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Thoughts on being transgendered and applying for your first job?

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Just Jess, Mar 24, 2013.

  1. Just Jess

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    So I'm looking for my first job. I've talked to my therapist about the process for getting hormones, and more or less squared everything away at home. My partner decided to stay with me and has been more and more supportive as time goes on. We'll sing "Alice in Chains" songs and she'll sing the low part while I sing the high part. We do other stuff like that to have fun with it.

    The economy kind of sucks and the job search is coming along at a slow speed. I've had several leads and interviews but no job offers yet. Usually people tell me to be patient when I call them back, so I don't know.

    What I was wondering... okay, the dumb question first. A lot of those forms collect demographic information. So my first instinct when I see those forms is, what happens when I pick "decline to answer" on the gender question? I'm paranoid and I'm a little disappointed with myself and it feels bad, but I've been picking "male". Who sees those things anyway and what are they really for? What if I say female? Does my veteran status actually help me at all here?

    Big and real question. I'm also wondering, whether or not to just make a clean break here. On one hand, working for a while as a man, if I can handle it, will mean more money. It's easier to handle it now that I have some support at home, but it's still a little harder to go back to putting on my boy suit and going out into the world every time I have to do it. There are some things like zapping my hair off and continuing to practice my voice in the meantime I can do. And I know transition and hormones are a process. On the other hand, I feel like I'm already in my 30s and want to transition as soon as possible. And part of me feels like it would be easier to start my first job as a woman, if that's even possible.

    I really feel like I do want to go all the way eventually. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to make it happen.

    So what are some of your thoughts? I've still got a few months to decide.
     
  2. Hexagon

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    I think that life's really about becoming who we are, and if we don't do that, there's little point to it. So... go for it, if you can.

    Question... would you be going stealth or would you be out?
     
  3. Just Jess

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    I try really hard, but I'm still pre-hormones. Especially in anything business like I'd have to be out :frowning2: My biggest giveaway after my facial hair is my shoulders. I can kinda draw attention away with swoop neck shirts and long flowey sleeves, but then I put on a little bit of a gut since leaving the military. It's going away! but still a work in progress. And until that's flat, it means my belly fat is in the wrong place for a girl. I've always had "man boobs" and they help with my confidence when I'm en femme a little, but usually if I want to look really female I need more flexibility than I have wearing something sensible to work.

    Sorry probably more of an answer than you were looking for.

    ---------- Post added 24th Mar 2013 at 02:32 PM ----------

    Gah, I just read over my OP.

    Just to clarify since I did this in another thread. I'm a male-to-female. I'm wondering whether to delay transitioning, because I feel like it's easier to find work as a male than a transitioning female.
     
  4. Fugs

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    Gender Pronoun:
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    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I'll level with you. Around here people talk about how handing in two hundred applications without getting a single interview is normal. Top that off with being trans and you have an entire new hurdle to cross by praying the person doing the interview isn't transphobic.

    Stuff is hard, it's up to you whether or not you go as you or not. But on the other side of the coin you'll just end up hiding for even longer if you put your mask back on and find a job.
     
  5. wocket

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    In my state it isn't even illegal to discriminate against LGBT people for housing amd jobs.

    I hope it is better where you are.
     
  6. Sinopaa

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    Location:
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    Gender:
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    Gender Pronoun:
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    Other
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    I have to totally agree with the transphobia. My bosses and co-workers are still shaken up by me coming out. Some days I feel like I have the plague at the main office. And this is after being on the job with most of these people for 5 years. :dry: I think it's safe to say had I tried to walk into my job Trans* I probably would have never been hired. I'm sure you could find someone who is hiring that is open-minded about us; but you would probably have a better shot winning the lottery. :confused:

    While jobs are not supposed to legally discriminate for being GLBT or a minority they still commonly do. If an interviewer does not like something about you they will find some idiotic reason to turn you down in being hired. Your best bet is to go in an androgynous "guy mode" to get a job. After you pass your jobs probation period I would then let your HR department know. If you are there for a few months and prove that you are a good employee they can not turn around and fire you for simply being Trans*. I gave this book to the HR department after I came out. It details your rights as a Trans* employee. Good luck! :thumbsup:

    Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace, 2nd Edition | Resources | Human Rights Campaign
     
  7. redstormrising

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    what do you do? even if your state does not include trans* people in the anti-discrimination laws, many large companies have their own broader anti-discrimination policies. if the work you do is of the sort that you may be applying to companies in the corporate world, this is a nice resource to gauge lgbt-friendliness: Corporate Equality Index | Human Rights Campaign
     
  8. RainbowMan

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    I know that if I (or anyone else in my company) were interviewing you, we're specifically trained not to discriminate on the basis of gender identity, and we're a very LGBT inclusive workplace. While I don't personally know any transgendered people there, I do know that they exist.

    Our insurance also covers sex reassignment surgery.
     
  9. Hexagon

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    I'm gonna bet people are going to start asking you for details of where to apply. ^
     
  10. RainbowMan

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    Well, that's simple to answer. Look for any place that scored 100 on the Corporate Equality Index (I work for one of them), and they're very likely to have similar stances in interviewing, and they have to provide gender reassignment coverage as part of their insurance (that's one of the criteria).
     
  11. DhammaGamer

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    I applied to jobs for almost a year before finally finding work. By the time I got hired at my current job (which I loooove) I was 9 months hrt, had finished my name change, drivers license, and social security card, had replaced my wardrobe, and been living full time for 6 months. I'm still another year at least before I feel like my hair will be in a more comfortable spot, but a year into hormones next month and I feel very very very lucky. If you plan on working at your job as a woman then you need to have your papers done, period. Get your namechange, get your drivers license. If you aren't on hormones ... get on hormones!! There comes a point when you gotta do absolutely everything necessary if you want to make this thing work.