Higher Education Institutes including Washington University Medical School, and the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, government agencies including NASA, legal organizations including Lowenstein Sandler and Eckert Seamans, and internal events for global corporations including FactSet, AXAXL, and Northwestern Mutual. He sits on the advisory board of a global branding firm and of the Tufts University Master’s Degree in Diversity and Inclusion. He is passionate about educating others from a place of compassion--no matter where they’re starting from.