Transsexual WITH A Decent Job?

[jessical]

In a word yes!

I am a Sr. Systems Administrator for high tech company.

[Rejennyrated]

Leki - think of it like this, the trans community is now where women were back in the 1950's. Back then if you were a woman it was possible to be a high flier but you had be a LOT smarter, a lot more hardworking, and quite a bit luckier than everyone else... Thats essentially how I got where I got, I'm pretty smart, I work hard and I had luck.

However the good news is that as more women succeeded and people saw that they could do the job it became easier for each successive generation so that now, while there is still work to be done, its not so unusual for a woman to succeed.

The same is happening in the trans world. Back in 1965 when I was a childhood transitioner, it was unheard of - which actually made it easier for me because almost everyone was too shocked to react at the fact that my parents had gone along with this.

In school I knew that I had been lucky and that I might not be so lucky a second time, so I realised that I need to work hard and get good results and not waste my time faffing about with all the uber-girly stuf and boys... I had to apply myself to my studies and I did.

When I had my SRS and was applying for jobs I think sometimes I actually gained by the shock value - people were just so impressed at my Chutzpah at having dared to apply that they remembered me - and sometimes hired me, and when I got opportunities I didnt waste them. I made sure I delivered.

Thats basically the story - work hard, be smart, and when you get opportunities use them, and you can then succeed.

[Megan Rose]

I was working for a small hospital, maintaining their computer system in the operating room, when I transitioned 4 years ago.   

After about a year, our company sold out, and the computer system that I'd maintained was scheduled to be replaced.   I assumed that I would be out of a job considering that I was 64 at the time and trans.

Instead, the new company hired me, sent me to school, and now I'm a software analyst for them.   I am probably at the bottom of the pay scale for the work that I do, but I've never been one to chase dollars.

I was pleased that they never blinked at my obvious trans status, and have been treated with utmost fairness at the new job.

[Rachel]

I am a Senior Director for a department in a major university, research, teaching Hospital. I am also a Professional Mechanical  Engineer. 

I am out to 70 or so at work and will be fully out 9/1/2015. The COO, SVP HR, my SVP are aware and support me. I have been promoted while being out to my boss.  I am on an Infection Control Committee and a committee overseeing a device going for FDA approval (appointed by the COO). We are a regional Ebola center and I am a trained responder. I don and doff the medical teams. There are only 20 or so of us in the system.

We are a very conservative Hospital in some ways and very liberal in others. LGBTI are supported.

[Marlee]

I am a lawyer and make a very good income.  I have been an attorney for almost 30 years but only transitioned earlier this year. I know of a number of other attorneys who are transgender. 

Wow Jessie Ann!  I was on that path for a while. If you ever need a paralegal, keep me in mind
I currently work in admin for a college, Not the top, but a decent-paying job. And I doubt my transition would affect me being there (other than the typical "bumps")

[Sigyn]

I am a lawyer and make a very good income.  I have been an attorney for almost 30 years but only transitioned earlier this year. I know of a number of other attorneys who are transgender.  I also know some in the computer industry, business management and other technical fields. All of them make a very good living. It is possible to be very successful and be transgender. Unfortunately, some of the ability to be successful depends on where you live and work. Some places are very transgender friendly others, not so much.

I am an attorney as well, although I've only been practicing for 7 years. I have found that in my field and specialization, it really doesn't matter what name or gender appears at the bottom of the pleadings, but rather the content of the writing. The only places I have worked at for others were as a judicial clerk, and at a legal aid clinic. One thing I have found is that the legal aid clinic went out of their way to out my transgendered colleagues in order to aggrandize themselves and show how 'open-minded' they were. Frankly, this is why I remained closeted throughout my entire stay there.

A funny story though. I wrote a declaration (sworn statement) on items that I had personal knowledge on. I used the name on my bar card (male), but every single pronoun that I referred to myself in was female. My supervising attorney said "You used 'she' and 'her' to refer to yourself." I blurted out (what I thought was under my breath) "wishful thinking, I guess." and slapped my hand to my mouth and turned the deepest red. Thankfully, my supervisor, an old-school lesbian, never mentioned it again.

