Vice Chair for Trans, Intersex and Non-Binary Inclusion

I’m delighted to be writing to you all as the Civil Service LGBT Network’s new Vice-Chair for Trans, Intersex and Non-binary inclusion.

During the last CS LGBT Chair’s election, I was one of many gender-diverse Civil Servants pushing candidates to commit to this network doing more for our section of the community. Networks play a huge role in promoting diverse, inclusive environments where people can bring their whole selves to work and be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their background. Nobody deserves that more than trans, intersex and non-binary colleagues.

With this in mind, I could not be more excited to launch a programme of work from the CS LGBT Network to promote trans, intersex and non-binary inclusion. However, starting from a pretty blank piece of paper, I am acutely aware that we need the support of our gender diverse members and allies to help set the direction of this work, and the actions we as a network need to undertake if we want to deliver demonstrable, tangible and lasting outcomes for gender diverse Civil Servants.

To do this, the network will be undertaking 3 initial activities to set our programme of work, for which I need your help:

• Bring together as many trans, intersex and non-binary colleagues and allies as possible to a kick-off call – This work will only be successful if it’s led by our network’s members. I am keen to hold an open discussion with as many of you as possible and invite you to all to a kick-off call on Thursday 19th December 3pm-4pm to chat about the work you believe the CS LGBT Network should be undertaking, and how we should deliver it. There will be no ongoing time commitment required beyond attending this call. However, we will be asking for volunteers to help form a working group as part of this programme.
• Bring together local network leads on trans, intersex and non-binary inclusion into one forum – So many individual department networks are already doing amazing things for trans, intersex and non-binary inclusion. There is a lot of best practice that we’re not great at sharing between us, so for this programme of work to be a success, I’ll be looking to bring together gender diversity leads from individual networks to join a steering group where colleagues can share progress, best practice and help steer the work we’re doing.
• Develop and publish a strategic action plan for this programme of work – We can’t deliver effective change without a plan. Over the coming months, I hope to engage with as many willing volunteers as possible to set the ambitions, priorities and areas of focus for this programme of work together. Again, the work we undertake will always be led and influenced by our members. Once this is set, the plan will be published on our website, with regular progress on our work provided to our members.

You can sign up to keep in touch with the work we’re doing, or to let me know you’d like to be more involved by sending a blank email here and then replying with a blank response to the ‘Join request’ email you will receive, just hit reply and then send. For more help with this check this link here. Please do get in touch with me via trans-non-binary-inclusion@civilservice.lgbt if you have any issues signing up to the mailing list.

I’m already looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible next Wednesday, but anyone has any questions in the meantime please don’t hesitate to get it touch!

Thanks!

Trixxy