SchrodingersPatJan 22, 2025

How do I better support my trans supervisee?

https://lemmy.ml/post/25075399

How do I better support my trans supervisee? - Lemmy

Hi Lemmy, Apologies if this is a dumb question. I have a trans person that I supervise and I know he is having a hard time after Trump’s only two genders executive order. Is there anything I can do to make sure that he feels supported at work? I have regular check-in meetings with my staff so I was hoping to see how he was doing, but don’t want to force him into an uncomfortable discussion. Note: His performance is still excellent at his job so this isn’t a “coaching conversation” or anything like that

Show threadbobslaedeJan 22, 2025
What we do in our office, to make sure everybody feels supported, is to have rainbow decorations, and badges and stuff for people to wear.
You could wear a rainbow badge, to show that you support, and so he knows to feel safe. You can also encourage others to wear a rainbow badge, or lanyard or something else, to show that he can feel safe.
Show threadMoonlightFoxJan 22, 2025
I am curious why you are getting downvoted here. Can someone explain? I was considering putting a rainbow sticker on my laptop for solidarity
Show threadspongebue
I did not downvote this comment, but the approach feels a bit more pushed/forced, which drastically takes away from the sincerity. It’s great to show support on your own volition, but if everyone is required/pressured to do so, I would question who really is “safe”
Jan 22, 2025 at 4:56pmWeb
Show threadbobslaedeJan 22, 2025
Required or pressured? Is that the same as encouraged in your world?
Show threadspongebueJan 22, 2025

When you’re being encouraged in a place that supplies your income and with that your livelihood, an “encouragement” becomes pressure.

Similarly, my brother-in-law once bought a rather expensive gift for my father-in-law and asked if we wanted to pitch in for it. He’s truly a great person, we get along great, and if we said no I don’t think it would have been a big deal at all… But being the one who married into the family relatively recently, it’s a difficult thing to push back on. And that’s in the best case scenario with someone you know, love, and trust. We don’t know that OP has that same kind of relationship with their coworkers

Show threadbobslaedeJan 22, 2025
Ok fair enough. Where I’m from, that is not the case.
Show threadsuperkretJan 22, 2025
When it’s being done by your supervisor at work, whose opinion your livelyhood depends on, then yes.