How do you find work as a pre-hormone, pre-op transsexual?

I am currently job hunting and although I am not yet presenting as male even part time yet, I want to go full time so that means being out at work, wherever that might be. I am not planning on working in the area where I currently live and grew up because I don't want to be out as trans where I live. I know that will mean sneaking in and out the house but that's how it will have to be until I can support myself financially and move from my parents' house. I then plan to be full time male. The problem is how the hell do you find work as a transsexual, before, during and even after transition? Any tips? I have tried looking for lgbt friendly employers but the choice is limited and far out from where I live, not to mention the fact I'm not even qualified or experienced for any of the positions. I have also checked for lgbt agencies but no luck there either. So it looks like I am just going to have to apply for jobs that do not state they are inclusive but try my luck anyway. I am worried about workplace harassment and use of the bathrooms as well. Is anyone out at work who has come across this and how did you manage the issues?

 

Like most other transitioning people, you should be prepared for some pretty nasty situations. The only thing I can suggest is that you simply explain the situation to your employer, that you are transgender and male, and if people address you improperly just respectfully correct them and move on. Not everyone is going to be on board. In fact there are probably going to be a lot of people who aren't. Just stay strong, stand up for yourself, and be you.

 

I think you should try to pass as male beforehand...
That is a much easier option. Did you graduate college already? What major?
It is likely that you will have to move around jobs.

 

My job was very understanding of my transition... I still work as a male, but I am gradually feminizing how I look going to work, people there have been supportive... Like a 2nd family

 

That's great what line of work are you in?

---------- Post added 7th Feb 2014 at 09:50 PM ----------

I would never pass as male without hormones and surgery. I have very feminine features, I'm short only 5 ft 3 and I have a small build. I have finished university but won't officially be graduating until a few months when the marking is finished and I don't plan on going into the area of my degree. I realised I was trans and just continued with it to get the degree. When you say I will have to move around jobs, do you mean as I transition like once I start taking hormones and get visible signs of becoming male, I should leave and move elsewhere? or because of harassment and general discrimination?

---------- Post added 7th Feb 2014 at 09:54 PM ----------

I am aware of how difficult it's going to be. I have done my research. In fact I haven't come across one person who has had a positive experience. I plan to be out at work but I am scared of the consequences. Will I be driven out of a job? Will I end up penniless and homeless? Will people make my life so miserable that even transitioning doesn't give me any hope and I end up taking my own life? These are all things that I think have a good chance of happening

 

restaurant management lol granted, I haven't shown up as a female yet, but.. the staff and upper management has been very supportive
I wore ambiguous shoes today, and plan to work tomorrow in female jeans so we'll see lol

 

OP: It's due to discrimination.
If you don't experience discrimination to a dangerous degree, then you should probably stick with that job. I'm confident that as more people begin to understand trans, they will become more accepting. Since you live in the UK, I'm fairly sure you won't be fired- doesn't your country have laws against that?

 

I think DhammaGamer nailed it.

Personally, I work with computers. I'm a computer engineer so most of what I do is drivers, boot loaders, fpga stuff. I'm maintaining an open source project so there are no gaps in my resume, and I'm going after lower wage jobs. I have a roommate so it works out as far as rent. My plan is, take what I can get for the time being - pizza delivery, gas station, you name it - and if I lose it, it's no big deal since it's not the kind of job I wanna make a career out of anyway. When I feel like my transition is far enough along and I can interview as myself in professional clothes - skirt, jacket, the whole 9 yards - I plan on going after another computer job.

I have also interviewed for some computer jobs, one of them is with a small not-for-profit that I think would be cool with transitioning. Otherwise, I've tried at a few Starbucks, and I was in the military so I get a hiring preference driving city buses (which gives you a free CDL, score!) and the post office.

I am really hoping for the bus driver job, since I can turn that into trucking. That would give me a lot of time by myself between interacting with customers and enough money to pay off student loans. The computer industry is also notoriously flakey, so that would mean I had a fallback whenever I was between jobs in the future.

 

Some places are really chill about transfolk. A guy on tumblr said he thought he'd have problems when applying at Target, but he didn't and they were very chill. This could also vary from place to place. In my city and country, there are protection laws (I believe in the work place) for trans* people, which is fantastic.

Discrimination in the work place still exists, which sucks, but we can only hope with time that they change that.

 

My city states that it has laws in place for that - my state doesn't have any specific laws for it that I know of. Locally, I'm ok. But I'm stiill not out at work - I just don't feel comfortable with the potential for discrimination (neither place I work states that they have any sort of non-discrimination policy in place pertaining to gender), and it seems like with where I am now, physically I mean, it would be awkward, since I deal with the public face to face a lot ("Thanks, um...what's your name, sweetie?" "*points to name tag*" "But that's a boy's name." "Yes, and?").

I'm doing sort of what Cassie's doing - shooting for whatever I can get. I do plan on outing myself to my employers eventually, but I just don't think it's safe to do so. With the debt I have weighing on me I can't afford any surprises when it comes to my income.

 

This seems like a reality straight out of fiction for me. I shudder to think what would hit the fan at my job were I ever to wear my heels or a dress to work. So happy for (and maybe a bit envious of) you, Plenilune!

 

There are laws to protect against discrimination in my country but in my last job, discrimination was rife and they would not hire people of certain nationalities due to their narrow-minded racist prejudices and extremely homophobic comments were often made too so although I know not every work place will be the same, I do know that you would have a difficult time trying to affirm your rights as a trans person at work when there are a million and one other ways they could force you out the workplace. In my experiences, alerting teachers of school bullying only aggravated the problem because the bullies were made aware that you had grassed them up and the teachers...well they couldn't give a fuck any way. I am getting ahead of myself because I haven't even got a job yet but it is worrying

 

It would be great to hear options, I am coming from it the other way (mtf), I have started applying for jobs so hopefully something works out.

They say that there aren't really trans-specific jobs and a lot of it depends on the company, just as much as the profession.

What sort of jobs are you looking for anonym?

 

I'd like to mention... regardless of what state (or in the U.K.) Chipotle has anti- discriminatory policies in place that protect gender identity individuals, every store is corporate so no need to worry about different policies (which also lets you transfer easy lol)
They pay well (MD min. wage is 7.25 but here they start you out at 11/hr(in my city at-least), bonus for everyone every Christmas, all holidays off etc etc)
in-case you're finding trouble getting a job, I'd start at chipotle =o
bonus (for MTF) a lot of the food there helps boost phytoestrogen production levels
brown rice, pinto beans, sofritas(soy tofu), guacamole, tomatoes. so it's like a nice little incentive lol