Abhina Aher on Inclusivity, Policies and Transgender Stigma in the Workplace

The celebration of Women’s Day 2021 at KelpHR was marked by a panel of influential individuals who came forward for a forthright discussion on the matter of global importance – women’s empowerment – a subject matter that is far from saturation. Gender discrimination, hostile workplace environment, quantitative solutions and more were a part of one of these dialogues and panels that begin with Abhina Aher, an activist, a Technical Expert at I-Tech India and Smita Shetty Kapoor, CEO and Co-Founder – KelpHR. “I am as much a woman as any cis woman”, says Abhina Aher directing towards the prevailing transgender discrimination. “The struggle faced by trans women around assertiveness of the preferred gender, accounts for their self-esteem to hit rock bottom,” says Aher. She expressed the need to ditch the perceived norms for the appearance of women. “Don’t judge me for the shape of my genitalia or the size of my breasts. Rather judge me for my intellect and my perception of life.” For Abhina, the earliest memory of discrimination on gender and appearance goes back to the age of 6 which continued till she entered the professional world. Even though it is one of the less-discussed matters, the bias faced by the transgender community in the mainstream workplace is perspicuous. “I was hiding my sexuality in a big way by moving around masquerading as a man to find a job,” says Aher expressing her personal struggle in the corporate world. “We don’t advocate for reservations but because we’re lagging by 300 years; we need some reservations.” Discussing the possible solutions to secure equal rights for transgender women, Abhina says, “If you’re in an organisation, you need to plug in the places where you can fit in transgender people.” Sensitization of management, protocols for asking appropriate questions, HR training, and gender-neutral washrooms are some of the solutions suggested by Abhina to bring transgender inclusivity to the corporate world. HR intervention, policies for the protection of trans rights, and women’s safety protocols are emerging in today’s institutions. However, a decade or two ago this seemed like a dream shimmering in the distance like a mirage. “I was struggling to sustain in mainstream society due to lack of such gatekeeping and eventually decided to quit.” This was a life-altering decision for Abhina as preceding this, she joined The Humsafar Trust which marked the beginning of her journey as an activist. From a peer educator distributing condoms outside public toilets to becoming a program manager-  summarizes Abhina’s journey of 8 years with The Humsafar Trust. “I was working for my people, on my terms, in a gender affirmative environment.” However, instability struck again post her transition. Being candid about her gender affirmation journey and transition, Abhina talks about the struggle of finding jobs in the corporate sector and in the NGOs which led her to indulge in sex work. “Identifying myself as a transgender woman deprived me of job opportunities in spite of having an experience of 8 years,” says Abhina shedding some light on the struggles post her transition. “The organizations I have worked for have contributed to my self-acceptance,” Abhina reveals while talking about her personal hardships. Society has collectively chosen to keep the identity of transwomen under the wraps. They are conditioned and coerced to dress and assert themselves as men. Aspiring to live by her identity as a dignified woman, Abhina paved her way through this prolonged transgender stigma when she joined Johns Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programme as a consultant. ‘For all the genders and sexuality’ is an impactful phrase that can be included in workplace policies. But is there anything else that organizations can do to make the trans community feel esteemed in a broader and truer sense? “Along with qualifications, take into consideration the zeal to work, competency of individuals to contribute to the work, and mentorship,” Abhina asserts. “Organizations should celebrate inclusivity and diversity to encourage people to be cathartic.” The ecosystem of workplaces should help women and transgender individuals to blend in well. Starting dialogues, educating the employees, reforming policies, and hiring a more diverse workforce can be a way to begin. Diversity is the essence of our culture. It is a matter of celebration and not shame. “Building an inclusive workplace will contribute to the profit of an organization. It will contribute to the brand value, and make you richer as a person.” Abhina concludes. To watch the entire interview with Abhina, click here. Celebrating and Standing with Pride #KelpHRstandswithPride This Pride month, KelpHR attempts to bring out every queer voice, be it from within the organisation or outside. Every voice needs to be heard. They need to be heard not only by the stakeholders of change but also by individuals and communities at large to be able to undergo the much required transformation that is of building safe and inclusive societies. At KelpHR we believe that having a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace is the key to business transformation and growth and that we must be inclusive of all persons irrespective of any differences. To know more about KelpHR’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion solutions do call us at +91-95001-29652, email info@kelphr.com, visit www.kelphr.com About KelpHR KelpHR was incorporated in 2013 to provide the best HR solutions to organizations, and to improve workplace culture across the board. Over the last 8 years, we have serviced more than 700 clients in India and a few overseas, across various industries in the areas of PoSH (prevention of sexual harassment at workplace), D, E & I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) and EAP. But the common objective of all of these services is to build safer, happier, inclusive and productive workplaces. For any of our other services related to Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) or Employee Assistance programs (EAP) do get in touch with us at info@kelphr.com, call +91-95001-29652 and we’d be able to help you with customized offerings suited to your organization.