Coming Out and Transitioning in the Workplace

In general, both coming out and transitioning are often a process for individuals that takes time. There is no pressure or expectation to come out in the workplace, and this should be your choice and done on your timeline, when you are ready.  

We recognize that not all trans and non-binary people transition, and that some may transition socially but not medically, while others may identify as non-binary and engage in medical intervention, but do not transition.  

At BU, the transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming community is diverse, and we want to support you in your coming out and/or transition. We also recognize that some transgender people identify as stealth and do not want to be identified as transgender or with their prior name or gender, which we also respect and will actively work to honor.  

If you are coming out and/or transitioning while at BU, the following are a few things to consider. 

Timing

Only you know the right time for you to come out and/or transition. You may need time or leave for appointments, transition related care, and/or to manage necessary document changes during work hours (e.g., visiting the Social Security office or Registry of Motor Vehicles). Please check out the Additional Resources section for more information about this.  

Communication

Manager

Determine what information you need and/or want to share with your manager. Some things to consider are how you would like to communicate and whether you would like support in communicating with them. For instance, if you prefer, you can elect to have a point person or HR Business Partner meet with you and your manager or communicate with them on your behalf. 

Colleagues/Students (if applicable)

Similar to coming out to your manager, consider if and/or how you would like to communicate your coming out and/or transition to your colleagues, students, and/or those you supervise. Some employees send out an email to their team or ask their manager to send out an email that they develop on their behalf. Others prefer to share at a staff meeting and/or have their HR Business Partner, point person, and/or manager meet with their work group to inform them, provide some education, and answer questions. In the latter, it is your choice if you would like to be present at the meeting. Another consideration is whether there are others (e.g., students, employees from other departments, vendors, people outside of the university) who you would like to inform, and if so, if this is something you would like support in communicating. 

If you prefer to communicate with your colleagues by email, something to consider is that written communication can be forwarded to others without your consent; to deter forwarding communications, the email may be marked as confidential.