Transgender Awareness Week is recognised as a time for reflection, a time for celebration, and a time to highlight the issues faced by trans and non-binary people.
Everyone should feel welcome at Carnival UK however they identify. We’ll be using this week to bust some misconceptions about what it means to be trans, what support is available at Carnival UK and some actions we can all take to help us create a culture of belonging.
Busting myths with facts
Coverage of trans people in the UK press has risen dramatically, with the Home Office suggesting that the increased discussion may have led to an increase in hate crimes. There are many misconceptions about what it means to be trans and it’s important to debunk some of these myths.
Only 0.5% of the population report having a gender identity that is different from the one they were assigned at birth in England and Wales. (Census)
A recent British Social Attitudes survey revealed that the UK is becoming more prejudiced towards trans people.
Recorded hate crimes against transgender people in England and Wales rose 11% in the last year, according to Home Office figures.
Despite what the media depicts, there are very few trans people in UK prisons. The Ministry of Justice reports that trans people make up an estimated 0.16% of the UK prison population.
Most trans people are happy that they have transitioned. Detransitioning is very rare at less than 1%.
Coverage of trans people in the UK press has risen dramatically, with an average of 154 articles published every single month since 2015. That’s over 13,000 articles focused on less than 1% of Britain’s population.
Transgender people are around twice as likely to experience threats of physical or sexual harassment or violence compared with the LGBT community as a whole.
Number of police recorded transgender hate crimes in England and Wales from 2011/12 to 2022/23
Want to bust some more misconceptions?
Lunch and learn: A conversation with Jason Summers
Tuesday 14 November, 13:30 – 14:30, Teams and Carnival House
Jason (he/him) is an ambassador for trans people, choosing to be a visible role model, public speaker and active champion for his LGBT+ siblings. This will be a safe, supportive and open space, so whether you fear saying the wrong thing, you’re not sure what words like ‘dead naming’ mean, or you’re simply curious to learn more about Jason’s experience, come along and find out more.
Supporting our trans colleagues at Carnival UK
There can be a lot of pressure on transgender and non-binary people to conform, change and prove their gender to others. Here at Carnival UK, whether you work ship or shore, we want everyone to feel safe, included and able to bring their whole self to work. We aim to support our colleagues on an individual basis, making reasonable adjustments wherever possible, and supporting you wherever you are in your journey. There are a number of ways we do this:
Take a look at The Bridge, where you’ll find our Transgender policy as well as colleague and manager guides to support you.
We have gender neutral toilets on the ground floor of Carnival House, as well as gender neutral shower facilities in the undercroft.
Get involved with Spectrum, our LGBT+ and Friends employee-led-network. Find out more here.
If you’re struggling or are in extra need of support, our employee assistance programme is here to help. Find out more here.
We partner with Inclusive Employers, who offer a wealth of training and support both ship and shore. Our onboard HR Managers also have access to this fantastic resource.
On board, we’ve been working on on our inclusive culture, with a range of tools to support you to play your part in helping everyone to feel respected and included. Find out more here.
Later this week, we’ll be sharing some actions that each of us can take as individuals to be a better ally, every day.
Speak Up if something doesn’t feel right
Whether it’s directed at you or someone else, we encourage you to Speak Up if you’ve experienced something that doesn’t feel right, We also want to hear from you if you think we could do something better. Find out more about Speaking Up here.