"I try to be as invisible as possible"

Under the radar 

Adam told the TUC: "I'm a trans man but I haven't come out at work. I was bullied a lot when I was younger and that had a big impact on me. I really struggled a lot.  

"I work for a big retailer with around 300 drivers and hundreds more people working at the depot. 

"I like to keep under the radar because the job is going well for me here.  

"In the past when I've been more open, I've not been treated as well as straight or cisgender staff at work and have been let go. I can't prove it was because of my gender identity or sexuality - but I know that it was really. 

"Now I don't want to do anything to mess up my work life here as this is a good job – and I obviously have bills to pay. I can’t afford to be unemployed with the cost of living crisis.” 

Keeping a secret 

Adam continued: "It's not nice not being able to be my whole self at work. I feel like I'm keeping a secret all the time. It wears you down.  

"But there are so many people here that all it would take is for someone to take a dislike to me, and everything could change. I can’t take the risk.  

"I hear other drivers sometimes making crude comments, and they include me in them because they think I've had the same experiences. I'm perceived as being 'just another guy'. 

"I'm always watching what I say and how I behave because I don't want anyone to out me.” 

Micro-aggressions 

"I was worried what would happen once I had surgery - when I started here, I was still binding my chest. I was nervous people would notice I'd had time off work and would see I had a different body shape. Luckily the guys I work with aren't that observant! 

"In my job as a truck driver I'm mostly by myself, it's only 20-30 mins in the morning when you see the other drivers and pick up your keys and paperwork. 

"Sometimes they'll be looking at a story about a trans person in the paper and they make derogatory comments. It's these kinds of micro-aggressions you must endure. You can’t say anything, but it hurts you.” 

I just want a quiet life  

"I wouldn't come out in this job. Basically, I just keep my head down and get the job done. 

"I've been hyper visible in the past and it had consequences. 

"So now I've gone to the other end of the scale, and I try to be as invisible as possible. 

“I just want a quiet life.” 

*Name has been changed to protect Adam's identity