Interview with James Halleman
HRC: I’m here today with James Halleman, who works as a steel safety expert. For his whole life, James knew he was meant to be a man, even though he was born a woman. In 2001 James began a transition from female to male, but without protections at work, James suffered his co-workers’ harassment and was placed in dangerous situations when safety regulations were deliberately ignored by his bosses. James, tell us about your job.
James: I’m a steel manufacturer working in Albertus, Pennsylvania. I make couplings, wrap around steel — it’s a very interesting environment. It’s very hard work, very physical, hard labor. And transitioning on the job became an issue.
HRC: Tell us about talking to your bosses and co-workers about transitioning.
James: First of all, I was glad that I wasn’t fired to begin with. But then there were some issues that we needed to address with the rest of the co-workers — within the work place.
HRC: I understand you faced harassment on the job.
James: I faced harassment — probably more because of who I am and what I represent. It was an interesting series of years to go through to obtain equality. I fought for equality within the workforce. I wanted my co-workers to understand that I wasn’t about special rights; I was about equal rights. Dealing with the male and female dichotomy was the issue — where I basically was going to tell where I’m going to fit in, more than another gender. So I had to talk to them about what effects hormones would have on my body. And my co-workers, at this point, can’t even remember who — during transition at the beginning — what I looked like. So the changes are very profound.
HRC: Can you tell us about some of the interaction you’ve had with your co-workers and how they reacted to the transition?
James: Some people wanted to educate themselves about the issues, and others really weren’t interested. So you have to remember, on a scale of people, who are tolerant. And some people will not be tolerant no matter what level of education they’re given. So you have to remember, basically, to come across as a human being so you can build bridges with other co-workers. You don’t have to go overboard trying — just coming on a human level and meeting on a human level seems to make things work a little more smoothly. At least, for me it did.
HRC: Tell us about the dangerous situations you were placed in by your bosses when they ignored safety regulations.
James: A dangerous situation — I would say that I was basically made into a man, so to speak, by my co-workers. I had schedules changed on me. I was given pretty much some of the heaviest labor that they had available on a daily basis. I had co-workers walk off the line, and I was left there by myself. Help came, but it was slow in coming. Just basically being around that environment — my significant other was afraid that one day I would end up in the furnace. So it did have its very scary moments.
HRC: Why do you think it’s important that federal law protect transgender people from job discrimination?
James: Federal law encourages employers to deal with GLBT people fairly, and it gives protections where maybe state or local regulations do not. It helps employers get education that they need from specific organizations that have dealt with GLBT people in the workplace. Workplace protections are good because it’s fair and equal — as far as employers, and transgender people keeping their jobs. I think it’s about the quality of your life. It’s about retaining or maintaining your life status. When we transition, we basically carry with us the job skills we had before, and there’s really not much of a difference. There shouldn’t be, on a gender level. Thank you for your chance and your inclusion for transgender people in educating Capital Hill. This is a really important step, I think, that the HRC has taken in inclusion, and I’m very happy about it. Sometimes people are just like, “Well why do you keep talking?” Well, I’ll keep talking until we’re equal.