Transgender individuals employed in the formal labour market: a distant dream?

Abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to provide a contextual and legal analysis on the exclusion of transgender individuals from employment in the formal economy. The chosen research design was a case study, in which the city of São Paulo is examined. Through a qualitative analysis, this study subscribed to the Social Exclusion framework (Jehoel-Gijsbers and Vrooman, 2007) in order to investigate such exclusion, and it took into account the perspectives and experiences from three groups: i) transgender people; ii) human resources professionals and recruiters; iii) other stakeholders. Semi-structured and group interviews were carried out, and combined with secondary data, this study sought to explore to what extent transgender individuals have access to or are excluded from the formal labour market, the obstacles faced, how the national legislation posits itself in relation to the transgender community, and what can be improved to integrate them. The findings of this thesis suggest that the transgender community is excluded through a diverse set of motives, including widespread and institutional transphobia fostered by heteronormativity; insufficient access to basic services (e.g. health and education), and lack of protection from the legal apparatus. In conclusion, changes in the legal system and in companies' policies are key to overcome such exclusion.