Diversity and Inclusion for Transgender Staff

In 2016, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued Executive Order 16 (EO16), which states that persons have the right to use the single-sex facility in city-owned buildings that most closely aligns with their gender identity. New York City Health and Hospitals (H+H), the country’s largest public health system, is committed to ensuring an affirming experience for transgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) staff and patients. In an effort to implement EO16 across the system, H+H’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion enlisted a Capstone team to research and identify best practices that support TGNC individuals. The team conducted site visits to evaluate individual facilities’ compliance with EO16, interviewed key staff members, and reviewed best practices on creating a welcoming environment for TGNC people. Based on these activities, the team produced guidelines for making TGNC-welcoming environments and an audit guide for H+H to evaluate future facility compliance with EO16.