Trans staff
The staff engagement form does not directly ask new members of staff to confirm if they have undergone gender reassignment, or are in the process of doing so, although the national application form does. However, it does ask them whether they describe themselves as trans. During the monitored period five or fewer members of staff identified as trans. This indicates a low occurrence when compared with rates of trans people in Scotland, which is about 0.6% of people.
It should be noted that eESS allows members of staff to amend their personal details, including equalities information. It also contains the question “Have you, are you or do you plan to undergo gender reassignment (changing gender)?” Members of staff have the option to respond “Yes”, “No”, “Don’t know” or “Prefer not to say”. Several communications have gone out to staff to inform them of the ability to amend their personal details, including equality information, on eESS. The language of eESS is, in the context of trans individuals, out of date, and misrepresents the process of transition as a chiefly medical exercise.
The eESS system does not account for third gender or non-binary gender options, which would fall under the Trans heading.
