Where have you experienced discrimination?

[faye]

One moment which sort of opened my eyes a little wider because i wasn't expecting it is 'reverse discrimination' as a trans girl.
I was walking down the street like i do everyday to wind down and someone yelled out of their car window,
"stop dressing like a boy!" It struck me sideways, wasn't expecting that at all, it hurt all the same probably because of the intent.

[Jess42]

One of the big things about discrimination and discrimination laws are they are written according to the politcal flavor of the day depending on how bad the local, state or federal politions want to stay in office. This is just my opinion but I believe these folks could care less about me or anyone else.

What someone wrote about being refused a job because of a dress code and being a "boy with long hair", I have faced this discrimination all of my life. I know in some jobs, looks are an important factor but as long as person is clean, respectful, experienced, don't dress like a slob and countless other things, what gives a person the right to control a sort of self expression of another person. This goes for everyone no matter what. I know there are some jobs to where it may be a safety hazard but I can 1 wear it in a pony tail and/or 2 stuff it under a hat or wear a hairnet. So sorry, no excuses there on this one.

[Shantel]

Laws don't change attitudes and besides they are rarely enforced. If someone wishes to hire on in say a retail environment with a predominantly adult clientele and that person has tattoos and piercings, he/she more than likely won't get hired because their appearance isn't conducive to that employer's idea of what they want to interface with their customer base. Discrimination? Yes it is! Can you prove it and force him to hire you? Not a chance! It is what it is, either make yourself become a good fit or move on!

[Jess42]

The funny thing is Shantel, I have know people that look very "respectable", maybe a little too much so, with extremely good positions that are more like robots and have the personality of a cardboard box and actually climb the ladder. I also know some that look like they belong to a biker club, outlaw not the weekend doctor, lawyer, CEO type, with tat sleeves, piecings in places I don't even want to know, and just have an extreme rough edge about them but are extremely articulate and have interesting and captivating personalities. Me personally I would rather by something, use a service, frequent a business or anything else from the latter. I choose jobs that I don't have to worry about dress codes because frankly, I hate them. What gets me about the whole thing is that the whole time growing up we hear "you can't judge a book by it's cover" and then throw that out once we become "productive" members of society. Who knows, I may be the odd one out but it sure is an interesting place in the outer perimeters of society. Oh yeah, don't forget the one about "wolves in sheeps clothing".

[Shantel]

The funny thing is Shantel, I have know people that look very "respectable", maybe a little too much so, with extremely good positions that are more like robots and have the personality of a cardboard box and actually climb the ladder. I also know some that look like they belong to a biker club, outlaw not the weekend doctor, lawyer, CEO type, with tat sleeves, piecings in places I don't even want to know, and just have an extreme rough edge about them but are extremely articulate and have interesting and captivating personalities. Me personally I would rather by something, use a service, frequent a business or anything else from the latter. I choose jobs that I don't have to worry about dress codes because frankly, I hate them. What gets me about the whole thing is that the whole time growing up we hear "you can't judge a book by it's cover" and then throw that out once we become "productive" members of society. Who knows, I may be the odd one out but it sure is an interesting place in the outer perimeters of society. Oh yeah, don't forget the one about "wolves in sheeps clothing".

I agree with you completely, but employers hire who they want and in every case the individual's appearance is the first consideration regardless of their other attributes. We can bitch, piss and moan and commensurate over it but it is what it is. My kid had $4000 in auto tickets because of a few outrageous stickers in his rear window, jacked up rear-end, a smokin 351 Cleveland engine and fright wig hippy hair do. Once he took my advice and decided to blend in and changed his appearance, got a decent car he never had another ticket. If we want to be different from the crowd there is a price to pay, it isn't going to change until human beings are gone from the face of the earth.

[Jess42]

I agree with you completely, but employers hire who they want and in every case the individual's appearance is the first consideration regardless of their other attributes. We can bitch, piss and moan and commensurate over it but it is what it is. My kid had $4000 in auto tickets because of a few outrageous stickers in his rear window, jacked up rear-end, a smokin 351 Cleveland engine and fright wig hippy hair do. Once he took my advice and decided to blend in and changed his appearance, got a decent car he never had another ticket. If we want to be different from the crowd there is a price to pay, it isn't going to change until human beings are gone from the face of the earth.

You're right. I guess that's why I do what I do for two livings. It's expected and accepted for you to be "on the fringes" of society. Both in my real world job and hobby/interest job. Let me clarify though, it's accepted in my real world job and expected in my hobby/interest job.

[EdekStaszek]

School.
I've always been... shunned in school.
I just don't take interest in the normal male things
And you know how bad teenagers are.
But as someone said . . . (Forgot to quote) . . . . "I wont let Discrimination rule my life"
& i agree with that 100%
I just let it pass and they find out its not bothering me, so they leave me alone.
Mostly.
-Eddie

[Jayne]

On Saturday whilst returning from London pride I popped into my local shop, a couple of men decided to ask in a very loud voice if I was male or female, I wasn't in the mood to ignore this so asked one of them if he was male or female as he had both ears pierced, he then turned to his mate & said "I wouldn't shag that" to which I replied "I know you wouldn't shag me as I have standards & you don't come close to meeting them!".
Unbelievably this man then got the hump & accused me of having an attitude & getting in his face, idiots!!

