What is your employer's attitude?

[O2B Barbara]

I work for a midwestern utility (electric and gas) called Alliant Energy that is predominately in Wisconsin & Iowa. My employer has made several attempts to indicate that they are GLBT friendly and will tolerate absolutely no harassment or negative comments from employees regarding anyone in the GLBT community, fellow employees or otherwise. There is a group that is mentioned on the company web site called AEPride for the GLBT employees. While I have seen a fair amount of diversity training and material as to Alliant's position of total acceptance, I have not seen a 'coming out' of the GLBT community. Attempts to get in contact with individuals of this group have not produced any results for me. I admit I am still in the closet at work so have not helped the promotion of this group.

My first question is what are other reasonably large corporations doing to promote acceptance and how 'out' are their employees?

And second, I am wondering if there are any fellow Alliant Energy employees on the forum?

[Starr]

There are several companies that are coming out as diversity companies but the real teller is do they include gender presentation in their diversity statement. There is also a web site on workplacediversity that list jobs and companies that have great diversity statements.

[sissystephanie]

I work for myself, so my employer is totally accepting of my Crossdressing!!

[AmberLynn]

I work for myself, so my employer is totally accepting of my Crossdressing!!

Same here,self employed handy man,and since i get dirty a lot,i dont even underdress while working. Id hate to get all the sewer uck and that on my bra's and panties

[marny]

unions bite. big government bites. can you tell I am small business

[lingerieLiz]

I don't know about Sears today, but 10 years ago they had a very liberal policy about diversity. I was doing some consulting for them, corporate, and was asked to attend one of their diversity training sessions. Several of their employees were very open about their status. Have no idea how the stores were and what changed when K'Mart took over.

[Karren H]

The energy company I work for isn't people friendly let along GLBT friendly...

[janelle]

unions bite. big government bites. can you tell I am small business



Its not only little unions & small business, it large 1's also. Mine has done nothing for me except take my dues. SUXS!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ugly Michele]

Not sure about AE but brother works for AEP had a co worker go through a sex change, they made everyone go through training for when she came back to work on how she was to be treated.

[JenniferR771]

I had a cd (maybe TS) friend at General Motors. She (he) was helping to write the Human Resources policy statement on GLBT situations. I lost touch. I am not sure how it all worked out.

Well I searched and found a few more facts about GM Plus.

http://wiki.gmnext.com/wiki/index.ph...Affinity_Group

[Jennifer in CO]

When I transitioned back in 79 my employer threatened anyone who couldn't "deal with this" to walk out the door now or he'd fire 'em. I now work for myself so employee/employer relations are just fine...

Jenn

[flatlander_48]

My company has had an LGBT employee resource group for about 10 years now. It's about 20 members, of which half or a bit more are allies. By and large the company is quite supportive. Our group sponsor is our CTO and we also have a strong ally in our CFO. However, for a company that employees maybe 7000 to 8000 employees within 25 miles of where I'm sitting right now and maybe 25000 globally, you can see that it is a very tiny number. But, after finally getting GLBT questions on our periodic Climate Survey, we know that our true population is much larger than that. However, for many reasons, people choose not to come out. For the record, after being a member of the group for about 5 years, I finally came out to the members as a bisexual but not as a CD.

As a larger manufacturing company, we have people from all over the world and all over the US working in the local business offices, R&D facilities and external manufacturing sites. Any kind of diversity that you can think of is represented. But, because many of the manufacturing locations are in small rural towns, so there can be challenges for anyone other than white males. LGBT folks and their issues are 'way down the list.

I was fortunate to attend the 2009 Out and Equal Workplace Summit last month for the first time. My company has sent several people each year for a while now, but I have been out of the country for most of the last 5 years. GM Plus was mentioned above. They received the Outie Award for Resource Group of the Year, along with GLIFAA, the LGBT organization for the State Department and USAID. The O&E site is: http://outandequal.org/ and there is lots of information on this past conference as well as several of the more recent ones. Some of our members even led a workshop session this time.

The more we push for things like marriage equality, we find out exactly where folks hot buttons are. Ultimately you learn that you have to use all the tools you have, but 2x4's to the head usually have less than desirable effects (much as we'd like to use them!)...

[Karen564]

My first question is what are other reasonably large corporations doing to promote acceptance and how 'out' are their employees?

Just ask, and you shall receive ....http://www.hrc.org/issues/workplace/benefits/11832.htm


I've been self employed for 7 years, so the boss is very cool about it..LOL

[Vickii*]

It's none of my employers business. I don't need to show up to work crossdressed to wash dishes.

Work is work. Play is play.

I realize that its different for other cd'ers, but that's where I'm at.

[flatlander_48]

It's none of my employers business. I don't need to show up to work crossdressed to wash dishes.

Work is work. Play is play.

I realize that its different for other cd'ers, but that's where I'm at.

True, but becomes a different deal if you are in the process of transitioning. That's where legalities and workplace issues can come into play. As for as employee resource groups go, I don't think CDing is really included as such. When you talk about LGBT folks, these are all constants that are inherent. CDing may also be inherent, but we come and we go; we purge and start again. It isn't necessarily a constant and probably isn't something that needs to happen all the time. If it is, then I suspect that we would be a lot closer to transgendered.

