Comparative Analysis of Employment Disparities, Precarity and Decent Work between Trans and Cis People in Portugal

Abstract

While the societal acceptance of trans people has made strides, discrimination remains prevalent in professional settings. The concept of decent work denotes the minimal acceptable standards for the workforce. Conversely, precarity encompasses a multifaceted construct with various indicators, including unemployment. Achieving decent work necessitates the absence of discrimination, ensuring inclusivity for all individuals. Nevertheless, when trans individuals encounter discrimination in professional contexts, and considering the interconnectedness of precarity and gender identity, along with the literature suggesting elevated levels of unemployment among trans people, it becomes crucial to explore their professional integration experiences. Consequently, this study seeks to compare disparities in unemployment, precarity and decent work between trans and cis individuals. A questionnaire, featuring previously validated instruments (Decent Work Scale, α = 0.86, and Employment Precariousness Scale II, α = 0.86), along with custom questions, was administered to a sample of 202 participants (97 trans and 105 cis) between 11 October 2022 and 14 November 2022. The collected data underwent analysis using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) Statistics 28 and Mplus. The results underscored distinctions between each group’s professional realities, concluding that trans people exhibit higher rates of unemployment and precarity while experiencing lower levels of decent work when compared to cis people. This prompts inquiries into the factors contributing to these differences and an exploration of the consequences of trans individuals limited professional integration.