In Pisa, a girl was fired because she is trans

Women face discrimination every day in life and in the workplace. Paid less, promoted less in all areas (including the academic one) and in every part of Italy (including Milan). Now, a new case that occurred in Tuscany a few days ago and reported by the Voice helpdesk forces us once again to reflect on the intersectionality of the feminist movement and women's demands, and above all prompts us to ask ourselves and reconsider what it means and what challenges it poses to be women and to be trans women in Italy in 2024. The answers to our questions may not be reassuring. At all.

Women and work: the case of Pisa

Few details emerge from the report of the helpdesk in Pontedera (Pisa), in the interest of the privacy of the affected employee, who has now sued her former company. However, the story goes like this: a girl informed her employers that she was starting a gender transition process, effectively revealing her identity to everyone. A few days later, surprisingly, a termination letter was delivered via email citing "poor productivity." According to her, though, it's discrimination. Not just because of the timing but, in her words, also because "The company had just made new hires, only to fire me after I came out." 

Trans rights in Italy: a sore spot

To this day, in Italy, Law No. 164 of April 14, 1982, passed during the Spadolini I Government, allows transgender people residing in Italy to legally change their gender. This does not mean the process is easy, quite the opposite. This law, in fact, does not provide for an implementing regulation, so the procedure is the result of a generally shared interpretation, which still leaves significant gaps and involves in an initial phase technical experts and courts, in a second phase doctors, in a third phase a return to the courts to finally change the civil status data for gender and name. In short, a not easy path, which requires economic but also emotional commitment and which often is complicated by technicians, doctors, and in general, transphobic professionals or those with little understanding of what it means to be trans people, effectively prolonging the process. 

A problem of politics and society

In short: there's the law, there's a process (though imperfect and subject to variations and difficulties), what's missing? Other laws, more precise and structured, that protect trans people in their journey and also in the workplace, specifically. And then also education, awareness raising, understanding, and willingness to fully understand the paths of trans people and women, their importance in feminist struggles, their experience and what they endure every day in life and at work in a nation that, even politically, has never tried to meet them halfway and where coming out is equivalent to becoming marginalized. To realize this, just read the comments on the news, bounced by national newspapers, think about the porno-centric view that appears of trans women on television, in the news, and in cinema, and the words of government and religious representatives, who too often do nothing to clarify misunderstandings and prejudices, indeed incite hatred and ignorance, worsening the situation of trans and non-binary people even in everyday life.

Transphobia and discrimination: what can we do?

As usual, what we need to do is speak up, discuss, report. As cis women, for whom gender identity felt and assigned at birth coincide, use our privilege to protect trans women, at work and in all areas of life. To do so consciously and to stay informed, it might be helpful to start following MIT, the Trans Identity Movement, which on Instagram and beyond does excellent work in defending the rights of trans people. Another useful thing, when approaching feminist movements, is to try to understand their position regarding intersectionality, and avoid those that do not address the specific issues of trans women, leaving them alone.