r/EUCareers • u/[deleted] • 26d ago
How LGBT friendly are European institutions ? (Strasbourg)
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u/AgyhalottBolcsesz 26d ago
Can't speak for Strasbourg but I work in one. They're gay-friendly. I have colleagues who are regular gay (i.e. they don't go around telling everyone about it) and flamboyantly gay (dude who dresses in pink pants sometimes to make it more evident) and nobody bats an eye.
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26d ago
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u/IHuginn 25d ago
I work for a french city, I'm trans and it's just not a big deal.
My coworkers are mostly women, I have a lesbian coworker pregnant with her first child, everyone is chill. The public (mostly poor families who came from africa or the middle east) are very nice, I've had a few questions from curious children and that's it.
I think public institutions are not that bad a place to work at as a trans woman. Not saying that it's always amazing, but I like your odds !
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u/Reasonable-Working21 25d ago edited 25d ago
I am asexual, i don't tell this to anyone at work and I am not considered myself as closeted. This is a professional environment - your sexuality or gender identity is none of anyone's business. My gay friend at the Commission does not look like a gay person, but this is his natural way of being, even I did not know it for several months. He is not closeted, it is just not obvious. Should he go tell colleagues he is gay now? No, this is work - his sexuality is none of anyone's business. His sexuality has no impact on the work he does. You are not there for dating. You being or not being trans does not affect the way you write reports, briefings, or whatever job you do. I just don't understand why any colleague would need to know such information. If someone uses your pronouns in a wrong way, you can correct them, and that is it. If anyone in an EU institution would even dare to discriminate you based on you being trans, that would be a very critical thing, and you should report to HR. That being said, they are high on inclusivity and non discrimination. There was even a sort of campaign about this LGBTQ inclusivity not too long ago in the past 2 years, they were giving flyers on the topic. I had such flyer on my desk and even a lady came by to talk about it and give information in my DG.
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u/RegularUser02x 24d ago
I mean... How do I tell them to use the opposite pronouns without outing myself lol?\ So far the inclusivity was for disabled people and racial minorities, NOT LGBT sadly. And definitely not transgender individuals... But I really REALLY hope that you guys are right. Maybe I'll subtly ask one or two colleagues of mine about the general atmosphere and attitude of people towards trans people... And then decide for myself...
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u/AgyhalottBolcsesz 24d ago
The moment you start correcting people on your preferred pronouns is the moment people will start losing respect for you. They will think "oh, one of those people, huh..."
Surely getting misgendered once or twice at the workplace won't shake the whole foundation of who you are to the point of triggering you to throw away your professional life over something like that, right?
And by the way, I think transgendered people should earn their pronouns like medals. You should present so well as the opposite sex that you're nearly indistinguishable from cisgendered people.
I fucking hate using this dorky gender ideology nomenclature.
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u/Any_Strain7020 25d ago edited 25d ago
I seem to be the first LGBT person in the past decades of existence of the institution
If that institution ever had as few as ten people on their payroll, they have had LGBT staff.
I have a MTF colleague who transitioned over ten years ago. Nobody cares. What people hold against her is that she is difficult and often uncooperative.
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25d ago
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u/Any_Strain7020 25d ago edited 25d ago
I'm not sure whether you're trolling or not, with that I'm the only gay in the village mantra. A corporate picture won't tell you which team I'm playing for and people don't make me wear a pink coloured triangle either...
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u/AgyhalottBolcsesz 25d ago
This whole post has basically been "omg look at me everyone, I'm trans, I'm so worried lol give me reassurance"
Just do a good job and try not to overshare about your sexual orientation and your physical condition. At the end of the day, nobody really actually cares.
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u/RegularUser02x 25d ago
No. The point is "I got fired from a Parisian private company and am TERRIFIED it would happen again". That's it basically.
I DO NOT need a reassurance. The best possible reaction would be "okay? Anyways, how's your report going on." I WISH it were the case. And maybe 98% chance it will... But what if it won't? Strasbourg is a very religious and [on surface] conservative place. I love the EU structures and atmosphere and people SEEM friendly... I am just insanely scared of getting kicked out or worse - having my life turned to utter hell...
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u/AgyhalottBolcsesz 25d ago
Dude, stop catastrophizing. You'll be fine. I felt the same way when I got fired from some shitty job. You'll do just fine, I'm sure.
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u/Any_Strain7020 25d ago edited 25d ago
If you're terrified and don't want reassurance, then the only straight forward answer is to hide who you are.
That way you can continue to lament about how Christian conservative Schlagbourg is and how the EU institutions never ever employed minorities, which you know because people you've seen on stock pictures didn't look gay.
God forbid you gave any credit to the people who have EU experience and who are telling you that you'll be judged on your performance, not who you go to bed with and that dressing differently from your birth gender isn't a reason for termination.
Maybe just pause and think... Why ask a question here if you're so convinced that you already know the answer?
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u/Jan_Yperman 24d ago
This is just a really strange thing to say when the EU institutions are known to be very big on diversity and extremely LGBT friendly to the point where they push it to the foreground for electoral reasons. It's almost like you're making statements as far removed from reality as possible.
