Transgender people may find themselves renting from openly intolerant or disrespectful landlords. At a time when they most need a supportive, welcoming environment, these tenants will be placed at risk of abuse.
This is illustrated by the following example. An Aussie landlord decided it was okay to ask his young transgender tenant completely inappropriate questions.
I just wanted to share something that happened to a friend of mine who recently moved up to Brisbane. My friend is a young Transgender woman in her early 20's and, unless she mentioned it, you would never know. In this case she decided to be upfront purely because she is a very honest person, the result was pretty disgusting.
I wish I could name and shame the landlord but my friend prefers not to say who, but I would like to still post this to show the attitude of some people who seem to think that when a person is Transgender, they give up their right to be treated with respect and shown a level of dignity. Transgender people are not freaks, they are not peadophiles nor sexual perverts, they are normal people trying to live their life true to themselves.
Even though landlords and their agents perform an important public function, they are not required to undertake training on diversity. Landlords don't have to undertake any training at all, despite the impact they can have on the lives of their tenants.
The Property Services Training Package (CPP07) is a set of nationally endorsed qualifications and competency standards. In Victoria, for example, the Certificate IV in Property Services (Real Estate) prescribed by the Business Licensing Authority is based on that framework.
While there is some recognition of the importance of diversity in the national framework - it could be better, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) in its overview of the 24 units doesn't even mention diversity let alone equal opportunity for the LGBTQI community or any other minority.
The private rental sector should be a safe space for all, including members of the LGBTQI community. Here are some pointers for landlords and letting agents:
- Don't ask your tenants if they are gay - first of all because it's none of your business and second they might be concerned about discrimination
- If you are unsure of what pronouns to use - for example "him" or "her" - follow their lead and see what language they prefer
- Don't ask your tenant about their sex organs or sexual practices - transgender or not - it's rude and unacceptable
- If you're not sure how to refer to your tenant's partner, instead of using the "friend" euphemism, ask what term they prefer
- If you want to show your support - place a sign in your window saying "The LGBTQI community is welcome here" or better yet "We support marriage equality"
