In honor of the last day of Women’s History Month & Trans Day of Visibility, we spoke to Senior Manager of Accessibility Test and Engineering Andrea Larkin to learn more about the work she does, the importance of digital accessibility, and what this special day means to her.

Q: As a transgender woman, you recently stated that this would be the first time you would celebrate Women’s History Month. What significance does this month hold for you this year?

A: I’ve celebrated Women’s History Month in the past, but always as a way to honor the women in my life. For a long time, I felt like I didn’t have a right to claim it as my own. It was like I was standing outside a window looking in. While I put this limitation on myself, it is motivated by pervasive anti-transgender sentiment. Opening the news every week to see yet another limitation on LGBTQ+ rights being proposed through legislation starts to take a toll. It reinforces a feeling that I’m not normal.

A big change for me happened last year when I realized my truth, that I am a woman. I expanded my medical treatment and decided to legally change my name and gender. I’m fortunate to live in a place that made this all very painless; the more common experience is something much more complicated, expensive, and time-consuming. Transitioning gave me the confidence I needed to start breaking down my boundaries and embracing who I am. I feel proud to be a woman and be a sister to the amazing women in my life.

Q: Which one of our guiding principles speaks to you the most and why?

A: It’s impossible to talk about one of our principles without talking about how they all work in concert to create a more inclusive world. Acting as One Team means hearing the words of your peers and cultivating the empathy required to appreciate their experience as something other than your own. That empathy allows us to Empower Storytelling by learning how to see in content creators and idea makers that embody perspectives that you may not have considered. When our content is inclusive, it enriches the lives of employees. It makes them proud to be part of this company and allows them to Champion Inclusion by bringing their authentic selves to the table. They can Dream new ways to tell stories and reach audiences, and Own those ideas as critical members of our family. All of this is how we Create What’s Next: a world that celebrates the rich tapestry of the human experience, free from stigma and fear.

Q: In your work dealing with Warner Bros. Discovery’s digital streaming products, you aim to ensure that products work well for people with disabilities. Describe the process of ensuring accessibility for those who need to interact with our content.

A: Digital accessibility is the intersection of DEI and technology. It requires everyone involved to challenge their own biases about how people use technology. One of the things I love about working at Warner Bros Discovery is that we have so many amazing people working on accessibility from a multitude of roles. We all work together to help our teams build products that work well for everyone, regardless of ability. We test the product using a broad range of assistive technologies to try and surface issues that will impede access for our customers.

Q: Up to 26% of our users and consumers require some form of accessibility. What is the significance of providing content and services that are accessible to all parts of the company’s consumers?

A: Imagine the frustration you feel when you’re not able to watch your favorite show because the Internet is down. Then imagine the feeling you’d have when the majority of your immediate neighbors have Internet access but you don’t, and the provider is telling you that fixing your connection is “on the roadmap.” Meanwhile, you’re still paying for the service, but you can’t actually watch what you want to watch. This is the kind of frustration that people with disabilities live with every day when products and services do not accommodate their needs. Making our products accessible is good for business, and good for our brand.

Q: What does International Transgender Day of Visibility mean to you, both professionally and personally?

A: Up until I came out as a transgender person much of my life was about hiding. When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s, I struggled with my identity because there wasn’t anyone in my life or in the public eye that I could identify with. Now, we’re experiencing something of a swell in trans visibility. We have transgender people in music, film, and prominent positions of power. Yet anti-transgender laws are being proposed in conservative-leaning states. I sometimes wonder if I can even set foot in the state of Tennessee without risking arrest for merely wearing my everyday clothes. Recently a speaker at a conservative organization called for the eradication of transgender identities (I won’t even say the person’s name, since I believe hate does not deserve publicity). Despite this, I still chose to live in the light, but it is understandable why so many of us don’t want to step forward.

For transgender people, visibility is a complicated concept. Many of us only want to be seen as the gender we are and go out of our way to “pass.” I can relate to that feeling. I think Transgender Day of Visibility is an opportunity to remind people that transgender identities are just as normal and beautiful as anyone else. We are parents, coworkers, and friends. We live our lives like anyone else. I hope my visibility reminds others that being transgender is just another way of being, and that there is a place for us in this world.