Transgender Inclusion and Awareness

Transgender people are perhaps the most vulnerable when it comes to finding safe and welcoming senior housing. While younger generations may be more flexible in their understanding of gender fluidity and identity, senior populations may not have been exposed to accurate information about transgender people. 

In North Texas, there have been incidents of staff refusing to use the correct, chosen name and pronoun of Transgender residents. Even in cases where a Transgender person has not changed their birth certificate/legal status, staff must demonstrate respect and dignity in their names and pronouns. 

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Some of the ways the Coalition for Aging LGBT encourages respect and inclusion of Transgender residents in senior living communities are: 

• Our Best Practice for nondiscrimination policies for employment and resident bill of rights emphasize gender identity as well as sexual orientation in their inclusive language (click here to view that article.)
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• Our LGBT cultural competency staff training spends time clarifying the distinctions between sexual orientation and gender identity as well as exploring the various terms under the Transgender umbrella. Transgender people are also featured in our video training components. We coach staff and residents alike to ask others their “goes by” name and, when not sure, how to appropriately ask what pronouns they would like used and how to use them. (Click here to view that full article.)


• Our Best Practice for Intake Process and Forms also utilizes steps to make the forms and interview more inclusive for all persons. (Click here to view that article.)
  
  
• Our LGBT programming for residents aims to create safe and welcoming communities. Transgender education and awareness are part of the activities or even the focus of a Coffee Talk or movie discussion or community event. We help community staff work with residents to address and decrease any bullying or discrimination thus improving the living context for any transgender residents. (Click here to view that article.)