What do you do for work?

[Tessa James]

I was a nurse and then a nurse anesthetist, CRNA, with a specialty in obstetrics until I retired.  Many people assumed I was therefore gay (I am BI).  Work roles are fraught with stereotypes.  I thoroughly enjoyed my career in a female dominated arena.  I have also worked in factories and in rough railroad jobs where men too often treated each other as competitors.  As a community activist I see predominantly women out volunteering and the real force for social change.

[kariann330]

I used to work in a factory doing continuous roll forming until i had a really bad accident that destroyed my right shoulder and several disks in my back. We were placing a new set of rollers on the line and our overhead crane slipped. I wasn't out at that point so i wouldn't know how transitioning in that setting or company would go.

[Carolina1983]

Right now I am back to what I did before I started to fly again.


I am driving various farming machinery. I enjoy my job, I have lots of freedom, no early mornings. I can look how the hell I want and they totally accept me for being trans. And those who I work for are like my second family, I will probably stay here for a long time now. I have had my adventures regarding work. Now I just want to be me and get some money to survive.

[Jess42]

truck driver I blend in so well people think im a lesbian

Wow, another truckdriver here.

[kokochan900]

Ugh. I wish I had a real job. I hold a sign for a body piercing/cigarette store. It's my first job though, so it was gonna suck. But holding a sign is really, really low. I need a new one and fast.

[Cassandra Hyacinth]

I have no job, and am rapidly losing hope of ever finding one.

[SamB]

I am a Network Engineer at a college.  Not out at work because that would likely mean I am out OF work. 

[Kayle Sky]

Woot! Just got a new job doing passion party consulting and waiting on my back ground check for apple.

[SarahDoll1987]

I'm a full time student... and play online poker for extra cash hehe.. My goal is to save enough for a boob job from playing Poker

[JessicaH]

Ugh. I wish I had a real job. I hold a sign for a body piercing/cigarette store. It's my first job though, so it was gonna suck. But holding a sign is really, really low. I need a new one and fast.

I don't really see that as a "low" job. As long as you are the best damn sign holder that you can be, it is an honest and respect worthy job. I mowed grass 15 years ago and made 60-70KK per year doing it. I worked my butt off then went into the real estate business for about 7 years.

[Shantel]

I'm retired, every day is Saturday! 

[Northern Jane]

I started in a TV and radio repair shop when I was 13 and stayed in that field until just  before transition when I got into industrial maintenance for a year. I moved away, transitioned (and SRS), and worked in high-end audio repair for awhile before moving back into industrial electrical/electronics. Eventually I moved in to engineering and design and finished the last 30 years of my career in that capacity with a major utility. And I did it all as a girl when it was tough to be taken seriously! 

[Sadie]

I tried to transition on the job. I worked IT at a large LGBT friendly company. I came to my director and told him I was transgender and planned to transition in about 2 months. A month later I was laid off, about a month before I was to transition on the job. Of course they disguised it as "cut backs" but was really just a purge of the undesirables. They laid off about 10 people.  All the others laid off either had issues with attendance or productivity or had personality conflicts.  I never missed work, always on time, did a good job, never caused trouble.  So I find it hard to believe that me coming out didn't play a part. A lot of people were shocked when I was let go.  My cubemate, bless her heart, was so pissed she up and quit a week later because she was so disgusted by the management there.

Finding work after transition has been a bitch but I keep plugging away. Currently still unemployed.

[Shantel]

I tried to transition on the job. I worked IT at a large LGBT friendly company. I came to my director and told him I was transgender and planned to transition in about 2 months. A month later I was laid off, about a month before I was to transition on the job. Of course they disguised it as "cut backs" but was really just a purge of the undesirables. They laid off about 10 people.  All the others laid off either had issues with attendance or productivity or had personality conflicts.  I never missed work, always on time, did a good job, never caused trouble.  So I find it hard to believe that me coming out didn't play a part. A lot of people were shocked when I was let go.  My cubemate, bless her heart, was so pissed she up and quit a week later because she was so disgusted by the management there.

Finding work after transition has been a bitch but I keep plugging away. Currently still unemployed.

I'm sorry Sadie ((Hugs)), all that comes to mind right now about your former employers is (the sorry bastards!)

[Kristen Wave]

I'm a Graphic Design Major with a Minor in Advertising at VCUarts. I usually don't do much work due to the schedule the art school puts us through. When I do work though, I usually do some freelance work here and there and I also work in the graphics lab at my school. I did work at Starbucks but I got tired of all the drama and quit last fall. It wasn't drama relating to me I just worked with a bunch of overly dramatic high school girls.... 

[Theo]

Working at a large IT company. Officially LGBT friendly, with 100 points on the HRC index for the past years. As I'm in Europe, I don't really have to worry about hidden agendas to prevent insurance premiums going up for the company, seeing as my health insurance is independent. Despite all those great conditions, I'm of course still scared quite a bit about what will happen once I tell HR...

[LordKAT]

Traveling custodian, yes on the job but not for long. My 'guardian' is leaving.

[Constance]

I'm a support analyst and tech writer for a software company. I'd been with my current employer for about 7 years when I began transition.

[vegie271]

I am disabled, on SSI, I was a Systems Analyst worked in oil and defense industry both as male and female, transitioned on the job once

I became disabled when the were making me do the work of 3 people, just too much

[Olivia-Anne]

I used to be in the flooring trades. I did that for about 10 years or so. I made pretty good money, but I knew it wasn't a field I could stay in if I ever wanted a real shot at transitioning. After that, I got into fabrication/assembly of products for the oil industry. Since then I've managed to do that position extremely well. I now design the product that I once assembled and fabricated.

When I do go full time/come out to everyone I will have to change companies for sure. I work with about 5 family members. Over the years they have let it be known that if they even knew someone was gay, they would find an excuse to fire them. Which is highly illegal and unethical. But the person that said that, is currently my boss. If and when I do come out to my employer and the rest of my family, I'm not really sure what is going to happen. Since I'm in california, they technically can't fire me for my gender identity. But, they will probably fire me for some other miniscule thing. The worst thing about it is, I'm great at my job. I love the people at the company a great deal. If I could, I would retire with the comapny. But, its the few bigots that are ruining it for me. They just happen to be my family members on top of it.It is still something that is holding my progress back.

<3 Liv