Daniel Coletti on Trans Allyship

Ahead of Trans Awareness Week, Daniel Coletti (Director and Co-Founder of Trans-TI) talks to myGwork about the importance of being an ally to the trans community, and what he thinks companies can do to improve working conditions for transgender people.

Image Credit: Canva

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your career to date

I'm from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I co-founded a social impact company where we hire transgender community members only to do administrative type of digital work. I come from the Software Industry so we use as much technology we can to increase the quality and speed of our service.

Can you talk about your journey as a trans ally and what allyship means to you?

In Argentina there's a deep feminist movement which pushed me to rethink my role as a cis male in society (back in 2015). Learning about this opened my eyes around the trans reality in social terms which shocked me deeply and I felt the need to do something about it.

To me being an ally is very important because the majority of trans people don't have opportunities of any kind, so doing what we're doing is a lot harder for transgender community members.

Image Credit: Daniel Coletti

What does your workplace do to ensure a safe and inclusive work environment for transgender people?

Everyone at work works remotely, but we're adding spaces (psi) for people to use if needed.

How important do you think trans visibility is to the progression of transgender equality?

To me, it is very important. In this society, things that are not visible or don't have a name don't exist.

What do you think is the next course of action to improve conditions for trans people in the workplace and in wider society?

I think companies should start to do inside work to change software systems and adapt them to include diversity.

Find out more about Daniel Coletti's work towards reducing unemployment rates for the trans community at Trans-TI, and connect with him on his myGwork profile.

myGwork is celebrating Trans Awareness Week with a panel on November 16, commemorating Trans Remembrance Week. Sign up now to hear unique experiences from transgender panelists and discussions with allies of the community, as they talk through how to empower trans and gender nonconforming lives. Register here, for free!

Related myGwork articles:

Trans Awareness Week: Interview With Emma Palethorpe

A Latinx Perspective: An Interview with Translatina Roselyn Macias

Showing Up as an Ally to the LGBTQ+ Community