workplace equality

Although not space related, I wanted to share another example of how trans rights have displaces women's rights.

In my workplace, trans employees are able to access up to 10 weeks of additional medical leave for physical and mental health appointments relating to their transition. Meanwhile, women with fertility issues, endometriosis, breast cancer and those caring for disabled or chronically ill children receive no additional leave, and you'll find them using all their holiday leave to cover these appointments. Many also don't work full time because of such health concerns leading them to live in more financially challenged circumstances and, of course, earning less superannuation. My argument is that surely such leave should be open to anyone experiencing circumstances that jeopardise their physical or mental wellbeing, not just trans people.

Women have been fighting hard for equality for so long, and now it feels like there is a new challenger - although this time we can't call it out without being considered to be transphobic!

#australia #workplaceequality #sexequality #workplacebenefits #womenshealth #specialclass #AWEIleave

physical assault of transman by transwoman in denver domestic violence shelter

I was a resident at The Delores Project, a women's domestic violence shelter in Denver Colorado that allows transwomen to stay there. I stayed at Delores between 2015 and 2018.

While there, I was assaulted by a transwoman who also stayed there. Even though I was covered in bruises, the staff and volunteers at Delores insisted there was nothing they could do about it. They did not evict the transwoman who assaulted me or punish them in any way. In fact, they instructed me to cease discussing the assault, or else they would evict me to the streets.

Also during my stay there, there was another man in his early 20s who also claimed to be a transwoman despite dressing like any regular guy and not physically transitioning in any way. This young man slept in the same dorm area as the women residents, where the women undressed and changed clothes. Eventually this young man was evicted after being caught a second time masturbating in the dorm area (from his bed). I remember the women expressing they were uncomfortable with the transwomen being there, but they would whisper these concerns amongst themselves and almost never to staff. We all knew the staff/management would evict women before they would evict the transwomen no matter the situation.

Even though I was a transman, I knew I wasn't as protected as the transwomen were at Delores. And I don't know how to explain why I was valued less than a transwomen, other than to conclude it was because of my biological sex (which is female).

#unitedstates #deloresproject #domesticviolenceshelter #shelters #assault #singlesexspaces

making video calls from the women's changing rooms

I have been impacted by the behaviour of a trans-identified male in the changeroom at my local gym. This person has stood in front of the mirror and used their mobile phone to video-call another male whilst in the changeroom.

As a result of the trans-identified male using the front-facing camera and standing in front of me whilst I was putting a bra on, the male they were talking to on the video call would have seen my bent over, half-naked body and chest in the background. I felt like I couldn't tell the trans-identified male person to stop that or get out, because I was worried about being accused of being transphobic and not being able to use the gym anymore. It just felt like there was zero consideration for women's bodies or our right to privacy.

#australia #gym #changingrooms #phonecamera #privacy #boundaries #singlesexspaces