The ex-employee and some of their coworkers felt disrespected after trying to work with the company to make these simple changes: "I don't mind putting in the extra work, even though this shouldn't be extra work, to make sure that I'm included, but doing all this and still being ignored is frustrating." This dismissive attitude towards workers in something as simple as a name was not exclusive to LGBT2S+ workers, as even recently married workers struggled to have their correct name implemented. The ex-employee emphasized that they didn't feel that this was being done out of malice, but as a result of poor management and general disregard.

At this point, our conversation moved towards experiences surrounding gender, names, and pronouns with coworkers. These were much more positive. They happily stated how most coworkers, even those who weren't familiar with these topics, would become supportive with good faith discussions and a little patience. The ex-employee explained that when they treated coworkers’ questions respectfully, their coworkers made efforts to understand and show respect: "I don't go in kicking and screaming and demanding things to change, I go in nicely and try to explain. I want to show that these issues aren't just some fad and to help people to properly understand." Unfortunately, this attitude was not shared by management.

As workers, we must recognize the power we hold both in the workplace and in each other’s lives. The bosses will only treat us with respect when we force them to. While on the way though, we can also make improvements in each other’s lives by understanding and supporting our coworkers in their own struggles.