Unhiding at Work

Kat Kibben joins Joanne Lockwood to explore what it means to hide and “unhide” at work, and the personal cost of living with two versions of yourself. Kat reflects on growing up in a military family, navigating conservative workplaces, and the repeated process of coming out—first as a lesbian and later as trans/nonbinary—while trying to protect their career and personal safety.

The conversation covers the practical and emotional realities of being visibly trans while travelling the US in van life: constant risk assessment, fear around using public bathrooms, and the exhaustion that builds from sustained hypervigilance. They also discuss identity, socialisation, the validation (and complications) of being perceived differently, and how safety and supportive environments enable people to live authentically.

Alongside lived experience, Kat connects these themes to their professional work: teaching organisations to write clearer, more honest job postings that reduce bias and widen access. They unpack how common hiring “requirements” and language choices create psychological barriers (including gendered application patterns), and argue that telling the truth about the role and focusing on real experiences can improve equity and outcomes for both employers and candidates.