High prevalence of science, technology, engineering, math and related in TG?

[georgie]

Software engineer and programmer here.

Singer and guitar player as well.  This seems to also go with math and science people.

[RobynD]

I'm an engineer but most of my work is actually marketing or managing the business. (with a healthy does of finance thrown in )

I think the "orderliness" of science, math and related fields could indeed be a refuge from the unknowns of dysphoria for many. Fascinating question.

[Barb99]

Manufacturing Engineer and CNC programmer here.
Home Automation and computer programming as 2 of several hobbies.
Home decoration and Shopping are 2 more.

[SiobhánF]

Former computer science student and web developer (still dabble in it, from time to time). Avionics technician, currently. Very heavy on diagnostics and troubleshooting. Also currently pursuing a BS in health science.

[Michelle_P]

Interesting...

B.S. Physics
Worked in nuclear engineering for several years.
Worked as an instructor a few times in both nuclear engineering and specialized programming.
Long career as a software engineer, generally right on top of the hardware.
Accumulated 19 patents along the way
Currently retired, although I've got an engineering lab in the house I still use. 

Nerds... We do come in all shapes and sizes...   

[paula lesley]

I have always thought cis and trans women make wonderful engineers. My father always said that I had " mechanical sympathy " I cared about the things he made. I can not have babies but I can love a beautifully machined part or a finely crafted machine lol ! Quite weird but true 




Paula, X.

[aaajjj55]

Singer and guitar player as well.  This seems to also go with math and science people.

I'd noticed that too.  When I used to lurk around the TG parts of Flickr, there was a surprising number of electric guitars in shot.

I also visited a model train show earlier this year and spotted 3 separate people (i.e. at the show singly and not in a group together) who I strongly suspected of being TG which is a far bigger concentration than you'd normally expect to see at any given location.

Are both of these perhaps to do with needing a creative outlet for surpressed feminine desires before making the change?

Turning back to the career thing, I think there's an element of us seeing what we want to see; all of the respondents to this thread have confirmed the hypothesis in the title and no one has replied saying that, pre-transition, they worked in a predominantly female area.  Equally, however, those of us who only come to the full realisation of who we are at an older age may have subconsciously avoided the softer/more feminine careers when we started out.

Amanda

[Dayta]

BS in Chemical Engineering, with 30+ years exp in the aerospace industry.  I enjoyed the non-engineering aspects of my jobs VASTLY more than the technical part though. 

L

[laurenb]

BSEE and practicing design engineer. 35 years experience and now I'm pursuing a degree in Horticulture/Biology.

I would love to see a sub-forum started for technical/professional networking.

[becky.rw]

Equally, however, those of us who only come to the full realisation of who we are at an older age may have subconsciously avoided the softer/more feminine careers when we started out.

Quite a point there.    I can distinctly remember before I got masculine-overconscious.    I was far more interested in watching and helping my grandmother can vegetables and set aside fruit preserves and pickles;  learning how to cook, etc.   Far more interested in fact than my sister ever was.     Choose between helping in the kitchen, or go hunt or fish or play ball?   Skillet please.

I got nudged later towards overt masculine, and went along for the ride not wanting to upset anyone...   College and immediate after, I'd apply or start overtly masculine paths, only to have the mentor/supervisor types quietly inform me, basically, "dude, I know you can pass any test we throw at you, but you're not right for this, and you'll be miserable, and may get folks killed...."  (wow, my hands shaking just from typing that).    Why I couldn't pickup on those clues when young, apparently it seemed obvious to everyone else.... I have no idea.

[julia64]

I am a Civil Engineer.

[Deborah]

My career in the Army was set by my choice of college which was partly my wanting to go there and partly wanting to gain my parents' respect.  That was probably a result of them telling me I was sick, twisted, and crazy when I was 13.

My choice of what I studied there was limited to only engineering disciplines so I picked the one that everyone thought was the hardest (EE).  I'm not sure why I did that.   There probably is some deep seated need to continually prove myself at work there though.

That need continued for a few years after college until I ran out of things to prove myself with.  The one constant though has been a trans identity, before, during, and after. 

Maybe I was subconsciously trying to chase it away.  If so, that was an utter failure.  LOL

[Anne Blake]

Add another one, mechanical R&D and manufacturing development engineer, strong on the analytics and a bit of code stuff on the side. Plus a passion for mentoring the younger engineers entering the field.

My take, at least for myself, is that the scientific/engineering technical mind loves to look at and strive to turn the magical possibilities of "What if" into reality. They also have the drive and capability to not be stopped by all of the reasons that something can't be done. Why would they let a little thing like socialization and the world get in the way of something that they envision as desirable and needed in their lives? We flourish at finding ways to achieve the stuff that can't be done, experiencing fullness of life and working out effective transisioning is right down our alley.

Anne

[Megan.]

Mechanical Engineer with an IT career...

[V]

My take, at least for myself, is that the scientific/engineering technical mind loves to look at and strive to turn the magical possibilities of "What if" into reality. They also have the drive and capability to not be stopped by all of the reasons that something can't be done. Why would they let a little thing like socialization and the world get in the way of something that they envision as desirable and needed in their lives? We flourish at finding ways to achieve the stuff that can't be done, experiencing fullness of life and working out effective transisioning is right down our alley.

Anne

What a great way of putting it! I can sure see myself in that description.

[Steph Eigen]

Amanda has an excellent idea.  Perhaps we can spawn a child board for STEM discussion.  As I am just a humble newborn on this site, I have no idea how this might be accomplished.  Any ideas?

[Paige]

Hey, Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science.  30 years programmer.

[Soli]

maybe this also has to do with possible links between transsexualism and the autism spectrum... I mean may I suggest it could have a link with?

[popa910]

I think this thread carries a very high risk of confirmation bias

Regardless, I majored in physics, with minors in computer science and classical studies (ancient Greece and Rome)

[Steph Eigen]

Brain fart.  I don't know why I wrote Amanda, meant to write Laurenb in my last post.