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Navigating employment

Navigating employment after starting to transition can be a complex and daunting process. With proper preparation and an understanding of the job-seeking process, you can successfully manage your career and seek understanding and safety with a new workplace. Whether you're seeking new employment opportunities or handling workplace situations, there are practical strategies that can help you navigate these challenges. We talk about two key scenarios that trans people face here: job seeking when your appearance does not align with your legal gender, sex marker, or the name on your certifications, and handling unwelcome comments at work about your gender expression or identity.

Trans people and the job-seeking process

Trans people whose appearance does not match their gender marker on their NRIC or official documents may encounter discrimination during employment, particularly during recruitment.

This can also occur when school certificates display a previous name or originate from a single-sex school, revealing the applicant’s transgender status.

Here’s what to expect at each stage of your employment journey and strategies to address potential issues:

During your job application

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Your curriculum vitae (CV) or resume: you are not required to use your IC name on your resume. Instead, use your preferred name along with your actual surname. Consider omitting your photo, as hiring should be based on qualifications, not appearance.

This excludes specific gendered roles in the service industry, such as air stewardesses and nursing.

Certificates: More traditional employers, including government agencies, may request your education certificates early in the recruitment process.

You can explain any discrepancies in your name when you send documents across, such as mentioning your preferred name or attaching a deed poll if you have had your name legally updated.

If there has been a recent employment gap due to medical reasons (surgery, for instance) assure potential employers that you are ready to work.

Be proactive and intentional, and look for the positives: “I took some time off to take better care of myself and to explore what I wanted in life; in the meantime, I learnt some skills that I hope I can bring into this position.”

If you pass as your gender, there is usually no need to explain your gender identity unless and until they have offered you a position and are asking to verify your certificates.

During interviews

Prepare for possible questions about your gender identity — this is fairly common. Responses can be perceived as defensive; while saying ‘I don’t think my gender has anything to do with the work’ can seem like a natural response, it may not be well received with employers or interviewers who may be unfamiliar with transgender people, and with interviewers who feel that they are just being curious.

It is your choice if you prefer to work in workplaces that are more accepting of trans people. However, this choice may not be available to some.

If you fall into this category, consider these responses instead:

  • State your gender identity
  • Express appreciation for their interest in understanding you better
  • Redirect the focus to your skills and qualifications
  • If you are binary, it may be better to state male or female upfront, rather than to use phrases like “authentic self” or “gender identity”, which could be seen as avoiding the question. They may not recognise terms such as gender identity. You can support your answer with how you have been using gendered spaces in public, and it helps to reassure your employer if you have done so for an extended period of time.
  • If you are non-binary, your answer may depend on the organisation’s work culture and dress code. It may help to think of the office gendered attire simply as a uniform. You are performing a role, and outside of the role you can then be your full self. Such an attitude is common in professional work cultures and in countries such as Japan, China and South Korea. You may feel that you want to be able to express your gender identity at work — you could consider checking with someone working in the company about their office culture. If you don’t know anyone, you could also request to speak to HR or a potential colleague regarding this.
  • You may politely decline to discuss any surgeries, emphasising privacy and irrelevance to job performance
  • Highlight that it does not impact your ability to perform in the role
  • Express enthusiasm for the role
  • If you are binary, explain your restroom choice aligned with your gender identity, or your openness to using gender-neutral facilities, which usually means the handicap or executive toilets. If you are applying to a conservative company, they may be more comfortable if you are open to using gender-neutral facilities.
  • If you are non-binary, you may consider reassuring them that you will use the toilet aligned to your sex assigned at birth, or gender-neutral facilities.
  • Gently put across that transitioning is a personal and private journey, that can vary.
  • While for many, transition can never really be ‘complete’, employers are usually seeking reassurance that you will not take a leave of absence for procedures like surgery. If you do have plans for gender reassignment surgery in the near term (like in a year or so), consider informing your employer, though this may make you less likely to get the role.
  • Reassure them your readiness for the role.
  • Consider the company culture to gauge their preference for openness about gender identity. Some employers may have a preference for trans employees not to be out at work. They may not have had a trans employee before, and attitudes could change once they have a positive experience with one.
  • You could consider responding to the question with another — asking if they have a preference.
  • Some may ask you to be out as part of a culture of ‘openness and honesty’. Explain that your gender identity does not affect how you communicate and contribute to the workplace.

