TALENT TOPICS
BY KRISTIE OVERSTREET PH.D., LPCC, CST
Supporting Your Transgender
and Nonbinary Staff
ACCORDING TO A 2016 STUDY conducted by the Wil-
liams Institute, approximately 1.4 million transgender
adults are living in the United States. Since this study was
done several years ago, by phone, and only includes
people over 18 years old, we know that the true number of
individuals is higher.
You may have transgender and nonbinary staff work-
ing for you or have in the past, even though you aren’t
aware of it. There will be a continued increase in people
coming out as their authentic selves with continued
education, visibility in the media and recognition of
protection against discrimination due to gender identity.
As a manager, you must have the knowledge to work
with your transgender and nonbinary staff successfully.
Here are a few questions to consider.
l Do you ever feel a lack of confidence in your manage-
rial skills when working with your transgender and
nonbinary staff?
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l Do you wonder how you will handle a situation that
may arise with a guest regarding your transgender and
nonbinary staff?
l Do you have the cultural competency skills to work
with transgender and nonbinary staff?
These are a few of the questions that are most often
voiced by the spa professionals I work with. Many man-
agers, just like you, are seeking education and training
about gender identity because you know the needs you
face in the spa setting. In this article, I’ll cover terminology
that will help you better manage staff, focusing on occu-
pational qualifications with dignity and the importance of
support.
Terminology
There are many terms within the LGBTQIA+ community
and, as with all language, it continues to evolve. As you