Transgender Discrimination in Puerto Rico: An Analysis From a Queer Perspective of Labor Experiences

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show the impact of the gender binary in the workplace, with a special focus on the experiences of the TRANS community in Puerto Rico. This research article, written as a queertext, highlights how social perceptions of gender influence job opportunities, recruitment, and selection processes, as well as discrimination in the workplace. Rooted in social constructs, binary gender norms lead to violence and discrimination against those who dare to challenge them. The research for this article was conducted between 2018 and 2022 utilizing a queer methodology that enabled the authors to compile first-hand insights in relation to the working lives of 8 Puerto Ricans of TRANS experience through in-depth interviews and discussions. The findings emphasize the challenges faced by the TRANS community in the job application process, including the need to navigate identity disclosure, dress codes, and social expectations. It also notes the impact of colonization on the construction of the concept of gender in Puerto Rico and the need to continue advocating in favor of TRANS rights. In accordance with the political scope of the queer research, this article declares its commitment to denouncing the abuse of this minority group and vindicating the legitimate rights of this collective, echoing—but not voicing—the claims that the TRANS community has been making for some time.