Rainbow Counsellor Lisa Michelle is here to help with your problems.
I’m an out trans guy working in a very male-dominated industry. I have always been, ‘one of the boys’, but we have a new Supervisor who has been transferred to our headquarters. This new guy discovered I had been in hospital recently for a hysterectomy, and all hell has broken loose. He makes snide remarks when I’m in earshot, and worse, my once-loyal colleagues are laughing with him. Is it time to find a new job?
I am so sorry to hear of your situation. Making comments intended to hurt, or to pit others against you, is not okay. While it may be easier to look for a new job, you do have other options: you could take the new Supervisor aside and let him know how his comments are affecting you; you could arrange for a memo to be circulated, or a meeting to be called, explaining how you feel; you could contact the Human Rights Commission and ask for a representative to visit your workplace; and if all else fails, then don’t be afraid to make a formal complaint – to both your boss and Human Resources. These people need to know how their behaviour is affecting you, and equally important, they are in dire need of some re-educating around gender identity and mature human interaction.
Article | Aunt Lisa
Lisa Michelle is a Chaplain and Counsellor for the GLBT Community, working with both Rainbow Youth and OUTLine NZ as an independent consultant and also on the board of OUTLine.
