Trans visibility in the workplace

An awareness campaign led by Malta's employment agency Jobsplus in collaboration with the Human Rights Directorate and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Equality & Reforms, saw a number of trans+ individuals in Malta take centre stage.

The aim is to normalise the fact that trans individuals are found in every employment sphere, whilst also highlighting the obstacles and challenges they face by quoting facts & figures found in the latest LGBTI+ Survey conducted by the EU Fundamental Rights Agency in 2019.

Some Trans-specific highlights of the Survey include:

• 1 in every 3 trans individual experienced discrimination at work in Malta

• 1 in every 5 often or always experienced a general negative attitude while working in Malta due to them being trans.

• Almost 50% of trans employees, rarely or never saw any form fo support towards them or that promote LGBTIQ+ rights.

• 4 in 5 incidents of discrimination experienced by trans persons in Malta go unreported to any equality body or the police

• More than 50% of trans individuals in Malta, choose not to reveal their gender identity to their direct supervisor at work.

These campaign posters also outline the person's preferred pronouns. It is a sign of respect to ask anyone what's their preferred pronouns and likewise introduce oneself with the pronouns one identifies with.

You can’t always know what someone’s pronouns are by looking at them. Asking and correctly using someone’s pronouns is one of the most basic ways to show your respect for their gender identity. When someone is referred to with the wrong pronoun, it can make them feel disrespected, invalidated, dismissed, alienated, or dysphoric ( often all of the above.)

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