Quote from: Literary X on July 28, 2014, 01:51:18 AM
Hey, ya'll! My name is Verne. I am an 18 year old agender person from North Carolina. I am also aromantic asexual. I live in the most bigoted, toxic town in the country.
I am attempting to pursue a degree in early childhood education, but I have found that it's perfectly legal for local colleges to turn me down or for their personnel to harass me because of my agender identity. 
When I informed my family of that, they basically told me to suck it up and be the "girl" I am. But every time someone calls me "Miss," "Ma'am," "Girl" or my (blatantly feminine) birth name, I die inside. (Girl, I'm not calling you Verne! I named you Rachel! 
) I've wanted to be a k-2 teacher ever since I can remember, but no one would hire me, and that kills me, because my dream of being an educator is the only thing that has kept me from comitting suicide. 
But I won't give up. I WILL be a teacher, a d@%# good (openly agender) one!
On a lighter note, I'm a cat lover. My favorite color is chartreuse. I am very proficient at spelling excessively long words. I like etymology, astronomy, computer science and 1990's culture. My guilty pleasure is sweet tea. I am a writer/poet. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters: Ronnie, Mark, Sandra and Stephanie. I am the youngest in my family. I have Asperger's.
Everyone thinks I'm a confused freak. Well, there you have it, Verne 101.
Verne, warm welcome....
NEVER give up on your dream of being a preschool teacher.
I am 6 weeks into HRT (taking strong medical grade female hormones), I already have small breasts everyone is staring at starting just int he last few days...never give up your dreams...I am getting my dreams, because I AM FEMALE...
Now, I have devised my own English-teaching course here in Latin America where I have lived for many years. I am American, so I understand well about prejudice in places such as North Carolina...
Right now, among other things, I am a University Professor in the city I live in...
A couple of years ago, I worked as a Preschool Teacher near my house...my daughter was 4 and then 5 years old at that time, and I was the teacher for her in some of her classes.
I was the Preschool English teacher for the entire Preschool.
Now, this was nice for me. I loved working with the little kids.
I taught English to the 3 year olds (class of about 20 kids, always with the regular teacher present, as well as the assistant teacher because kids of this age need lots of attention, like to go to the bathroom, etc.
I taught English to the 4 year olds (class of about 18 kids), always with the regular teacher present.
I taught English to the 5 year olds (class of about 20 kids), usually but not always with the regular teacher present.
I UNDERSTAND YOU about loving to teach. I LOVE to teach. I have super strong teaching abilities, which I wish I had discovered earlier in my life.
I don't like the discipline aspects of little kids, but I LOVE to teach them, with love.
Now, Verne, I must tell you something that you probably already know...
The world of preschool, and early childhood teaching, is 95% or more female.
Verne, I was the ONLY male (other than the husband of the preschool owner) around. ALL of the other teachers were young females between the ages of about 19 and 24.
Preschool teaching is a heavily FEMALE environment. My current University Professor job is more balanced between female professors and male professors.
i feel sad, Verne, that you LOVE teaching and have been ridiculed for it. Accept what you love. If you want to become expert in Early Childhood Development, then go for it! (Hey, the female hormones are great...I can FEEL so much more INTUITIVELY now, even though I am only 6 weeks into HRT (taking strong female hormones).
Some people in this world will condemn you for this. How sad, but that is their problem, not yours, except that you might have to prepare yourself psychologically for some rejection.
I have learned that I AM FEMALE. Maybe YOU are, too. You will have to discover that. If in fact you ARE female, then you might "fit in" better in Early Childhood Education a little easier than doing so as a male, since it is 95% of more female teachers, in the USA, in the Latin country where I live, and probably in most of the world, for that matter.
If MY recent experience as a preschool teacher can help you with some insight into dealing with a 955 female environment, please feel free to ask me for more help on dealing with this environment as a male. I was doing this myself for several months, less than 2 years ago.
Verne, I have found that "coming out" to female friends -- and our family here at Suan's -- to be much easier than "coming out" to males...
Even in North Carolina, where as you say you have experienced some strong prejudice and resistance to your love of teaching little kids and your possible female-ness...
Maybe it will be easier, if you decide to physically transition as a female, to work in a field you LOVE as a teacher of little kids, since IMO in this 95% female work environment, a trans-girl MIGHT be more accepted, by the 95% other genetic (cis) young adult girls around you...
Never give up your dreams of becoming expert in Early Childhood Development, even if you transition to becoming a girl or not -- stay true to your dreams...you need a hug, and I want to give you one!
Love,
Johanna.
I am female.
