What does it really take to create an inclusive world for trans and non-binary people? If you've ever wondered how to make meaningful changes - whether at work, in your community, at home, or beyond - you're in the right place. Hosted by Kai, President of TransFocus Consulting, Gender in Focus dives into the heart of inclusion, with real stories, expert advice and practical tips. Sometimes Kai will be joined by special guests, but each week, you can expect fresh perspectives, moments of reflection, and actionable takeaways to help you lead with kindness, confidence, and a whole lot of heart. Hey, maybe you’ll learn more about your own gender through different experiences. So, whether you're already on your inclusion journey or just getting started, tune in and discover how you can make change happen. Let's get started - change is just a conversation away.
Publisher
TransFocus
Category
business · education · government · society & culture
Someone Asked Us to Use "It/Its " Pronouns. Here's What We Learned
What are it/its pronouns, and why do some people use them? If you've ever felt unsure or uncomfortable using "it" for a person, you're not alone. In this episode of Gender in Focus, we share what happened when someone asked us to use it/its pronouns for the first time, and what we learned along the way.
A lot of people worry that calling someone "it" is dehumanizing, and it's easy to see why. "It" has a long history of being used to dehumanize trans and non-binary people, and it's still used that way today. But there's a real difference between a word imposed on someone to reject them and a pronoun someone chooses for themselves.
In this episode, we cover:
* What it/its pronouns are and how to use them in a sentence
* Why some non-binary and gender-diverse people choose it/its over they/them or neopronouns
* Why using "it" for a person can feel uncomfortable, and the history behind that
* Practical tips for practising it/its pronouns and recovering from mistakes
* What to do if you're still struggling
* What we learned using it/its pronouns during our pronoun initiative pilot
If someone in your life uses it/its pronouns, or you've just come across them and want to understand, this episode will help you move past the discomfort and get it right.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:51 What are it/its pronouns?
05:26 Why do people use it/its pronouns?
07:51 Why does "it" feel uncomfortable?
11:49 How to get comfortable using it/its pronouns
16:38 Alternatives if you're still struggling
18:21 Our first time using it/its pronouns
25:11 how to get involved
Need support for your organization? Book a free consult here: https://meetings.hubspot.com/nico-montagut?uuid=48b626f6-9983-4c3c-8ddb-cad8720b4589
Connect with us online:
🌐 Learn more about how we can support your workplace: www.transfocus.ca/organization 📸 Instagram: @transfocusconsulting
🎥 Watch our YouTube episodes here: www.youtube.com/@transfocusconsulting
📧 Email: podcast@transfocus.ca
➡️ Have feedback for us? Fill in this short survey: www.podcastsurvey.scoreapp.com [https://www.podcastsurvey.scoreapp.com/]
Gender in Focus is hosted by El Orchard and Kai Scott with TransFocus
28 Sept 2026
I Answer the Awkward Questions Trans People Get Asked Most
What are people actually thinking when they meet a trans person for the first time? In this episode of Gender in Focus, El puts Kai on the spot and asks the questions trans and non-binary people get asked all the time - questions people ask out loud far more often than you'd expect, including from complete strangers, and the ones many don't realize are invasive until they've already asked them.
From "have you had the surgery?" and "how do you have sex?" to "what's your real name?" and "how did you know you were trans?", Kai breaks down why each question lands the way it does, which ones he's happy to answer, and which ones he chooses to decline - and why that's okay too.
This episode isn't about shutting down curiosity, but more about understanding the difference between genuine, respectful interest and questions that cross a line, and knowing where to actually go to learn more about trans and non-binary experiences without putting any one person on the spot.
Whether you're trying to be a better ally, work more inclusively with trans and non-binary co-workers, or you've simply wondered what NOT to ask a trans person, this conversation offers an candid, unscripted look at what it's really like to be on the receiving end of these questions.
In this episode:
* Why "have you had the surgery?" is one of the most common questions trans people are asked
* Why "how do you have sex?" gets asked far more often than people think, even by strangers or at work
* The problem with asking someone's "real" name
* Why "when did you transition?" is more loaded than it sounds
* How to be genuinely curious about trans experiences without crossing a line
* Where to actually go to learn more, respectfully
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE RESOURCE: "Curious About Trans Experiences? An Ally's Guide to Asking Questions Respectfully" https://www.transfocus.ca/s/Curious-About-Trans-Experiences.pdf
Need support for your organization? Book a free consult here: https://meetings.hubspot.com/nico-montagut?uuid=48b626f6-9983-4c3c-8ddb-cad8720b4589
Connect with us online:
🌐 Learn more about how we can support your workplace: www.transfocus.ca/organization 📸 Instagram: @transfocusconsulting
🎥 Watch our YouTube episodes here: www.youtube.com/@transfocusconsulting
📧 Email: podcast@transfocus.ca
➡️ Have feedback for us? Fill in this short survey: www.podcastsurvey.scoreapp.com [https://www.podcastsurvey.scoreapp.com/]
21 Sept 2026
Why Your Gender Policies Keep Failing (And the Simple Fix)
Why does gender show up as the deciding factor in some workplace policies and programs - often in ways that quietly exclude trans and non-binary people - even when it's not really what's at stake? In this episode of Gender in Focus, TransFocus's Kai Scott and El Orchard break down the "Who to What" reframe: the framework they use to help organizations stop treating gender as a blanket category and get specific about what a policy or program is actually trying to achieve.
Kai and El unpack how shifting from "who" (someone's gender) to "what" (the actual need, interest, or purpose behind a decision) makes policies and programs clearer, easier to measure, and more genuinely inclusive for everyone - including trans and non-binary people.
In this episode:
* Why gender-designated washroom and changeroom policies often fail to create real safety - including a disturbing real-world case of a teenage girl forced to prove her gender to use a public restroom
* How "women in leadership" programs and women's groups can unintentionally exclude trans women and non-binary people - and how to build genuinely gender-diverse leadership programs without losing the point of the group
* A real example from an international hostel chain that completely rethought how it assigned gender-designated dorms with the help of TransFocus
* Where this framework can backfire: how vague "what" criteria have been used to discriminate against trans women, with examples from sports eligibility policy
* How the "Who to What" method connects to SMART goal-setting for setting achievable, measurable diversity and inclusion outcomes
Whether you're in HR, DEI, policy design, or just want practical language for talking about gender inclusion at work, this episode gives you a framework you can start using right away to support transgender employees, non-binary staff, and build a genuinely inclusive workplace.
Gender in Focus is a podcast from TransFocus, exploring gender diversity, transgender and non-binary experiences, and how organizations and individuals can build genuinely inclusive workplaces and communities. New episodes weekly.
Follow the show so you don't miss an episode, and if this one was useful, a rating and review helps others find it.
Connect with us online:
🌐 Learn more about how we can support your workplace: www.transfocus.ca/organization 📸 Instagram: @transfocusconsulting
🎥 Watch our YouTube episodes here: www.youtube.com/@transfocusconsulting
📧 Email: podcast@transfocus.ca
➡️ Have feedback for us? Fill in this short survey: www.podcastsurvey.scoreapp.com [https://www.podcastsurvey.scoreapp.com/]
Podcast Authority Score: 36 / 100
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