‘Undercover Boss’ Features Transgender Employee

It’s an impressive milestone when, on National TV, a CEO tells an employee who is transgender, “we need more people like you here,” and “you deserve to live life the way you want.”

It appears from the story that Breckin is having to pay out of pocket for medically necessary care, most likely because there is an exclusion clause in the medical coverage purchased by the company. The scene takes place in Pennsylvania, where these exclusions are legal.

In Washington, DC, those exclusions will no longer be legal in less than 90 days, and medically necessary care will be covered for people who are transgender just as it is for every other human being. (see: Photo Friday: Equality Selfie, with Washington, DC Mayor Vince Gray | Ted Eytan, MD). A future CEO will be talking with an employee who is who they want to be rather than waiting to be that person.

The show demonstrates that this will only improve the performance and abilities of an already capable person and the company. Sensitive and accurate portrayals of people like Breckin go a long way toward eliminating explicit and implicit bias, as I am learning in my literature review. Good job, CBS (@undercover_cbs @CBS) (and Skyzone @Skyzone).

Exclusive Clip: ‘Undercover Boss’ Features Transgender Employee | XFINITY TV Blog by Comcast.

Of course, if you’re a regular viewer of the show, you know a tissue-heavy moment will be coming once the employees find out who the ‘undercover boss’ really is but kudos to the show for including an LGBT person, which is something not regularly seen on the show.

The good folks at CBS sent over an exclusive clip from tonight’s episode featuring Platt and Breckin and some of the conversation. Check it out!

Ted Eytan, MD