Recent Firings Serve as a Reminder of the Employment Struggles Unjustly...

[LostInTime]

Recent Firings Serve as a Reminder of the Employment Struggles Unjustly and Sometimes Illegally Faced by Transsexuals

Perhaps just as important as the problems transsexuals face with respect to legal identity and marriage is their precarious status in the workplace. Stanton's case epitomizes the plight of transsexual employees - who are often victims of openly hostile and bigoted environments, yet typically have no legal recourse. Nemecek's case, however, illustrates the potential for fairer treatment of transsexuals at work, through a broader anti-discrimination law.

Transsexuals have generally been unsuccessful in establishing rights under federal anti-discrimination laws. Most courts have held that neither transsexuals, nor gays and lesbians, comprise a protected class under Title VII. Efforts to enact federal legislation to protect against both these forms of discrimination have been undertaken, but thus far have been unsuccessful.

Fourteen states have adopted statutes banning sexual orientation discrimination, but only four of those statutes explicitly extend to discrimination on the basis of transsexualism. Many cities, however, protect transsexuals against discrimination through local ordinances.

[cindianna_jones]

Perhaps some day we will have equal rights. I hope.

Cindi

[Hazumu]

Perhaps some day we will have equal rights. I hope.

Cindi

I'm reminded of the story of how a flea circus owner chooses 'smart' fleas for the show.  When he gets a new order of fleas from a medical supply house, he puts them in the bottom of a long test tube, then pushes a wad of cotton halfway down the tube, to 'block' it and make it difficult to escape.  He then places the tube on its side and puts a light bulb so that it heats the end of the tube with the fleas, but so the tube on the other side of the cotton wad will stay cool.  The dumb fleas are the ones that stayed and got cooked -- the 'smart' fleas are the ones who worked their way through the cotton to the cool end.

I've often compared that story with recent events.  During the Bosnia war, many people and families became refugees in other countries (many were in Germany, judging from the stories I heard from returning refugees.)  Currently in Iraq, the 'smart' people are getting out any way they can, and taking their skills, money and wealth-producing talent with them, impoverishing the area they leave behind.  Somewhere in this forum was a post that spoke of people emigrating to Canada -- the spokes for the Canadian immigration ministry was quoted as saying, 'Their loss is our gain,' referring to the talented, skilled people seeking FREEDOM from discrimination and bigotry.

Maybe we -- the trans 'community', such as it is - could set up an 'underground railroad' of sorts, assisting others with relocating from hostile communities to those that are tolerant, accepting and welcome diversity...the hostile communities' loss is the tolerant, accepting community's gain

Anyway, it's just my opinion--

Karen

[RuthChambers]

I agree with you Karen, our "community" should be doing more to open doors for employment.

Having said that the TS's I have employed over the last few years have tended to be awkward employees, more concerned with their medical treatment and personal situation than in building relationships with their co-workers and using the opportunities presented to them to establish a long term career in their acquired gender. (that is just my personal experience and is not meant as a blanket statement)

Ruth