    • If you are well-prepared, and your answers do not come across as defensive or rude, you may even impress your interviewers with how you handle a difficult situation.

    When you are offered a job

    If you prefer not to disclose your gender identity to your new colleagues, discuss with your recruiter or HR how the company and your manager will safeguard this information. Concerns may include preventing negative repercussions and harassment while at the company.

    If you are considering a job with a company that is openly trans-friendly, congratulations!

    You may wish to take a look at our article For Employers, which includes a list of trans-friendly policies and practices. You can verify if the company provides any of these any time after your final interview.

    During onboarding and orientation

    Should you disclose your gender identity to your new workplace?

    It depends on how comfortable you are with potentially invasive questions about your personal life, including some badly misplaced intentions to dissuade us from our ‘lifestyle’. There may also be members of senior management that discriminate against LGBTQ+ persons. Be prepared to end up spending more time advocating for yourself and the trans community — go ahead if it’s your cup of tea!

    Once you have decided whether or not to disclose your gender identity, let your manager know.

    Understand that diversity work is also work, and you should consider hours done working on advancing diversity in the workplace (including talks and initiatives) as part of your paid work hours (i.e. if you work overtime to deliver a talk on trans and LGBTQ+ identities in the workplace, make sure they know that you are on OT and that they pay you for doing so). Consider advocating for external transgender organisations to help with sensitisation, if your company wishes to organise talks.

    We also discuss considerations on coming out at the workplace in our article on Coming Out.

    Dealing with negative experiences at the workplace

    You might encounter negative experiences relating to your gender expression or identity.

    Our community research from 2024 indicate these could include jokes; comments relating to your “lifestyle”; being misgendered; not having your chosen name respected; being forced to use particular restrooms; or even being pressured to come out.

    These unwelcome actions and remarks, disrespectful to our identities, are known as subtle acts of exclusion, or microaggressions.

    In Singapore, these often stem from a lack of understanding or widespread cultural transphobia. The ideal response for cultural transformation is to educate and foster empathy.

    Considering the internalised transphobia and general ignorance about trans people in our culture, when someone makes an insensitive remark for the first time, you can try to correct them gently. If they did not intend to offend (yes, even with trans jokes), reacting too strongly can reinforce their transphobia or defensive behaviour.

    Unfortunately, repeated cycles of microaggressions, met with constant vigilance, can escalate into harassment.

    Here is a tip on how to communicate if someone makes an insensitive trans joke: “I noticed (insert action). That makes me (insert emotion) because (insert reason). Would you be open to (insert specific request).”

    For example:

    “I noticed that you made a joke about trans people. When I hear jokes like that I feel concerned because I believe in creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels respected. I’m wondering if we could have a conversation about how certain jokes might impact our team dynamics? Would you be open to discussing it further?”

    Advocating for yourself can be challenging, especially under pressure. It is crucial to find colleagues and senior management who are supportive.

    Note that those who do express support may still not understand the challenges trans people face. They may harbour internalised transphobia, or not understand why you would need a particular accommodation (for instance, they may not see why jokes about trans people may be offensive, or they may not see a problem asking you to travel to a country that is unsafe for trans people).

    In rare cases, if you encounter a person who is behaving in a deliberately malicious manner, you should clearly set your boundaries. A simple request to stop their behaviour is usually enough. If they persist, let them know that you find their actions harassing. Beyond that, you may report it through corporate workplace whistleblowing channels. If you are experiencing harassment or discrimination, find out how you can protect yourself in our article Handling Workplace Harassment.

    The T Project and TransgenderSG offer sensitisation workshops for organisations, so we can inform and educate allies in the workplace on what it means to be trans. Reach out to us!

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