Gender non-conformity and the modern workplace: New frontiers in understanding and promoting gender identity expression at work
“There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a person being themselves.” –—Steve Maraboli, Ph.D.
As the opening quote suggests, when employees can authentically express themselves at work, they tend to be happier and healthier. In today’s modern workplace, HR man- agers are having to increasingly address the many complex issues surrounding gender identity and expression. With the public gender transitions of celebrities like Caitlin Jenner (reality television star and former Olympian), the greater media visibility of transgender individuals such as LaVerne Cox (actress, best known for her role in the television series, Orange is the New Black), and the increased support for television programming that features transgender characters (e.g., Amazon’s Transparent), transgender issues have become a focal point of discussion in the national discourse.