I remember reading in 1996 an advice book for transsexuals that read like Cassandra and Nostradamus reminiscing about the End of Days: "You're starting over as a woman, so you need to hide your past life as a man. Say goodbye to your career. Prepare to leave your job and find something with half the pay. Cut out half of the things on your resume, lest you be outed. Count yourself lucky not to be out on the street."
This is but a sample of the type of advice I received prior to my transition. It was right on the money.
It's still on the money. Most employers remain ignorant and/or somewhat hostile to policy changes for transgender workers. I have received hundreds of emails from transgender workers who are having difficulty getting their employers to treat them right. Nonetheless, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Hundreds of leading companies have now put policies in place to address issues of gender identity in the workplace.
And today, Harvard Business Review begins an in-depth examination of the topic.
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