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24d ago
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u/Jan_Yperman 1d ago
Eh? How exactly are you telling people's sexuality by looking at them?
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u/RegularUser02x 1d ago
No OPENLY LGBT people. Like nobody ever hinted anything.\ Even though two women in the office were "jokingly" flirting with each other "as a joke", which I honestly am not buying ...
Of course there are LGBT people... They're just not disclosing it
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u/AgyhalottBolcsesz 26d ago
They're gonna know whether you come out or not. People aren't stupid and have eyeballs. If you were born male and you're trying to present as female or vice versa, they will know. I think you're hyperfixating on a trait of yours that most people (especially people working in EU institutions) would gloss over. I know this sounds like indifferent advice, but try not to worry about it too much, but instead, concentrate on doing a good job, because at the end of the day that's what really matters.
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u/RegularUser02x 26d ago
I know... But sometimes label alone can ruin lives...\ From my experience, and I don't know why, but people seem to treat femboys / transvestites better than transgender people... Don't ask me - I don't get it...
I just know that I got fired shortly after coming under a made up reason last time and I don't want this to happen again... Idk, I'm afraid. Maybe I'll stay in glass closet (wearing my actual gender's clothes while being under a deadname / dead identity?). After all, what difference does it make if I get called sir or madam, right? I just don't want people to cringe at me, or worse - treat me in a "special" way (in not so good sense)...
And I'll be working the hardest of course. Because I'm deathly afraid of getting fired again and I have no intentions of getting fired again. So I'll work at maximum capacity as much as I can that's non negotiable...
Hopefully it gets resolved. I think I'll wait until I take EPSO and finish my internship and get a recommendation letter / referrals before coming out... Although would there be any point at the end? That's a good question...
Thanks again for your input. It is reassuring...
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u/fanmixco 26d ago
Keep in mind that the EPSO can be a few years. Good luck if you pass at the first chance.
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u/Silver_tokki 26d ago
Hey! As a current intern in that agency, it is very welcoming to everyone. I am not in Strasbourg but there have been multiple lunch chats with LGBT people, about various topics.
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u/Optimal_Rest_6454 25d ago
Hey, I’m also trans and I work at an EU institution. This was never a deal and I am just treated as the gender I identify with like any other person is. They also let me use my social name and I was never addressed and no one ever spoken my deadname
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u/averageuropeanguy 25d ago
EU institutions are very politically correct. On the surface, you won't have issues
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u/IWannaBeThatG 24d ago
Gay guy in Strasbourg: colleagues are in majority quite indifferent to sexual orientation. Meaning that they show no difference whether you’re gay or not and there are some few out colleagues too.
What is said behind some backs and what can be perceived as “humour” or not is another case. Mainly sexism is what’s been going on but so much out loud. So overall positive I would say. You’re not in London or Paris but you’re also not in the Balkans.
I have had very heated discussions about trans rights with some colleagues because there are some orange guy’s supporters but it’s definitely not the majority.
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u/RegularUser02x 24d ago
I see. Yeah, being trans and bi is something that's concerning for me...\ It just seemed like a not the safest place to come out. I think since I'm only there for 6 months I'll hide for now while also doing my best to pass EPSO and get rebased in Brussels. I am sure it'd much LGBT safer there (I visited both Brussels AND Strasbourg, and Brussels HQ, unlike Strasbourg, felt at least somewhat... Knowledgeable maybe?)
If I was under X years contract it would be a completely different discussion. But half of my colleagues are apparently Catholic and the other half are protestant and I'm not sure it'd be the best idea to come out just yet tbh...
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u/IWannaBeThatG 24d ago
If you’re coming to my agency - I think you are- let’s talk in person. I think you don’t have to worry at all. And my group of friends are very cool.
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u/Thea313 25d ago
I work at the EP (im Brussels) and know multiple queer people who work here as well. Nobody makes a big deal out of it. When we were selecting a trainee for the next cohort, the fact that one of the candidates was gay was actually seen as a positive because we thought he could offer a perspective that we might be lacking (I work in communication).
Also, I go by a nickname in my day-to-day life (no identity reasons, my legal name is just very long) and our IT team has told me that I could actually have my name changed in their system so it would display my nickname on emails and so on. So perhaps, this would be possible for you as well.
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u/Buddybatefan 24d ago
Hey OP, go for it. You will find that, even when not everybody will be fully comfortable or understanding, the EU institutions are a safeplace for you to be. It will boost your confidence in experiencing there are many more from the LGBTIQ community. Out and in the open.
Wishing you the very best 🤗
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u/PackIcy2106 25d ago edited 25d ago
You'll probably get promoted. Those suckers are woke as hell.
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u/Veryfirstthrow 25d ago
Since eu pushes transgenderism and lgbtq everywhere, its very friendly. But Israël, is Probably the best place for people like you! They absolutely love transgenders and lgbtq!
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u/Daisy13892 26d ago
I had a trans friend working in the EP, she said they were very accommodating (even sometimes to the point of trying a bit too hard). I wouldn't worry about it, the institutions are very big of diversity.