Intersexuality and Trans-Identities within the Diversity Management Discourse

Abstract

Within both the scientific discourse on workforce diversity, and diversity management practice, intersexuality and transgender issues have hitherto remained marginalized topics. This chapter gives an overview of the discourses on both phenomena, and proposes starting points for more inclusive organizational diversity management initiatives. It is shown that both topics represent different aspects of the category of "gender". The common practice of conceptually lumping together intersexuality, transgenderism, and sexual orientation can be seen as one important reason that intersexuality and transgenderism are rarely considered in organizational diversity management programs in terms of concrete action. Against this background, a modified, and more integrated approach to structuring the workforce alongside the different dimensions of diversity is proposed. It is shown that the categories of "biological sex and gender", "gender identity", and "sexual orientation" cannot be regarded as being separate from each other. They represent, rather, an interrelated organizational field of action that should be considered as being one interrelated topic for organizational diversity practices. This chapter derives this claim theoretically and discusses the consequences for organizational diversity management practices. For most organizations, this would mean a fundamental rethinking of their goals, in terms of workforce diversity, and the shaping of their diversity management programs.

Diversity Management: A Critical Review and Agenda for the Future

“…The danger of weakening the starting point for these practices of redistribution, i.e. the clear distinction between men and women (or femininity and masculinity), can be seen as one reason for the still-prevalent marginalization of two phenomena within the discourse on diversity management: intersexuality and transgenderism (Köllen, 2016) Trans-persons perceive a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity, and different ways and degrees exist of adjusting their gender presentation to their gender identity.…”

“…This dichotomy regarding gender is, in fact, often reinforced by the fact that the terms gender and sex are very often used interchangeably and, especially in management practice, gender initiatives often aim at supporting biological women, or redistributing resources between two biological sexes. The danger of weakening the starting point for these practices of redistribution, that is, the clear distinction between men and women (or femininity and masculinity), can be seen as one reason for the still-prevalent marginalization of two phenomena within the discourse on diversity management: intersexuality and transgenderism (Köllen, 2016).…”

Transgender labour market outcomes: Evidence from the United States

“…This study excludes gender non‐conforming persons from the analysis because not all gender non‐conforming persons are transgender. Köllen (2016) states that while transgender persons may identify with a specific binary gender identity, intersex persons may not. The sample is also restricted to individuals between 16 and 65 years old, resident in the United States and who have provided relevant information for detailed employment and wage analysis.…”

“…Therefore, people may identify as a man, woman, a combination of both, neither or something entirely different regardless of their physical, hormonal or chromosomal characteristics (Davidson, 2016). Gender identity can be defined as personal perception of one’s own gender (Köllen, 2016). People whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth may refer to themselves as transgender.…”

“…Gender can be viewed as a spectrum on which common gender identities include men, women and non‐binary (Ozturk & Tatli, 2016). Although there is a difference between societal aspirations, attributions and aspirations of gender identity and an individual’s self‐ascription of gender identity (Köllen, 2016), this study assumes that all transgender persons use this self‐ascribed label on a day‐to‐day basis either publicly or privately. In this study, ‘transmen’ is a term used to describe individuals who were assigned female at birth but who identify as men and ‘transwomen’ refers to individuals who were assigned male at birth but identify as women.…”