[janelle]

When I came out at work & transitioned all the said was this is the 1 & only restroom you can use until surgery & if anyone does anything to me that I do not like tell them."we have a no harassment policy" & we will fire them.

Right tell on my workers, get someone fired, which I could have done, & then try to work with everyone else, I DON'T THINK SO!

Because of their way of thinking, training is not needed. Now how blind is that. & my super great awesome union says, " they can do that". Alot of help, right, nothing but pains in the a??.

Sorry for getting uptight it just works me up when I think of them doing that & than turning around & saying the employee's are important & we want to help you all out, BS.

thanks for reading my rant.

Hugs, Janelle

[Christinedreamer]

I have a good friend who works for Verizon. They have an excellent GLBT policy and he is a team leader. He travels the country for them partly as a tech teacher on computer systems and also as an organizer and teacher for the GLBT groups and the "sensitivity and diversity" programs that are required of all employees.

Verizon also has a program that pays our MCC church for the time he puts in as the church accompanist. It is a rather hefty monthly check for a small church.

[Toni_Lynn]

My employer (one of the largest banks in the USA .. and one of the healthiest), is very GLBT friendly and has explicit policies regarding discrimination.

That said, I have one co-worker (a peer) who I believes suspects about me (she may have seen the shadow of a bra strap or over heard a conversation with my wife). She treats me like crap. I have mentioned her snotty attitude to my boss, not mentioning that I am a CDer, and have been told that the next time she says something or mistreats me, I am to immediately call the corporate hr ombudsman

Huggles

Toni-Lynn

[Samantha43]

I don't want to find out. I'll keep my hobby a secret.

[Carroll]

I don't know about Sears today, but 10 years ago they had a very liberal policy about diversity. I was doing some consulting for them, corporate, and was asked to attend one of their diversity training sessions. Several of their employees were very open about their status. Have no idea how the stores were and what changed when K'Mart took over.

I work there and from what I have been told from our HR (who is also a really great girl) Sears has an anti-discrimination policy for the LGBT employees

[DaphneGrey]

When I came out at work & transitioned all the said was this is the 1 & only restroom you can use until surgery & if anyone does anything to me that I do not like tell them."we have a no harassment policy" & we will fire them.

Right tell on my workers, get someone fired, which I could have done, & then try to work with everyone else, I DON'T THINK SO!

Because of their way of thinking, training is not needed. Now how blind is that. & my super great awesome union says, " they can do that". Alot of help, right, nothing but pains in the a??.

Sorry for getting uptight it just works me up when I think of them doing that & than turning around & saying the employee's are important & we want to help you all out, BS.

thanks for reading my rant.

Hugs, Janelle

They protected you as best they could from hostile employees, what could they have done to make things better? If it is not negotiated in your contract your union can only make sure your employer is following the law. Again what would you have them do?

It sounds like you still have your job, and also sounds like your company tried to protect you and make provisions for you during your transition. I know it probably wasn't easy but I am not sure what you are complaining about.

[Jilmac]

I am retired from We Energies (also in Wisconsin) and I can say that they try to promote diversity in all areas of the business. However there are still some very macho departments and shops where employees will take every opportunity to harass a TG person. I knew a person who transitioned in the 70's while she worked as a truck and equipment mechanic and she put up with verbal abuse every day until she transferred into a department at the corporate offices.

I worked in the construction department and knew that I would be subjected to similar harassment from my co-workers if I had ever come out to any of them about my dressing. So even though the company was LGBT diverse, departmental co-operation and enfrocement was sporadic at best. I believe the public utilities are leaders in ethnic and gender diversity but more has to be done on an individual basis to accept all people.

[janelle]

Thanks Daphne,Hope I got it right, anyways. Our contract states the company can add coverage, they won't even talk about it with me & my union does not want to show tha company that statement to help with insurance.
Maybe I expect to much & than I know I don't. Those of us that transition just want to treated as any other woman. I can see not letting us use changing rooms before surgery if people are up tight but a restroom, come on. We just want to our business get. I have heard comments that "the other girls" are afraid I will look thru door cracks or other men may try to say they are going thru this just to get in.
I told the company no man could get in there unless they gave them a letter of treatment & that seemed to take care of that, I suggested the training so the ladies would understand what is going on. Again a flat out no by the company & the union said " do you really think we need this"
" we don't, live with it".
Now I ask if you were paying 12.00 a week for dues wouldn't you at least like a better answer than that. Maybe I have to be a bitch & when things are said that should not be turn them in & let the chips fall where they may. Thats not me & I am99.99999% sure I never could do it. So whats your great answer to fixing all this??? Like the union, live with it, thats life.
Don't get me wrong I understand where you are coming from but than don't leave open statements in contract your not willing to fight for( insurance claus).

Sorry for ranting.

Hugs, Janelle

[cd_jamie]

I am a independant contractor/truck driver leased to a small company. they have no policy in place for glbt rights. so needless to say they have no clue i like wearing womens clothing.(yes I am rebuilding my stash) and its goona stay that way.

[NathalieX66]

Corporate, family-oriented, and golfing oriented.....and those are just my friends.