cfa lgbt housing guide updated-4 (1) - Flipbook - Page 43
HOUSING GUIDE
Best Practice
Best Practice
HOUSING GUIDE
Some of the ways the Coalition for Aging
LGBT encourages respect and inclusion
of Transgender residents in senior living
communities are:
BEST PRACTICE
Our LGBT cultural competency staff
training (see page 27) spends time
clarifying the distinctions between sexual
orientation and gender identity as well
as exploring the various terms under
the Transgender umbrella. Transgender
people are also featured in our video
training components. We coach staff and
residents alike to ask others their “goes
by” name and, when not sure, how to
appropriately ask what pronouns they
would like used and how to use them.
Transgender
Inclusion and
Awareness
Transgender people are perhaps the most vulnerable when
it comes to finding safe and welcoming senior housing.
While younger generations may be more flexible in their
understanding of gender fluidity and identity, senior populations
may not have been exposed to accurate information about
transgender people.
In North Texas, there have been incidents of staff refusing to
use the correct, chosen name and pronoun of Transgender
residents. Even in cases where a Transgender person has
not changed their birth certificate/legal status, staff must
demonstrate respect and dignity in their names and pronouns.
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Our Best Practice for
nondiscrimination
policies for
employment and
resident bill of rights
emphasize gender
identity as well as
sexual orientation
in their inclusive
language (see page
13).
Our Best Practice for Intake Process and
Forms also utilizes steps to make the
forms and interview more inclusive for all
persons (see page 21).
Our LGBT programming for residents
(see page 30) aims to create safe and
welcoming communities. Transgender
education and awareness are part of the
activities or even the focus of a Coffee
Talk or movie discussion or community
event. We help community staff work
with residents to address and decrease
any bullying or discrimination thus
improving the living context for any
transgender residents.
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