[Shantel]

On Saturday whilst returning from London pride I popped into my local shop, a couple of men decided to ask in a very loud voice if I was male or female, I wasn't in the mood to ignore this so asked one of them if he was male or female as he had both ears pierced, he then turned to his mate & said "I wouldn't shag that" to which I replied "I know you wouldn't shag me as I have standards & you don't come close to meeting them!".
Unbelievably this man then got the hump & accused me of having an attitude & getting in his face, idiots!!

Hopefully then you told them to piss off!

[Jayne]

Hopefully then you told them to piss off!

I wasn't anywhere near as polite as that 

Whilst waiting for the return train from London pride I had a few people stare rudely at me, I simply returned their stares & FTM Diaries had his back to them when he said to me "I don't need to look around to know what's happening behind me, your face says it all", I take a perverse kind of pleasure when these people break eye contact first.

[Shantel]

I wasn't anywhere near as polite as that 

Whilst waiting for the return train from London pride I had a few people stare rudely at me, I simply returned their stares & FTM Diaries had his back to them when he said to me "I don't need to look around to know what's happening behind me, your face says it all", I take a perverse kind of pleasure when these people break eye contact first.

Way to go Jayne! 

[fatty]

Mainly within the gay community.

[fatty]

School.
I've always been... shunned in school.
I just don't take interest in the normal male things
And you know how bad teenagers are.
But as someone said . . . (Forgot to quote) . . . . "I wont let Discrimination rule my life"
& i agree with that 100%
I just let it pass and they find out its not bothering me, so they leave me alone.
Mostly.
-Eddie

That resonates with me. I feel more discriminated as a man because that's when people pick on me. They don't bother me when I'm a woman nearly as much.

[Apples Mk.II]

Been called "marica" (->-bleeped-<-) for the first time. on the street. An twice, in case I did not hear it the first time. After that, I made my shopping as fast as I could and ran home, without any confidence. I was practically heating everything after that, from something that sounded like "has a dick" to "FEA!" (which happened to be a mother playing with a baby). I got a lettuce and went home as fast as I could.

Basically, I knew that this was going to happen and in that direct place. In the only way I  have to walk by every day, there's is a adjacent street with a gipsy families building, and where this king of social trash come to the main street. This time they were two sort of "cani" guys, between 17-19, my book definition of post-adolescent trash. Three months ago I entered that area accidentally when I started living here, I was called something about my hair and they tried to sell me drugs or something. And I walked away as fast as I could.


I wanted to stay in girl mode for the rest of the weekend, but I'm am even afraid of going out now.

[Calder Smith]

I haven't really experienced any discrimination for myself since I'm not fully out of the closet yet, and I hope I won't experience it.

I have seen discrimination of trans people in general on Facebook & YouTube etc. though.

[suzifrommd]

Before the end of my marriage and my starting dating, I would have said I haven't experienced discrimination.

However, in the dating arena, I believe I have.

Any number of times there have been cisgender males clearly physically attracted to me who backed off mysteriously. I believe it was not because I changed physically, but because they learned I was trans.

I call that a form of discrimination.

[Jill F]

I've been very fortunate in that department so far and feel terrible for everyone here who has been royally shat upon for merely being themselves.

[Tristan]

In keystone heights FL and Levy county Fl. Two places if your trans you should never ever go. Minor stuff in Jacksonville on two occasions. Nothing major in J ville though. Just a black eye and once had a bottle tossed at me. But that last one may have been a accident

[Riven]

Active duty USAF, face it every day because I can't serve openly as transgender.

[Chloevixen]

Sadly I had my first taste of discrimination, it was what did free me up to start my transition.  I was active duty Coast Guard and had recently returned from Afghanistan where I was attached to the Army, doing hazmat shipping and container inspections.  The job involved alot of travel and was extremely dangerous.  When I returned stateside I was stationed in Chattanooga TN.  Fast forward a year. One of my subordinates was having a very tough time, we talked and when I was done I gave him a hug. (I did not think about it or trying to maintain a male side then)  A couple weeks later he gave me a wet willy, I did the same in return.  A couple weeks later Federal agents were there questioning everyone in the crew about me.  They then questioned me and asked about who Chloe is and why I refer to her as myself in my phone... Following that they came and searched my houseboat that I was living on at the time.  The next day I was shipped to Kentucky then New Orleans where I spent the last year and a half of my coast guard career.  The same week as my birthday I was called back in and formally charged with Assault consumated by battery, and maltreatment.  I had to hire a civilian lawyer to protect myself.  A couple weeks later I am standing infront of a open courtroom with several coasties enjoying the show.  I was lucky that the judge asked me what I thought would happen to me if I got sent to the brig, how being a "->-bleeped-<-" would work in there.  I told him the truth that it would be pure hell.  I spent a month in the brig, received a other than honorable discharge, and was busted down to paygrade E1 for my remaining time.  I was allowed to go home that night to pack and prepare myself for a month in Charleston SC.  The next morning I was picked up at work by more federal agents who put me in handcuffs and the restraining belt then put in the back of a car for my drive to Charleston.  The first set of agents were very professional.  The second set were a little less, one of them was one of my original investigators who spent the whole ride trying to give his partner a Jerry Springer show about my life asking leading questions and hoping for a good show.  I did not fall for that.  The last agents one of them spent the whole ride trying to save my soul and get me to love Jesus...I do not have a good relationship with Christians so why would I want to be one?
I started my HRT a week after I was released from the brig.