D&I Update: Transgender Rights: ‘I Hope We Can Get More Acceptance’

International Transgender Visibility Day celebrates the transgender community and raises awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people across the world. World Intellectual Property Review interviewed Finnegan partner and LGBT rights advocate Linda Thayer for her insight on how the IP community can establish an environment of inclusiveness.

Linda said, “The IP field may be smaller than others, but we work with the companies on the leading edge of most industries. We can and should take steps to be on the leading edge of welcoming transgender, non-binary, and genderfluid IP lawyers as well.”

She also commented on access to healthcare for transgender attorneys. She said, “Not all health plans cover health services for gender transition drugs or surgeries, while solo practitioners may face higher premiums or discrimination in getting private insurance. There is also a patchwork of state laws and regulations, such as bathroom bills, which require people to use the bathroom of the sex which one was assigned at birth. This may make life more difficult for transgender, non-binary and gender-fluid IP lawyers, even if their employers are welcoming.”

Read, “D&I Update: Transgender Rights: ‘I Hope We Can Get More Acceptance’”