LGL presents new publication on experiences by transgender individuals in the Lithuanian labor market

The National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL presents its brand new publication “#TRANS_LT: Documenting Experiences of Transgender People in Employment”. The summary of information collected throughout ten interviews with the members of the local transgender community clearly indicates that transgender people in Lithuania encounter numerous instances of discrimination and harassment at work.

The presented publication seeks to encourage dialogue with legislators, policy makers and implementers regarding the necessity of protecting transgender people from discrimination in the field of employment in Lithuania. The publication contains the results of qualitative interviews with transgender individuals, indicating that prohibition of discrimination on grounds of gender is not sufficient to ensure efficient participation of this social group in the Lithuanian labor market. Therefore it is recommended to include the grounds of discrimination based on gender identity and/or gender expression in the Lithuanian legal system. The English summary contains:

  • assessment of the social and legal situation of transgender individuals in Lithuania;
  • overview of interview results with transgender individuals regarding their experiences in the labor market;
  • recommendations for Lithuanian authorities with the view of ensuring efficient participation of transgender individuals in the Lithuanian labor market.

The National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL has been working in the sphere of transgender human rights since 2012.  Community building and involving the local transgender community in the organization’s activities remains a highly challenging process due to the prevailing transphobic attitudes in the Lithuanian society. In December 2015 as part of the #TRANS_LT social campaign, LGL launched social videos where real transgender people shared their experiences of what it takes to be a transgender person in Lithuania. These videos were watched on social media platforms more than 50,000 times. This publication is one of the results of the ongoing #TRANS_LT campaign, which seeks to involve transgender individuals in the processes of public policy directly impacting their lives.

This publication was developed within the framework of the project “Forging Forward Toward Recognition: Documenting Experiences of TRANS* Individuals in the Sphere of Employment” (project No. C-XIV-05) supported by ILGA-Europe‘s Documentation and Advocacy Fund. The successful implementation of this project was also partially supported by Transgender Europe (TGEU) with financial and expert resources. The opinions expressed in the publication do not necessarily reflect any official position of ILGA-Europe or other donors.

#TRANS_LT: Documenting Experiences of Transgender People in Employment, 2016