Trans and non-binary staff at Bracknell Forest Council could soon officially be allowed to wear their preferred clothing, change their preferred names and pronouns, and use their preferred toilets.

Councillors at Bracknell Forest Council look set to adopt new policies to support trans and non-binary staff at a meeting on Wednesday, July 5.

The proposed new policy says council staff will be “encouraged to dress however they feel most comfortable at work, provided their attire is suitable for their role and gives a positive image of the service they provide.”

It says: “The council has no gender assumptions around staff dress code at work and will support staff in their choice of dress in connection with their gender identity or expression.”

The draft policy also says it will support all staff to use whichever toilets they prefer, including the introduction of gender-neutral facilities. Gender-neutral toilets are already in use at the council’s offices on Market Street.

The draft policy says: “Staff can use the facilities (such as toilets) they feel most comfortable using. The council will work to provide appropriate facilities for trans staff, including gender-neutral facilities.

“Employees who are confirming to their gender identity will not be expected to use disabled/accessible facilities as an alternative.”

READ MORE: Bracknell Pride ‘will not be the last,’ says council leader

Trans and non-binary staff will also be able to request that managers and colleagues, council records, security passes, and computer systems use their preferred names and pronouns as soon as they wish to disclose them.

And they will also be supported to take the time off they need while undergoing transitioning procedures. Staff supporting family members to transition will also be supported to request time off, either as flexitime, time in lieu, annual leave or unpaid leave.

The draft policy document clarifies that the term trans refers to people “whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be when they were born.”

This opposed to “sex” which is a medical label “assigned by a doctor at birth based on the appearance of the genitals they are born with.” It adds that sex “doesn’t define who someone is, or what their gender identity might be.”

And it says that a non-binary person “is someone who does not identify with a binary gender.

“They may be neither man nor woman, both man and woman, or take another approach to gender entirely.”

Councillors on Bracknell Forest’s employment committee will vote on whether to adopt the new policy on Wednesday, July 5.