To anyone else fighting for workplace protections, Parker insists on finding allies. “Don’t do it alone. Find an ally in HR. Find an ally in legal…So much of the work was even just knowing the right people to talk to, who to approach, how to approach them.”
25 years ago, Rachael Parker took a job at Intel as a closeted transgender woman. She thought it would be safest to keep her identity hidden, but after a year of holding this secret inside, she couldn’t do it anymore. Seeking guidance, she joined what was at the time the company’s GLB employee resource group for gay, lesbian, and bisexual employees. Parker was the only trans-identified member.
“At the time it would have been perfectly legal for Intel to say, ‘That’s weird, we don’t want you here,’ and fire me,” says Parker. “There weren’t any protections for trans employees. So that’s what I started to work on with HR, internal allies, and advocates.” For two years, Parker made presentations to various Intel leaders, continuing to move up the ladder until she was finally able to present to those at the very top. “I had a few minutes to come in and make my case," she says."And they said yes. And that was amazing.”
To anyone else fighting for workplace protections, Parker insists on finding allies. “Don’t do it alone. Find an ally in HR. Find an ally in legal…So much of the work was even just knowing the right people to talk to, who to approach, how to approach them, and that’s stuff you can get help with from your allies.”
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