Trans Awareness Training

Employer’s Moral Duty

With more media coverage on trans issues over the last five years or so, trans people are becoming more visible and we feel more able to come out than we ever have before. It’s becoming more an more likely that you will have a transgender member of your team soon (if you haven’t already). This can cause problems in the workplace if there are some transphobic members of the team or others who are just ignorant of the needs and sensitivities of trans colleagues. A survey in 2017 by Catalyst showed that a staggering 80% of trans people experience transphobia in the workplace. A 2018 Stonewall report showed that 1 in 8 trans employees (12%) have been physically attacked by colleagues or customers in the last year. That really shouldn’t be.

Employer’s Legal Duty
Apart from your moral duty to protect your employees from transphobic abuse, you also have a legal obligation under the Equality Act 2010 to create an inclusive workplace and to have anti-discrimination policies in place.  It only takes one transphobic member of staff to land their employer in a tribunal for discrimination, but having a regular and compulsory trans awareness training programme for all staff gives the employer a very strong defence against such cases.

The Business Case for Trans Awareness Training (& for all LGBT+ Inclusion)
It makes great business sense too as LGBT+ staff are 32% more productive when they are comfortable being out at work. In 2016, Credit Suisse discovered that closeted employees are 73% more likely to leave their jobs within 3 years than those who are out. So by being trans-inclusive, you are likely to have greater staff retention as well as have a more profitable company. Also, what do your customers think of you? The Harvard Business Review 2016 showed that 71% of LGBT respondents and 82% of LGBT allies said they are more likely to purchase from a company that supports LGBT equality. That’s what I call a win-win-win!

Why Choose Katie Neeves?
Being a transgender woman who is currently in transition, I offer a very personal, powerful and authentic insight into what it’s like to be transgender in the UK. I am not associated with any campaign groups and I have no hidden agenda. I tell my story with humour and in a refreshingly un-corporate and non-political manner. I am not afraid to tell it like it is.

I prefer to have small groups of up to 12 people for in-depth training sessions (although I am happy to talk to large audiences for less in-depth presentations) as I aim to create an atmosphere in which people feel comfortable to ask me questions that they may feel uncomfortable asking a trans colleague. Nothing is off-limits! I am not embarrassed about answering very personal questions as I know it helps to further others’ understanding and acceptance of trans people. I actively encourage questions and dialogue as I want my sessions to be more like a conversation than a lecture.

I am happy to either work directly for companies or as a subcontractor to other diversity trainers who may need some help with their transgender awareness module.

Training Sessions

Here are the details of the trans-awareness training options I currently offer which can be delivered either in person or virtually:

3 Hour Trans-awareness Session

This training session gives in-depth information about all things trans.  It equips participants with the knowledge to really understand trans people and the vocabulary necessary to prevent them from inadvertently offending trans people.  It is perfect for small groups of no more than 15 people as I like to get the participants involved and treat it as more of a conversation rather than death by powerpoint!  The session consists of the following sections:

• Ice-breaker / assessment of prior knowledge (interactive)
• Why is trans-awareness training needed?
• My long walk to womanhood
• Q&A about my journey (interactive)
• 15 minute break
• Trans terminology explained (interactive) – comprehensive section of approx. 45minutes
• Typical stages of a transgender journey
• Top tips for being a trans ally
• Q&A (interactive)

N.B.  Sections can be added if you wish to me tailor the workshop to a specific audience.  e.g. I have a section about things that medical professionals should know when treating trans patients which I add into workshops for student nurses.

2 Hour Trans-awareness Session
This training session gives a good appreciation about all things trans.  It equips participants with the knowledge to really understand trans people and a quick look at the vocabulary used about trans people.  It is perfect for small groups of no more than 15 people.  The session consists of the following sections:

• Why is trans-awareness training needed?
• My long walk to womanhood
• Q&A about my journey (interactive)
• Brief look at trans terminology (interactive) – shortened section of only 15 minutes
• Typical stages of a transgender journey
• Top tips for being a trans ally
• Q&A (interactive)

1 Hour “Lunch and Learn” Session
Entitled “What’s it like to be transgender?  And how can I support those who are?”, this presentation uses the most powerful storytelling elements from my workshop and it gives the audience a very real appreciation for what life is like for trans people and practical tips for being an ally.  It can be performed to any size of audience, large or small.  While this session is generally around 1 hour in length, if there are lots of questions it can go up to 1.5 hours if you wish to let it run for longer.  The presentation consists of the following sections:

• My long walk to womanhood
• Top tips for being a trans ally
• Q&A (interactive)

1 Hour Workshop: “Preventing Trans Discrimination at Work”

Aimed at diversity & inclusion managers, HR managers and training managers, this short workshop gives a very real appreciation of what it’s like to be trans and the participants will leave with actionable ideas for preventing trans discrimination in their workplace.   It can be performed to any size of audience, but I recommend a maximum number of 20 people for maximum involvement.  The presentation consists of the following sections:

• My long walk to womanhood
• Why is trans awareness training needed? (includes examples of cases where employers have got it wrong)
• Group discussion on ideas to help prevent trans discrimination in the workplace (interactive)

I use a lot of humour in my presentations and workshops as I believe that audiences should be both entertained & informed.  I am very honest and very open in my presentations too.  I will answer absolutely anything in my Q&A sections as I create a safe space for participants to ask me questions that they may not feel comfortable asking their trans colleagues, friends or relatives.

Some Lovely Feedback

Here are some comments I received from a webinar I delivered recently to Women in Recruitment:

• “I just wanted to drop you a message to say how much I enjoyed your webinar on Friday , really insightful and also your sense of humour kept it so engaging. Will def check out your company to see if we can do any work together in the future.  Thanks Katie for me it was the most interesting webinar so far and definitely the funniest” – Emma Buckley
• “I had been following Katie’s journey for some time, I found her story not only inspirational but her approach made me connect and really want to work with her. I love Katie’s approach, she shares her stories with warmth, wit and stacks of humour. Her story really captures the challenges she has faced. After working with Katie you will truly understand why she creates game-changing noise about Trans Rights and the role that you play as an Ally. Katie’s mission to educate and push for real change is critical, she has found the perfect way to connect with individuals and businesses. Her work will change the way people think, behave and will ultimately change the world for sure. Katie is a true professional and a beautiful person with an incredible story to tell. I look forward to working with her again in the future.” – Jo Major, Head of External Relations for The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo)

• “Katie thank you so much for today you were an inspiration.  I’m so happy you have found your true self.  It’s not easy at the best of times.  Take care and I hope to see you again soon.” –  Natasha Clarke 

• “Thanks so much for the Women in Recruitment webinar just now. Really interesting and insightful!  – Sharon Klaver 
• “Thank you for your time this afternoon – fantastic session and I feel seriously educated.” – Julie Selby
• “Friday was incredible, such an important message and perfectly presented.” – Jo Major