I remember we had a firm-wide retreat where one of the lectures was on 'gender awareness and sensitivity'. As a part of this exercise, we were told to stand in a position in the room. Those who identified as female on the East Wall, and those who identified as male on the other wall. Then it was who identifies as homosexual or heterosexual on the North-South wall spectrum. I remember looking at the (trans) dude and said "I am not outing myself to you, or anyone else in this firm. This is on a need to know basis, and you don't need to know." and sat in the dead center of the room. Of course, the cat-calls from both sides was apparent (I also considered the fact that I am the only conservative in the firm), and in the single coolest thing that has ever happened to me with this, my supervising attorney sat down back to back with me, and said "he's right you know."

So, as far as welcoming goes, I guess I would have to say that I would prefer a workplace carry on business as usual, no matter how I present, or when I full-time. I figure the less disruption in the workplace the better.



No foul language
Forum Admin

[Zumbagirl]

Is it possible to be a transsexual and have a high-paying successful career?

Most transsexuals I speak to are either unemployed or work minimum-wage jobs. Is there a brighter outlook for jobs?

Thanks

Yes. I have a very successful career.

[Jessie Ann]

I am one of three attorneys from my office that are actively litigating a high profile case in court. On Thursday one of the defense lawyers said I created some confusion in their firm when they noticed that the correspondence had changed from my old name to my new name.  They thought that maybe there was a husband and wife team in my office and it wasn't until I sent an e-mail to them to correct their proof of service documentation to reflect my correct name because of my name and gender change did they figured it out.  I had a good laugh with that one.

There really wasn't much disruption when I started full time.  I had a news crew documenting the frist couple of hours with some filiming of me and some of my co-workers. Other than that it's just been talking with the people I've worked with for years. All in all it has been really great.

I am an attorney as well, although I've only been practicing for 7 years. I have found that in my field and specialization, it really doesn't matter what name or gender appears at the bottom of the pleadings, but rather the content of the writing. 

So, as far as welcoming goes, I guess I would have to say that I would prefer a workplace carry on business as usual, no matter how I present, or when I full-time. I figure the less disruption in the workplace the better.

[Sigyn]

I am one of three attorneys from my office that are actively litigating a high profile case in court. On Thursday one of the defense lawyers said I created some confusion in their firm when they noticed that the correspondence had changed from my old name to my new name.  They thought that maybe there was a husband and wife team in my office and it wasn't until I sent an e-mail to them to correct their proof of service documentation to reflect my correct name because of my name and gender change did they figured it out.  I had a good laugh with that one.

There really wasn't much disruption when I started full time.  I had a news crew documenting the frist couple of hours with some filiming of me and some of my co-workers. Other than that it's just been talking with the people I've worked with for years. All in all it has been really great.

That's great. How long did it take for your State Bar/Licensing organization to change your name/gender to your bar number (I'm also assuming you had your name changed through the court and sent them the judgment)?

[Cindy]

I'm a Pathologist. I came out on the job with a staff of over 30 and a lot of professional colleagues and of course patients. The impact? Basically zero. I was a 'male' pathologist, I'm now a female pathologist. Oh there has been an impact, I now get the doors held open for me by male colleagues.

Oh and I get to hold my female patients' babies and say GooGah

[rosinstraya]

I'm a full-time public servant (law, justice, welfare areas) who transitioned at work earlier this year. Effect on employment - none. This is in Australia (NSW - New South Wales) where the police (who I have a lot of contact with) have a very strict policy and guidelines on dealing with/working with trans persons.

[Sammy]

I'm a Pathologist. I came out on the job with a staff of over 30 and a lot of professional colleagues and of course patients. The impact? Basically zero. I was a 'male' pathologist, I'm now a female pathologist. Oh there has been an impact, I now get the doors held open for me by male colleagues.

Oh and I get to hold my female patients' babies and say GooGah

Considering that You are pathologist, I am dreaded to ask in what condition Your patients usually are delivered...

P.S. Oh, well, looked that up - so it's not all about autopsies, solving mysterious crimes and other interesting and glamourous CSI-type stuff (the only types of pathologists I come across in my job).
I even feel a wee bit disappointed .

[Cindy]

I'm a Pathologist. I came out on the job with a staff of over 30 and a lot of professional colleagues and of course patients. The impact? Basically zero. I was a 'male' pathologist, I'm now a female pathologist. Oh there has been an impact, I now get the doors held open for me by male colleagues.

Oh and I get to hold my female patients' babies and say GooGah

Considering that You are pathologist, I am dreaded to ask in what condition Your patients usually are delivered...

Unfortunately, in my particular speciality one or other has leukaemia or a similar syndrome. I'm an hematopathologist. Pathologists look after the living, as well as helping the dead.

