EY Business Mixer

Last night, to celebrate and raise awareness for our trans community, EY hosted our November Business Mixer in thier beautiful new offices on Bowen Street.

This week (16-22nd of November) is Transgender Awareness Week in Aotearoa: a week to celebrate transgender people and raise awareness to the issues faced by transgender (trans) people nationwide.

So why do we need to raise awareness?

Transgender people are more at-risk mental health issues than their cisgender (where their gender matches their sex) peers.  Risk of suicide is also greater for trans people. Up to 10% of transgender people report having engaged in suicidal behaviour in the year prior to the being asked and 22-43% have engaged in a suicide attempt at some stage of their life which is significantly higher than that of the cisgender population.

Transgender people also face issues daily including stigma in all areas of life such as accessing healthcare and challenges finding employment and housing.  So much so that transgender people are more likely to experience homelessness than their cis peers.  Whānau members may not be supportive of the transgender person’s transition and this can further lead to feelings of disconnection, isolation and rejection.

So how can you support someone who is transgender? There are so many ways that transgender people can be supported by those around them. A simple example might be asking a trans person what their preferred name and pronoun is.  Another thing that is helpful is accepting a trans person where they are at. People who are trans seek varying stages of transition for themselves and we cannot assume that all want to fully transition. Some may be happy with being referred to by their chosen name and pronoun, whilst others may wish to fully medically transition.  It is important to be supportive and meet them where they are at.

There are many other things that you can do to support your trans whānau, colleagues, and friends. For further information, the following may be helpful: Six things to celebrate this transgender awareness week.

Thank you EY for your hospitality and for supporting this important kaupapa.