Supporting Transgender Individuals in Emergency Housing Facilities in Germany

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Transgender issues have become increasingly significant in emergency housing assistance, highlighting vulnerabilities to discrimination and violence. The current binary gender structure in German emergency housing poses challenges, emphasizing the need for informed service providers to avoid reinforcing social exclusions. Implementing inclusive policies and adopting a case-by-case approach are crucial for respectful and effective support. The Yogyakarta Principles underline the importance of upholding human rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

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Best Practice?! Supporting transgender people in emergency housing facilities in Germany. Current challenges and development possibilities in a binary- gendered assistance structure 02/06/2023 Natalie Haug Diakonie Frankfurt und Offenbach, Germany

Contents 1. Transgender issues as an increasing phenomenon in emergency housing assistance 2. A gap in principles and guidance 3. Implementing appropriate policies at different levels in order to meet needs 4. Practical experiences of supporting transgender women in Frankfurt 5. A case-by-case approach preferable to ensure respectful and optimal outcomes 6. Special or not? FEANTSA FORUM 2023 2 00.00.00

All human beings are free and equal in dignity and rights. All human rights are universal, interdependent, indivisible and interrelated. Sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to every person s dignity and humanity and must not be the basis for discrimination or abuse. (Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation (2018): The Yogyakarta Principles - Principles for the Application of Human Rights in Relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.) FEANTSA FORUM 2023 3 02.06.2023

Trans issues as an increasing phenomenon in emergency housing assistance Studies have verified that transgender people are vulnerable to discrimination and violence in many areas of society Issues related to transgender people are becoming increasingly important for emergency housing assistance Early studies have also shown that there is a connection between gender self-identification and the risk of becoming homeless 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 4

Trans issues as an increasing phenomenon in emergency housing assistance The German system for inpatient emergency housing and emergency homeless shelters is currently organised predominantly along binary gender lines Those seeking assistance are distinguished according to their assigned sex, the supposedly natural cis-gender* and would be accommodated in facilities for homeless men and women The danger arises that social exclusions of transgender people are reinforced if service providers and staff are insufficiently informed on the subject *the adjective cis implies congruence of one s gender identity with the sex assigned to one at birth, commonly determined by visible physical sexual characteristics 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 5

A gap in principles and guidance So how to support clients who define themselves as transgender within this system? No overarching guidelines or frameworks for handling this issue in germany until 2020 In 2020/21 a group of experts from emergency housing facilities, academia and law developed recommendations for actors in emergency housing facilities in order to the Federal Working Group on Assistance for the Homeless (BAGW): https://www.bagw.de/de/publikationen/pos-pap/diversitaet 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 6

Implementing appropriate policies at different levels in order to meet needs It is important to raise awareness of issues of transgender people at different levels within the homeless sector: 1. Individual action of professionals: - Developing a so called Rainbow Competence : Rainbow competence refers to the ability of a social worker to deal with issues of sexual orientation and gender identity in a professional, unprejudiced and non-discriminatory manner (Prof. Dr. Ulrike Schmauch 2020, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences) 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 7

Implementing appropriate policies at different levels in order to meet needs - access to and interest in knowledge of gender diversity, of the use of appropriate terms and of the particular life challenges faced by transgender people - a platform for discussion in which gender self-identification is recognised, respected and supported - to offer help to obtain access to additional support, especially when access could be impeded by their transgender identity - information, discussion and educational work with other residents, guests or clients about the topic 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 8

Implementing appropriate policies at different levels in order to meet needs 2. The structural-institutional level: Facilitiy concepts should be evaluated and adapted with regard to sexual and gender diversity. This could include: - structural alterations to sanitary facilities and shared sleeping accommodation - team training sessions, the development of a common team approach, the revision of guiding principles and concepts 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 9

Implementing appropriate policies at different levels in order to meet needs - cooperation with specialist transgender facilities; the development of specific services for transgender people (e.g. by advertising places explicitly for that target group publicly within the helping system) - the visualisation of gender diversity within the facility (e.g. by placing symbols such as stickers and flyers at the entrance and in offices) 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 10

Practical experiences of supporting transgender women in Frankfurt Opening up inpatient emergency housing facility for transgender women challenges and opportunities: Between 2020 - 2022, more and more admission requests from authorities, counselling centers and transgender women themselves, especially for the emergency overnight area Accessing women's facilities, especially to emergency overnight area with shared sanitary facilities, is often difficult for transgender women seeking help Staff arranged for an externally consultant to lead an offsite seminar on the topic in the summer of 2022 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 11

Practical experiences of supporting transgender women in Frankfurt Within the framework of a reflection process, the some of the main questions arising were: Is it possible to accommodate transgender women in the emergency overnight area with shared sanitary facilities? If so, how? What are the limits and who sets them? How can the facility support transgender women who are at the very beginning of their transition process and who have not (yet) changed their marital status or do not want to do so? 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 12

Practical experiences of supporting transgender women in Frankfurt How do other residents perceive and interact with the transgender women and how can they be supported and potentially make more aware of transgender issues? What changes are needed in how the facility is set up and its house rules? How do staff deal with their own uncertainties? What support do they need? What special requirements might there be in a residential group setting compared to single flats? 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 13

A case-by-case approach preferable to ensure respectful and optimal outcomes Participants indicated that they found it particularly difficult to deal with the topic of setting rules on assessing transgender women s physical characteristics: Who should determine that a transgender woman seeking to be admitted was 'too masculine' or 'feminine enough ?! 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 14

A case-by-case approach preferable to ensure respectful and optimal outcomes There were no clear answers to some questions (yet), but despite some remaining uncertainty, facilities could nevertheless begin to be more open to admitting transgender women: An admission of transgender women should be made possible in every area An admission should no longer be rejected as a matter of principle 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 15

A case-by-case approach preferable to ensure respectful and optimal outcomes The following criteria, among others, were developed for this purpose: The person's gender self-determination as a woman should be recognised in principle and not determined solely on the basis of official identity documents and/or physical characteristics. If a transgender woman is admitted who is possibly still read as 'male', it is discussed with her how she herself and the staff would like to deal with possible questions from or even difficult interactions with other residents. 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 16

A case-by-case approach preferable to ensure respectful and optimal outcomes The overall set-up of the facility and the house rules, which all clients have to sign upon admission, should be revised and supplemented with an express reference to the fact that the facility is a discrimination-free space. Staff members are offered training on the topic of gender and sexual diversity 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 17

Special or not? The recommendation and the practical experiences are describing the field of tension between possible special needs of transgender people and, at the same time, that generalised 'special treatment' is not always either desired or the best approach. It may be more efficient to break with binary gender structures and ideas and integrate transgender people into existing emergency housing services instead of reproducing exclusionary structures or automatically resorting to individual placements. 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 18

Special or not? A participatory and anti-discriminatory approach to transgender people should always be based on the individual needs and wishes of transgender people themselves. It should combine the possibilities of specific shelter on the one hand and integration into existing services by rethinking and reflecting on existing binary gender structures on the other 02.06.2023 FEANTSA FORUM 2023 19