[Jasper93]

Is it possible to be a transsexual and have a high-paying successful career?

Most transsexuals I speak to are either unemployed or work minimum-wage jobs. Is there a brighter outlook for jobs?

Thanks

Absolutely. Work for a tech company. I attend IU -Bloomington, which is filled with trans people, and all of us either major in (a) gender studies or (b) CS, like myself. The outlook seems to be good. I have an ftm friend who plays bassoon, and is really good at it to the point that he plays alongside the master's students here. Moreover, earlier this summer, I worked at a job that would have brought in around 30k with no education requirements, and this was in the South. There are no limits -- even if trans. The obstacles are just a bit more pronounced.

[Anna-Maria]

Personally, I can approve that having a professional career while being trans is not mutual exclusive.

For example, I´m a Legal Counsel in the Financial Industry, negotiating ISDA, and GMRA, and several other derivatives related agreements. I´m transitioning at work, I´m out at work and everyone is just nice and supportive, my boss in particular. Everything that really counts are my efforts and my results at work. Me being a professional. That´s exactly what my boss told me, alongside several other things I won´t share here  .  As long as I´m happy with myself and I´m doing my job as good as I´ve ever done it,  I will have access to every possible support and resources. Looking back just a few months, reminding myself of the self-loathing prior to coming out, it seems absolutely unnecessary now. However, I´m fully aware that I´m in a very fortunate situation given the circumstances other trans persons encounter, especially my trans sisters encounter, and yes, I consider myself very lucky with my personal situation.

[Beth Andrea]

I work for a medium-sized city as a bus driver...transitioned about 3 years after being hired, but I have no doubt I would've still been hired as long as I had the same test scores and interview results. (I was the first person they called out of 30 "survivors" of the application process--over 500 applicants for an estimated 3 openings).

I make...umm...a bit more than the average here in the Seattle area, and outstanding benefits. Personally, I would never work in the private sector, have had nothing but bad luck with finding honest employers. (Of course, I don't have a degree or any fancy schmancy papers LOL)

[JoanneB]

I have met and know many successful fully transitioned transwomen and transmen, doctors, engineers, lawyers, IT, etc.. Most have transitioned on the job. Keeping a job can be challenging. Fear of me loosing my income and benefits keep me from taking any sort of chances. Fortunately I am one of the lucky ones. I am not (yet) a member of the Transition or Die club.

I am an engineer in a very niche field. Where I work I have demonstrated time and time again just how much money I can help them make on both new designs and keeping stuff going out the door smoothly. I have about a 20 year history with them. Yet, in spite of working in a state where trans people have protections, the obligatory World Class we don't discriminate.... policy, etc., I know from being a top management position if I cause more trouble then I am worth I am out of there. Only a PHB will say or put in writing being trans as the reason

[FTMax]

I'm a hospitality consultant for bars and restaurants. If I weren't living in one of the most expensive cities in the United States, I'd be very well off financially. Prior to this, I worked in higher education and as a police officer. I transitioned in my current position and have had absolutely no issues in the workplace.

My advice would be to figure out what you're really good at, and do it better than other people. It is hard to get rid of someone that truly earns their keep.

[ToniB]

HI I am a Test Equipment Calibration Engineer for A large Multi National company as well as working in a Mainly masculine environment I also Transitioned in the Job mine is a fairly essential job and we are fairly well respected so being Trans is not a reason to have to take a poorly paid Job .If you have a skill use it

[Zumbagirl]

I would just like to add the following additional information. Bear in mind that I transitioned about 15 years ago and things were far different than they are today.

I was doing well in a job and working on my transition off to the side. When I came almost to the day of hitting full time I was fired from my job. No I didn't sue and I didn't want to. Instead I kept my focus back on finishing my transition and landing a new job. I was out of work for a few months but it wasn't that bad to be honest.

My income was like a roller coaster when I went through my transition. It was up, then it went down, then it went back up again. It was the price I needed to pay at the time. Despite the fear of a sudden job loss, I will say in retrospect it was one of the best things to ever happen to me ever. I was able to start over fresh, post name change and just apply for a job without a big song and dance about the transition.

When I completed my transition, I will say in all honesty, I felt "cured" if you can call it that. I no longer needed to think about it every day. With that last obstacle gone, I have to say I have really succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.

So yes I have a successful career (very actually) and like everything else it had it's up and downs. It's how I handled the down parts that makes the up parts more enjoyable later on.