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How many of our colleagues will regret having submitted themselves to gender affirming surgeries? How many colleagues will regret they followed advice given to affirm their children in a trans identity? We may have once said we celebrate Pride, but did we understand precisely what we were celebrating? Can you say out loud the following statements: I celebrate the castration of young adults. I celebrate sterilising children. I celebrate subjecting young people to dangerous and experimental procedures. I celebrate discouraging colleagues from asking critical questions. Don't rock the boat as the saying goes. I'm of the view that the Pride movement is a sinking ship. I see no evidence those involved are willing to face up to the risk they bring to companies. If those responsible for your Pride movement will not rock the boat or allow you to do so, it may not be long before Pride movements are banned in many work places. Do you agree with my concerns above, or do you think I'm being ridiculous?
EMPLOYERS! CAN YOUR STAFF OPT OUT OF PRIDE, IF IT'S NOT THEIR THING? For many, Pride month is a straightforward celebration. But for other employees, it is a deeply painful time of year. As Tanya de Grunwald mentioned in her excellent piece last week (link in comments), plenty of your lesbian, gay and bisexual staff will feel alienated by the focus on 'trans' and gender identity. Female employees with concerns about the impact of 'trans inclusion' on women's rights and children's safeguarding may also resent being asked to embrace this controversial aspect of Pride. And those from religious or cultural minorities may also have strong views, but feel uncomfortable speaking up. And there are two other groups of employees that you may not have considered: 1) Parents and families of people who have decided to or want to transition. The decision to take hormones and undergo surgery isn't minor and it can often cause rifts and difficulties in families, even if the family is supportive of somebody's desire to transition. For some this decision is devastating, not only because their loved one may be a minor, but more broadly because of the life-long consequences of hormonal and surgical interventions and the psychological impact of seeing the world through a 'trans' lens. Many parents and family members do not want to have to celebrate 'trans' because from where they stand, transition is not a cause for celebration. 2) Detransitioners and desisters: these are people who at some point in their lives saw themselves as 'trans' but no longer adhere to the ideas that go along with it. Detransitioners will have undergone hormonal and/or surgical interventions to modify their bodies. These interventions have life-long consequences. For these people, the ideas behind 'trans' and the physical and psychological pain that interventions have caused them are no cause for celebration. The last thing they want is a workplace that heavily encourages people to celebrate these ideas and interventions. Now that we've highlighted this, we urge you to consider creating ways for these employees to step out of Pride activities without attracting stigma. You'll find some ideas in this video with our founder Stella O'Malley, and therapist Sasha Ayad. If these groups raise questions or complaints, please handle them with care - this is sensitive stuff. And if you can't get it right this year, please be more thoughtful next year? Thank you. https://lnkd.in/ejakq-ep
