Transgender and Gender-Diverse Individual's Experiences of Openness and Concealment at Work in Sweden

The workplace is an important part of many people's lives. Many transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals have negative experiences of their workplace due to discrimination and cisnormativity. Whether or not to be open about TGD experiences, and the degree of openness, is something many TGD individuals struggle with at work. Openness is related to well-being and job satisfaction and is therefore important to consider when understanding TGD individuals' work situations. This article examines TGD individuals' experiences of openness and concealment regarding their TGD experience at work. Thirty TGD adults from Sweden participated in online semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results show that the organizational climate and physical environment, as well as leadership and human resources, set the stage for an inclusive or excluding workplace for TGD individuals. For the individual, these aspects are taken into consideration when weighing up the risks and advantages of being open about their TGD experience at work. Factors such as work climate, the presence of LGBTQ+ colleagues, and access to safe facilities make a difference in the decision about, and experience of, being open or concealing one's TGD experience at work. Personal values, and a prerequisite to pass or not, affect decisions concerning disclosure and create different challenges in managing working life as a TGD individual. Findings are helpful in better understanding TGD people's situation at work and are of use for work management and policymakers in creating a better work environment for TGD individuals.