According to Shaun, Pichler (April 3, 2005 ) in ‘trans-genders in working places’ Michigan University, the culture of lesbians, gays and transgender is here to stay, the culture is as old as human history, only that it was not as published as it is in recent times, the public has to wake up and face reality, you can stigmatize the individuals involved, but when you look at it in another dimension, you realize that it has no boundaries, your relatives, family, daughter, son, might turn out to be one! The in-depth of the gay, lesbians and trans-gender culture is felt everywhere globally, although it is a minor group compared to other cultures.
Even as “culture wars” rage the reality is that gays, lesbians, and bisexuals and transgender acceptance are making slow and steady progress across workplaces, the differences that may be perceived by co-workers as strange is their perceived gender identity and sexual orientation, most co-workers cannot understand nor fathom what these relationships are all about, ‘a woman to woman and a man to man relationship’? They wonder, and the culture of gays, lesbians and trans-gender is viewed as ‘abnormal.’ by other co-workers who are a majority. hence discrimination, bullying and isolation what makes it more difficult for gays, lesbians, and trans-genders in the workplace, is that co-workers don’t take time to understand them and writes them off as soon as they get informed of their sexual orientation. They are selfish enough not to understand that these gays, lesbians, trans-genders are human beings who have feelings, who even try to find out the origin of their sexual orientation?
As a manager with employees who are of diverse sexual orientations and gender identity, I would encourage dialogue about sexual orientation and gender identities and acts to create a conducive workplace that is healthy and respectful of cultural diversity amongst employees. Offer information or education to the ill-informed workers informing them that it is through respect, dignity, and equality for all l we can reach our full potential at the workplace. Making the information clear and accessible to the broadest range of the diverse working community.
Provide policies that would protect gays, lesbians, and transgender against discrimination at the workplace. Ban discrimination of any given group at the workplace. Create an environment in which all workers despite their sexual orientation can be valued and encouraged to grow to their full potential in the workplace. Make it clear that anyone caught or found harassing any other work because of their cultural difference would be relieved of his/her duties at the company.
Create a workplace environment where gays, lesbians, and transgender persons may enjoy working, with full civil and legal equality and may participate fully in the running of workplace affairs with all privileges accorded to all others.
Personally, I feel that everyone has a right to live their lives in the manner they perceive right, even their sexual orientation is their business, that no one has a right to interfere with other’s lives least of all private lives. I also think sexual orientation should be a private matter which should be kept out of workplaces. why wash dirty linen in public places? But, because gays, lesbians, and trans-genders have decided to be making their affairs open and public and even conduct weddings, they need rights to protect them from the ill-informed society. As to if lesbians and gays have civil rights in workplaces the war is far from being won,
States are making steady progress in extending non-discrimination laws protecting Individuals, based upon sexual orientations and gender identity. According to GLBT campaigners for lesbians gay and transgender rights(2009).in ‘campaign for all cultures,’ a quarter of the states plus the District of Columbia ban discrimination against gays and lesbians and also bans discrimination based on gender identity. While other fewer states ban discrimination just against gays and lesbians. Society, be it a workplace, or any other place is learning to live with the lesbian, gay and transgender culture, only time will tell.