New Team Member wants us all to do a training course on trans awareness

[Enterthewolves]

I am oddly cross about this, new team member appointed - our manager has emailed to say new team member is gender non binary they/them pronouns and wants us all to do an online course (offered by our employer) to inform us about trans issues.

The arrogance is gobsmacking - shall I ask everyone to do a training course on gender critical beliefs?

Yes please do!! Sorry this is happening to you. What a waste of time and money.

I would attend and make copious notes and query anything that misquotes the law.

If any staff member gets to dictate training, then suggest other diversity awareness; neurodiversity in the workplace, ageism, menopause etc.

I would just say no thank you

Who wants you to? The manager? Or the new staff member?

Yes I agree, if its the staff member choosing your training then you should feel free to offer other training courses.

Agree with this.

And if the training contradicts the law the employer will surely need to buy in further training to rectify.

We have awareness courses on ND, BAME, even menopause but I have never known a team member asking other team members to attend one!! It’s the sense of entitlement that astounds me. I’ll do the course and report back

I'd do that AND ask if the new team member will do all the other courses on offer as they feel course attendance is so important.

It's the new team member who wants you to do this training then, OP? Arrogance indeed. It's a while since I was an employee but I recall the procedure was generally to keep your head down a bit, observe the workplace culture and slot yourself in unobtrusively as a newcomer. You certainly didn't start by throwing your weight around.

This does not bode well. But definitely try to find similar on line courses about disability, religion whatever in the workplace .

Suspect they may be trying to set the team / individuals up for discrimination cases?
"Look, Enterthewolves" failed to attend the awareness course that I specifically demanded and now she's misgendered / been phobic/ unaware / literal violence etc .
Maybe ask for some due diligence first? What is the course? Who runs it? Is it legally accurate? How does it relate to your workplace? Is it run by the the colleague? Do they financially benefit from it?

I wouldn't do it. I'd be friendly and smiley to new colleague as I would any other incoming person, but my stall would be set out early and firmly on such matters.

Sorry, I won't be attending or complying with pronouns. It is against my religious/personal beliefs.

Word of warning - I'd be really careful in any dealings/interactions with the new team member. We had a similar request and basically it seems the new member was setting herself for a discrimination claim. Honestly I'd log all interactions between myself and them.

Jeez, there was a time when you started a new job and did the mandated training and took some time to learn the lie of the land. Now it seems it's a case of waltzing in and demanding that everyone else takes the training that's "all about meeeeeeee!!!!".

Gosh if this is how they start their employment, you're in for a wild ride I feel. Good luck to you. They'll find it hard to do their actual paid job because they'll be so busy looking for anything that misgenders them or causes them offence

This!

Yep. Even if this isn't a set-up situation, what happens when someone behaves like this is that everyone knows instantly to give them a very wide berth.

Hang on, when did your training needs be managed by a colleague?

I'd respond that I was well aware of trans people thanks, no need for a course.

I’d maybe cut this person a break.. sounds like someone in recruitment went ‘ooh goody I can up my diversity hire quota and look like I’m completely forward thinking and innovating for the business! What can we do to make things more comfortable for you NB person? We already offer lots of diversity courses, shall we do a special new one?! It’s really no bother at all this is our ‘culture’ haha’

Word of warning - I'd be really careful in any dealings/interactions with the new team member. We had a similar request and basically it seems the new member was setting herself for a discrimination claim. Honestly I'd log all interactions between myself and them.

Yes, be extra wary.

You also want everyone to do a course on supporting working women through the menopause, remember

I'd ask that you attend all the sessions tbh

Well Jake Graf is front and centre….

Wow, is it time we all demanded our colleagues attend a training based on recently established range of gender critical beliefs?

As in, we are legally allowed to not agree with the belief that there are 100 genders, and our society should be based on that, or that as our new colleague doesn't appear to know their sex we should all agree we don't either.

It does rather depend on the content of these courses they demand you all attend, to ensure the new stuff member 'feel safe' presumably, and everyone complies with Equality Act.

I'd be interested in analysing the courses' contents in view of Forstater and Bailey decisions, personally.

"The arrogance is gobsmacking - shall I ask everyone to do a training course on gender critical beliefs?"

'I'll do yours if you do mine', you could offer that lol.

And yes, the sense of entitlement is exactly gobsmacking.