Sexual orientation vs sexual practices vs gender identity.

“Coming out”  means primarily acknowledging your own lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender identity to yourself.  Coming out to others is not a one-off experience, LGBT people have to make decisions on whether to (or not) disclose, often on a daily basis. This can be an ongoing source of stress and distress.  Heterosexism – assumption of heterosexuality, +/- judgment of its superiority in terms of moral value.

Harassment in the workplace can lead to the organisation and/or the individual being found liable and having to pay compensation.

The umbrella term transgender includes transsexual people and transvestites.

A trans-man is someone who transitions from a female label at birth to a male gender identity.  When the transition is complete, their trans identity could be considered a part of their past medical history, rather than an on-going identity.

Trans vestites (medicalized? “Cross-dressers” better?) have no desire for any permanent transition but enjoy aspects of the opposite gender and may have a temporary identity including a different name.

Trans sexual protected under Equality act by EU gender directive 2007.

It is the impact on the individual that determines whether bullying, harassment or discrimination has occurred, not the intentions of the perpetrator.

Gender recognition act 2004 allows trans sexual people to apply for full legal recognition of their acquired gender (evidence must be provided).  It is also a crime to disclose previous gender without express permission.

Under legislation it is also illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis that they are heterosexual!

[Good LGBT practice in NHS document, Stonewall Scotland]