(Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression) SOGIE Policy

 Last Updated 07/16/25

Purpose: Our company does not discriminate in any way on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. This policy is designed to create a safe and productive workplace environment for all employees. This policy sets forth guidelines to address the needs of transgender and gender non-conforming employees and clarifies how the law should be implemented in situations where questions may arise about how to protect the legal rights or safety of such employees. This policy does not anticipate every situation that might occur with respect to transgender or gender non-conforming employees, and the needs of each transgender or gender non-conforming employee must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In all cases, the goal is to ensure the safety, comfort, and healthy development of transgender or gender non-conforming employees while maximizing the employee’s workplace integration and minimizing stigmatization of the employee. 

Definitions: The definitions provided here are not intended to label employees but rather to assist in understanding this policy and the legal obligations of employers. Employees may or may not use these terms to describe themselves.

» Gender identity: A person’s internal, deeply felt sense of being male, female, or something other or in-between, regardless of the sex they were assigned at birth. Everyone has a gender identity, including you.

» Gender expression: An individual’s characteristics and behaviors (such as appearance, dress, mannerisms, speech patterns, and social interactions) that may be perceived as masculine or feminine or androgenous or anywhere in between.

» Transgender: An umbrella term that can be used to describe people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from their sex assigned at birth. - A person whose sex assigned at birth was female but who identifies as male is a transgender man (also known as female-to-male transgender person, or FTM). - A person whose sex assigned at birth was male but who identifies as female is a transgender woman (also known as male-to-female transgender person, or MTF). - Some people described by this definition don’t consider themselves transgender – they may use other words, or may identify simply as a man or woman. A person does not need to identify as transgender for an employer’s nondiscrimination policies to apply to them. Some individuals are neither male nor female or are both. Biologically, anyone who is not cisgendered is transgendered. Which means that anyone who does not identify as the sex they were assigned at birth is transgender. This is true regardless of if they choose to transition and regardless of their gender expression.

» Gender non-conforming: This term describes people who have, or are perceived to have, gender characteristics and/or behaviors that do not conform to traditional or societal expectations. Keep in mind that these expectations can vary across cultures and have changed over time. 

» Transition: The process of changing one’s gender from the sex assigned at birth to one’s gender identity or to align more with one’s gender identity. There are many ways to transition. For some people, it is a complex process that takes place over a long period of time, while for others it is a one- or two-step process that happens more quickly. Transition may include “coming out” (telling family, friends, and coworkers); changing the name and/or sex on legal documents; and, for many transgender people, accessing medical treatment such as hormones and surgery. 

There are two primary types of transitions:

-------->> Social Transition: This is simple things such as a change in pronouns, a change of a name, the change in clothing, makeup or other aspects of physical appearance and the social awareness that one is different from how you might assume. It can also include puberty blockers.

-------->> Medical Transition: This can be hormone treatment, gender affirming care or any other medical procedures or medications to help one feel more comfortable in their own skin.

» Sexual orientation: A person’s physical or emotional attraction to people of the same and/or other gender. Straight, gay, and bisexual are some ways to describe sexual orientation. It is important to note that sexual orientation is distinct from gender identity and expression. Transgender people can be gay, lesbian, bisexual, or straight, just like non-transgender people. 

EVERYONE HAS A . . .  Sex Assigned at Birth, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Pronouns and a Sexual Orientation. If you are reading this, you have all of these things and should be respected on a daily bases for who you are and how you identify. You will do the same to our staff or you can exit the drive way in the same fashion you arrived.

Privacy:

Transgender employees have the right to discuss their gender identity or expression openly, or to keep that information private. The transgender employee gets to decide when, with whom, and how much to share their private information. Information about an employee’s transgender status (such as the sex they were assigned at birth) can constitute confidential medical information under privacy laws like HIPAA. Management, human resources staff, or coworkers should not disclose information that may reveal an employee’s transgender status or gender non-conforming presentation to others. That kind of personal or confidential information may only be shared with the transgender employee’s consent and with coworkers who truly need to know to do their jobs. Hearing a member of your staff using pronouns that are not typical of what you perceive as “normal” or hearing a member of staff mention being transgender or asking you to use their correct pronouns is not inappropriate for you, for children, for you your elderly family members or anyone. Transgender is a biological and scientific fact accepted by medical science and we, at 5 Acre Farm Daylilies LLC believe strongly in common sense, medical science and biology. We are hybridizers and have studied nature, which aids in the creation of our cultivars and denying basic science in favor of your mundane thoughts on a subject you have no expertise in or denying basic science in favor of your political views isn’t something we support. You are not entitled to discrimination, and your religion, politics or ignorance is not an excuse for your poor behavior.

Official Records 

Our company will change an employee’s official record to reflect a change in name or gender upon request from the employee. Certain types of records, like those relating to payroll and retirement accounts, may require a legal name change before the person’s name can be changed. Most records, however, can be changed to reflect a person’s preferred name without proof of a legal name change. A transgender employee has the right to be addressed by the name and pronoun(s) corresponding to the employee’s gender identity. Official records will also be changed to reflect the employee’s new name and gender upon the employee’s request. As quickly as possible, we will make every effort to update any photographs at the transitioning employee’s workplace, so the transitioning employee’s gender identity and expression are represented accurately. If a new or transitioning employee has questions about company records or ID documents, the employee should contact a member of staff for assistance. 

Names/ Pronouns 

An employee has the right to be addressed by the name and pronoun that corresponds to the employee’s gender identity, upon request. A court-ordered name or gender change is not required. The intentional or persistent refusal to respect an employee’s gender identity (for example, intentionally referring to the employee by a name or pronoun that does not correspond to the employee’s gender identity) can constitute harassment and is a violation of this policy. If you are unsure what pronoun a transitioning coworker might prefer, you can politely ask your coworker how they would like to be addressed. It is okay to make a mistake when using a person’s pronouns. It, however, isn’t okay to intentionally use the wrong pronouns or to refuse to use them for your own comfort. You cannot insist upon comfort in lieu of making a member of staff uncomfortable.

Transitioning on the Job 

Employees who transition on the job can expect the support of management and human resources staff. HR will work with each transitioning employee individually to ensure a successful workplace transition. Speak with a member of management for help with the process.

Restroom Accessibility 

Employees shall have access to the restroom corresponding to their gender identity, if it ever becomes applicable. 5 Acre Farm Daylilies LLC is a small business on personal property and doesn’t have commercial bathrooms. In the even these changes in the future, we will have gender neutral bathrooms and will structure ourselves in a trans-friendly way.

Discrimination/ Harassment 

It is unlawful and violates company policy to discriminate in any way (including, but not limited to, failure to hire, failure to promote, or unlawful termination) against an employee because of the employee’s actual or perceived gender identity. Additionally, it also is unlawful and contrary to this policy to retaliate against any person objecting to, or supporting enforcement of legal protections against gender identity discrimination in employment. Our company is committed to creating a safe work environment for transgender and gender non-conforming employees. Any incident of discrimination, harassment, or violence based on gender identity or expression will be given immediate and effective attention, including, but not limited to, investigating the incident, taking suitable corrective action, and providing employees and staff with appropriate resources.