Employment

[Amaranth]

I'm currently living with my mom, and she's supporting me until I go to college.  I need to get a job to help with bills and my transition.  So what I'm wondering is...

Should I stop living full time for the sake of getting and keeping a job, and transition on the job?  Or should I wait until my gender is changed on my I.D., apply as myself, and work in stealth, hoping I pass well enough to not be clocked?

[Graverobber9]

Well it will probably take at least a year and a half minimum for you to get to the point where you can change your ID. Do you really want to wait that long? I haven't tried finding a job as a female yet but I suspect that you don't have to live "in stealth" to get a job at McDonald's or something. Honestly because I'm still basically androgynous I'm probably going to find work on campus as a (gay) boy. It isn't that painful to dress like a boy on occasion, especially when it's an impersonal uniform.

[Amaranth]

If I thought it would be easy to get any job being openly trans to an employer, I'd love to just do that.  Especially since this is a small town with not much but factory jobs available...

I'd hate to do it, but I may have to apply and work in "boy mode".

[Graverobber9]

If it makes you feel any better you aren't working to express yourself or your gender identity. Your employer wants to see ya work (gurl) not who you really are.

[azSam]

I have a job, my gender marker shows the dreadful "M" - but my name is legally Samantha. Either I pass very well or the people I dealt with were very very nice, because even though I showed them my ID and put down male on all of the forms, they still left my gender is blank, I change in the female locker room, and I wear girl's costumes.

My only apprehension was the name, not so much the gender marker. I'll definitely get it taken care of soon though.

[Amaranth]

Graverobber,

I've been worried about that too.  Everyone in my town who doesn't know I'm trans, thinks I'm gay just by being around me.  And employers here aren't too tolerant about that either :\

[30kps]

Yeah, Amaranth I feel your pain. I live in a small town and work at a factory. Being in "boy mode" is a necessity where I work. Don't get me wrong the people are nice, just not super tolerant. For example, I caught a lot of teasing for wearing black nail polish. But working in "boy mode" isn't terrible, just really annoying. Plus, a job is a job, a sad fact of life.

[Mahsa Tezani]

I live in San Francisco and am applying for a job in fashion/cosmetics retail. I could show up dressed as Sonny and Cher in a teleporter from Mars and they wouldn't have an issue with it.

I got lucky... But really in fashion retail, they don't care because people expect flamboyant men and women to sell them cosmetics.

[Cindy]

I know it varies a lot. Buy where I am it is illegal to discriminate on gender, age, religion or anything for that matter. I interview lots of people for jobs and I have to admit a persons gender or sexuality has never been a concern.

Possibly not a surprise BTW

Cindy