Workplaces

In her work around gender diversity, Suzanne shares her lived experience as the mother of a trans child to support workplaces in their own journey to become more embracing of gender diversity – in the fabric of their culture as well as their policies and programs.    

She has worked with a great many organizations across the country – from Fortune 500 to community groups – to assist with integrating gender transitioning employees into the workplace in a way that allows all staff members to feel safe, respected, and included.   

Clear steps are set out to ensure that the transitioning employee is well supported, that respectful workplace policies are in place, and that staff are provided with training that is accessible, informative, and valuable. Issues of bias and stigma are addressed in the context that the more understanding there is about difference, the less conflict, fear, and discrimination there will be.    

Typically, a child starts to be aware of the differences between boys and girls when they’re 2 or 3 years old. As they age, they begin to tune into their gender identity – their deeply personal feelings about their gender. Most often, a person’s birth-assigned gender matches how they feel inside about themselves, but sometimes it doesn’t. 

And sometimes, a person doesn’t even identify with either male or female.  For a child to feel the freedom to identify with the gender that feels authentic and natural to them, they need to feel safe enough – emotionally and physically – to express their questioning. Creating this safety requires that the educators and the family are informed and supportive.  How and when do you begin this conversation? How do you ensure that all levels of students feel comfortable and respected in this conversation? What kind of education should the educators and administrators have?  

With Suzanne’s lived experience as a parent of a trans child together with her extensive experience addressing numerous kinds of audiences, she tailors her content specifically to speak to the listening needs of students as well as to the listening and education needs of educators.  

Skyler, also an experienced public speaker, can join Suzanne and provide a powerful presentation of mother and son speaking about gender questioning and gender identity from different lived vantage points. Together they provide a significant opportunity for students and educators to learn and understand gender diversity from an informed, experiential place.