myGwork member and Lottoland’s Learning and Development Partner, Sophie Wood, shares her concerns about the very real existential threat the trans community faces both from US state legislatures and in the UK, on Trans Day of Visibility, and what allies can do to support the community more.

As referenced in previous articles and interviews, when I came out as a trans woman in 2011, my local community were largely hostile towards me to such an extent that I retreated into my four walls at home, seldom venturing out.

A that point in my life I was working for the UK Police Service as a National Information Systems and Intelligence Trainer. I saw my workplace, despite many challenges, as a safe space. Initially, my management gave me the option to step back from my training role and take up an admin role if I wanted to.

However, I was determined to carry on in my training role as it was my opportunity to use my voice. Also, as the trainer in a police classroom is a position of authority my students had no choice but to engage with me, irrespective of their initial attitudes.

In fact, I recognized I was in a rare position of privilege which I maximized to change the hearts and minds of those students towards transgender people by simply being good at my job. My typical experience was that by the end of which ever course I delivered I had the respect of the students as a policing professional, and they frequently went away asking for my contact details so they could access future support from me if required.

At this time I was also enjoying success, in my own time, working for the National Trans Police Association and Unison, key note speaking at D&I conferences and educating areas of UK Policing about transgender people. I used to put my story at the heart of these sessions, whilst mapping my experience key learning points with reference to internal culture and policing our communities.

I always remember one time speaking to the East Midlands Regional Forces, and asking various people in the audience why they were attending. A small group of officers declared they were forced to attend as a punishment detail for something or other. I said to them, “You are the people I need to be speaking to”, rather than those who had voluntarily booked onto the event.

This experience provoked in me a realization that whilst having educational value, and being life affirming experiences for me; always addressing people who generally are open to diversity and inclusion is something of an echo chamber; a case of always ‘preaching to the converted’.

For the last 10 or so years I have frequently spoken of the need to reach out and change the hearts and minds of the majority of any workforce who are apathetic to DEI at best, and wilfully ignorant and hostile at worse.

Fast Forward to 2023 and after years of experiencing and being involved with corporate D&I I am certain that now, more than ever, that it is predominantly operating in that ‘echo chamber’ space.

I am a trans woman whose community is facing a very real existential threat from USA state legislatures, and in the UK, where our human rights are being violated and weaponized by the ruling government.

It is clear, in the UK, that as the next general election approaches the false narrative of trans women being a threat to women and children will be front and centre of this current government’s political campaigning. At the same time, you will have a main opposition party who will want to avoid showing support or solidarity with the trans community for fear of being lambasted by the right-wing media circus that they will depend upon for their own success.

I have seen this year many big corporations with LGBTQ+ supportive credentials and LGBTQ+ charities celebrating their successes at various award ceremonies. When I see this, considering the real political threat to my community, I am both angry and sad in equal measure. If you are a company who enjoys the benefits of government policy, I ask that you stop patting yourselves on the back for your LGBTQ+ support and use your lobbying connections to pressure the government to cease and desist on their attacks on trans women.

If you are having a corporate pride event this year, it should not be a party. Make it a political protest in support of trans rights. Try and create a real political impact that can be authentically celebrated.

If you want to have a real impact on your internal culture, then work with your teams and managers to realize your declared values and contract the behaviours that underpin those values.

I am always asked, “Sophie, How can we do more to support you as an ally?” Now you know what to do.

Check out Sophie's previous article:

The Highs and Lows of Transitioning: An Interview with Lottoland’s Sophie Wood