About This Project

Transgender and non-binary (neither male, nor female) people suffer from significant employment discrimination, and yet their voices have never been heard on this important issue. This project aims to collect data on how gender non-conforming people are discriminated against in the workplace, giving a voice to a previously marginalized group in society and allowing them to tell their stories.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

This project will investigate the life experiences of transgender and non-binary people. Transgender people are defined as those who no longer identify with the gender they were assigned at birth; non-binary people are defined as those who identify as neither male, nor female. Gender non-conforming people constitute a growing population in the workplace, and yet they face significant discrimination at the hands of too often unsympathetic managers. The project will provide them with an opportunity to talk about their experiences of discrimination in the workplace. We aim to promote greater acceptance of transgender and non-binary people at work and beyond.

What is the significance of this project?

This is an important project because transgender and non-binary people are being deprived of both their employment rights and their human rights. We urgently need to give them a platform for speaking about the discrimination they face. This project will give them a much-needed voice. In doing so, it also has the potential to change the public's understanding of gender non-conformity and build a greater acceptance and understanding of this population.

What are the goals of the project?

The research questions at the heart of this project are: (1) to what extent do gender non-conforming people face discrimination in the labor market and (2) how can we reduce barriers to employment for transgender and non-binary people?

In order to answer these two questions, the project aims to interview roughly 25 transgender and non-binary people about their experiences of discrimination in the labor market. All interviews will be digitally recorded and transcribed. The stories told by the participants will then be written up for publication in a scientific journal. Through the publication of these narratives, it is anticipated that a wider public discussion can be held with the objective of increasing awareness of, and acceptance toward, gender non-conforming people.