International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia aims to educate workplaces on creating an inclusive environment for gender and sexuality diverse individuals. Research shows that people who feel able to be open about their identity at work are more productive and satisfied. The document discusses terminology related to gender identity, sexuality, and inclusive practices like using correct pronouns. It emphasizes that gender identity and sexuality exist on spectrums and aren't defined solely by physical characteristics. Workplaces should avoid assumptions and use inclusive language to make all employees feel respected.

1. International Day Against
Homophobia, Transphobia
and Biphobia – 17 May
CREATING INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES FOR PEOPLE FROM GENDER AND SEXUALITY
DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS

2. Introduction
 Inclusion Committee works towards making the office a place that is inclusive of
people from all different backgrounds
 As a bisexual person, I wanted to sponsor a day dedicated to gender and sexuality
diverse people
 The aim of this presentation is to educate staff about gender and sexuality issues
so we can all be more aware and inclusive of people from different backgrounds

3. Why is this important for the workplace?
 Research shows that people who feel like they can be “out” at work and honest about their
gender/sexuality are more productive, better team members and more satisfied with their
working life, therefore will stay with that employer for longer
 See Out Now’s report “LGBT Diversity: Show Me The Business Case”
 Making a workplace inclusive for gender and sexuality diverse people starts with people having
an awareness of these different identities and knowing how to avoid behaviour that might make
them feel uncomfortable

4. History of the day
 Established at the International Day Against Homophobia in 2004, held on 17 May when
the World Health Organisation decided to remove homosexuality from the International
Classification of Diseases in 1990
 “Draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and the
media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people internationally”-
DayAgainstHomophobia.org
 2009: Transphobia was included to recognise issues faced by transgender people
 2015: Biphobia was added to the title to include bisexual people

5. LGBTIAQQ+???
 There is a constant struggle for all gender and sexuality diverse people to be
recognised by the movement
 The original term was “gay”  “gay and lesbian”  LGB (lesbian, gay, bisexual) 
LGBT to include transgender, etc
 Now the acronym can be as long as LGBTIAQQ+ to encompass:
 Intersex
 Asexual
 Queer
 Questioning
 “Plus” – other identities such as pansexual, demi-sexual, etc
 The further down the acronym you are, the less recognition you get

6. The solution: “Queer”
 Rather than using a long acronym that is confusing and can leave people out, the term “queer” is a
term that everyone can use to refer to people that gender or sexuality diverse
 It is used as an adjective i.e. a queer person, like you would say “Indigenous person”
 It is not used as a noun i.e. you wouldn’t say “The queers are concerned about their rights”
 The word has been reclaimed from its derogatory past, and is now seen as acceptable for non-queer
people to use it in this context
 This is not to say that all queer people are alike, or that they experience the same discrimination
 However, these people are united by the fact that they sit outside the heterosexual or cisgender
normative - in the same way that people of colour are from very different backgrounds, but are
united by their common experience of racism

7. Terminology: Sexuality
 Homosexual/gay: Same sex attraction, some may limit this to men only
 Lesbian: Same sex attraction experienced by women
 Bisexual/pansexual: Historically defined as being attracted to two genders
(bi=two), however often now seen as being attracted to “your gender and other
genders” to include people that identify as neither male or nor female.
 Asexual: Person that doesn’t experience sexual attraction. Someone between
“sexual” and “asexual”, who is only attracted to people they are emotionally
bonded to, is a demisexual (demi meaning half)

8. Terminology: Gender Identity
 Transgender: Identifying as a different gender to what you were assigned at birth.
I.e. at birth the doctor identified you as female based on your sex characteristics.
However, you identify as male – as a transman (Terms transman/transwoman
emphasise the gender identity of the person, not the gender assigned at birth)
 Genderqueer/non-binary: Someone who identifies as neither strictly male or
female, that is they are outside the gender binary – they may identify as a third
gender, or as gender neutral or agender. People who move between genders are
gender fluid.

9. A special category: Intersex
 Intersex: Being born with reproductive anatomy or genetics that not the typical
definition of male or female. I.e. being born with some cells with XX chromosomes,
some with XY chromosomes.
 At about 1 in 1500-2000 births the gender is “indeterminate”
 Intersex Society of North America (ISNA.org)
 Hermaphrodite is now considered a derogatory term for intersex people.
 Intersex people may identify as any sexual orientation or gender identity i.e.
 Heterosexual and male
 Asexual and female
 Pansexual and genderqueer

10. Terminology: Making the dominant norm
visible
 Our society only seems to demand that queer people “come out” and “identify” –
this is problematic, because unless you “come out”, you are assumed to be a
heterosexual, cisgender person
 So on the flip side of queer, here are the identities are other people can use to
“come out”, terms that you may not have heard before:
 Heterosexual: opposite of homosexual
 Monosexual: opposite of bisexual, only attracted to one gender
 Cisgender: opposite of transgender, that is you identify as the gender you
were assigned at birth
 Sexual/allosexual: opposite of asexual, feeling sexual attraction
 Dyadic: opposite of intersex, having sex characteristics that fit a defined
gender

11. Distinct categories of gender and sexuality
status
Sexuality – I am
attracted to…
Gender Identity – I feel
I am a….
Do sex characteristics
match male or female?
Do you agree with your
assigned gender?
One other gender –
either male or female -
heterosexual
Man Yes - Dyadic Yes - Cisgender
Same gender –
homosexual
Woman No - Intersex No - Transgender
All genders –
bisexual/pansexual
Gender-queer/non-
binary/third gender
No one - asexual It changes – gender fluid
Defined by you
Defined by a doctor at birth
Defined by you, compared to how
you were defined at birth

12. Born this way?
 Contrary to the popular Lady Gaga song, not everyone thinks they were “born this
way”
 Sexuality and gender can be fluid and change for people, at any stage in their lives
 However, this doesn’t mean you should minimise someone’s experience as simply
a “phase”
 Many transgender people have very strong feelings of their gender identity, some
as young as 18 months old have identified as transgender:
 “I a boy” – 18 month old transboy

13. Identity vs physical sex characteristics
 Gender identity is not based on a person’s sex characteristics, or whether they have had any kind of
gender reassignment hormonal treatment or surgery – it is about how they identify
 People often focus on the physical aspect of a person’s sexuality i.e. asking transgender people if
they’ve had “the surgery”
 This is highly offensive – it’s basically asking someone to tell you what’s in their pants!
 Accept how someone identifies – their identity is valid regardless of whether you understand and it
and no one should have to justify their identity for someone else
 Use the gender pronouns that they identify with – they may feel comfortable telling you, otherwise
the commonly used pronouns are:
 Transwoman/ciswoman – she/her
 Transman/cisman – he/him
 Genderqueer/non-binary – they/them
 If you’re unsure, use their name or they/them

14. Being inclusive in the workplace
 It goes without saying saying outright derogatory things to queer co-workers is not okay
 However, without intending to be discriminatory, you may do something excludes someone who is
gender/sexuality diverse by using certain language or making assumptions:
 Calling someone who looks feminine a “she” assumes gender – she could be genderqueer or a transman
 Asking a male co-worker “Do you have a girlfriend?”, assumes he is attracted to women exclusively
 Questioning why a transwoman is using the female toilets
 Asking an asexual person why they have never had a partner (although some asexual people will have romantic
relationships without sexual attraction)
 Assuming a woman with a male partner is straight when she could be bi/pansexual
 Using language that limits gender identity to a binary – i.e. “attraction to the opposite sex” rather than “attraction
to other sexes”

15. For more information
 Workplace resources: http://orinam.net/resources-for/workplace/
 General resources: https://lgbt.foundation/