FIRED FROM WORK FOR BEING TRANSSEXUAL!

[Shelina]

Yes, I was retaining and was not sure to tell as this is very personal and heavily humiliating but I couldn't retain any longer and needed to thrash out to feel light. I was fired from work cos I decided to live full-time as transsexual. In the beginning the HR accepted I dress in girl to come to work, then I dunno some other people have filled HR's ears and should have said I am an embarassment to our prestigious company. They used other excuses as I was not working well etc which was utterly false to fire me, now I am jobless and on the streets, it's so difficult to find another decent job despite of my very high qualifications and I REALLY don't wanna backtrack and me male again, I've reached too far to backtrack now. I'm in a PITIABLE state right now and I don't even dare telling what I am doing exactly to get money right now, some sisters might know what...

HOW MANY AMONG YOU HAVE BEEN FIRED FROM WORK FOR HAVING DECIDED TO LIVE YOUR LIFE AS YOU WISHED?

[daisybelle]

Not sure where you live but the EEOC has rules against this: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/harass/ssa.html

There may also be state , city and county protections ( if you live in the US )

D   

See below:

SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Discrimination based on sexual orientation is directed at persons who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, who are perceived to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender or who associate with persons who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. This may take the form of harassment or treatment that is different than that afforded similarly situated employees or applicants.

To address sexual orientation discrimination, employees may contact an equal employment opportunity (EEO) counselor. Employees' right to address sexual orientation discrimination derives from Agency policy, not from Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations which govern other types of discrimination complaints processing. If counseling does not lead to a resolution, complainants will be told in writing of their right to file a formal complaint and given the procedure for doing so. Following an EEO investigation, the

Associate Commissioner for Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity makes the final Agency decision on the complaint. Unlike complaints based on other forms of discrimination, sexual orientation complainants do not have appeal rights to EEOC.

[tekla]

I'm pretty sure the OP lives outside the US.

[jonnismith]

I went fulltime at work to and was laid off after six months. They said it was due to the economy and lack of sales. I was the most knowledgeable employee they had in my dept. What it really boiled down to was discomfort from some of the other employees with certain religious backgrounds and prejuduces.
I have been unemployed since January and haven't been able to find employment. I too may soon be homeless with nowhere to go in the dead of winter to boot.
Phyically I could never de-transiton as I have passed the point of no return. Besides I would ever detransiton for any reason!
I feel your pain and wish you the best of luck!
BIG HUGS

[Janet_Girl]

~Raises her hand.~  I just was fired one day before my one year anniversary of full time. Their reason?  Poor customer service.  The real reason: I am TS.  I can not prove it, but I know it.

And now I am waiting on UI for Oregon.


Janet

[Julie Marie]

Well, this is something too many of us learn the hard way.  And too few of us prepare for well. 

I believed my employer (actually it was the mother company who flew in three top HR people, including #1, to meet with me and encourage me to come out) when they said that my job and pay would not be affected and that I would never be asked to return to the field.  I had a witness then but failed to get anything in writing or have legal counsel there on my behalf.  I felt that would have sent the message they can't be trusted.  I should have done it anyway.

What I learned is anyone who thinks their job is secure because times have changed or there are anti-discrimination laws on the books is only fooling themselves.  You HAVE to cover your butt and document EVERYTHING!!!!  And even then there's no guarantee you will keep your job.  When your employer knows the laws and doesn't want you around anymore, that just makes them more careful about how they are going to get rid of you.

Julie

[yabby]

Shelina,

i am really sorry about what happened to you. one never know how life go forward. Maybe loosing this job is what will open new better opportunity for you?

i know you are far from being in a mood to hear stories but thought i'll share this one:

nce there was an old man that owned a very beautiful white horse.

once the horse disappeared, and every body in the village said: that is bad news

the old wise man: you never know how can you tell?

a few days later the white horse is back but brought with it a group of very beautiful white horses.

everybody: finally it was a good thing.

wise old man: i don't know

so the son of the old guy spend all his time playing with the horses and riding it, until one day he had an accident fall off the horse and broke his legs.

everybody: sorry to hear about your son, that is really sad what happened to him.

wise old man: how can you tell?

later a war took place and all young men had to participate in the war and there was a lot of dead.

everybody: you were right, yes your son is handicapped and can not walk again but he is still alive. it was not that bad what happened to him.

wise old man: you can not tell........

[Stella Blue]

Sorry to hear you lost your job    I haven't had a job in almost a year, but I applied for one yesterday that looks promising, and I plan to begin HRT within the month. Hopefully I get the job and am able to keep for a good while because I really do need money right now.

I know how hard it is to find work right now, especially while in transition it can be harder. But stay positive, I find when you think you've hit rock bottom there is no place to go but up, and at some point something will go right. Life is full of nasty turns but there are also the nice things that happen to us and if we stay positive the good can outweigh the bad.

-Heather

[Bellaon7]

I've been fired twice for this same grievous offense. Regretfully yes, there are many others. In the US if you work for the gov. as a ts/tg, then the gov. allows  you some rights. Other than that, only a few states allow ts/tg to have rights.   I've been told by many people that this is how it is & to just accept it. This has really pissed me off. But the absolute worst is when other ts/tg tell me this, I just don't understand these people.
Post Merge: October 01, 2009, 08:06:22 PM

[sneakersjay]

It's a risk we all take in coming out on the job.  And even if you do everything 'right' by the powers that be, it's no guarantee.  I have back up plans in place.  I hope I don't need them.



Jay

[Allamakee]

When your employer knows the laws and doesn't want you around anymore, that just makes them more careful about how they are going to get rid of you.

Yes, this.

I'm not sure where Shelina lives, but here in the US its well known among union organizers, and sympathizers, that if an employer wants to fire someone, they can always find "legitimate" reason(s).  Its only the most clumsy employer which runs afoul of the law.

I admit, I am unfamiliar with workplace protections for transsexuals, but I would be surprised if the situation is any different for us.

Shelina, I am very sorry this has happened to you.  It brings a loss of income and stability at a time in life when you need it more than ever.   I think it would be very hard to go back to living as a guy, even if just for work.  But only you can know what is right for you.

~Lynn~

[barbie]

A professor told me a few weeks ago that it is the power that determines whether you maintain a job or not. Only the weak talk and complain about the law and rules. The power may mean your money, hierarchic position, or physical power. Bush administration invaded Iraq based on all later-falsified grounds. Now he is criticized just because of the power shift to Barack Obama.

Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.
--Mao Tse-Tung

You need the power to crossdress without being fired.

Barbie~~

[Julie Marie]

A professor told me a few weeks ago that it is the power that determines whether you maintain a job or not. Only the weak talk and complain about the law and rules. The power may mean your money, hierarchic position, or physical power.
Barbie~~

Not sure how you are going to wrest that power from your employer.  Any specific suggestions?

Julie

[yabby]

Not sure how you are going to wrest that power from your employer.  Any specific suggestions?

Julie

A secret picture of him passionately kissing a hippopotamus? 

[barbie]

Not sure how you are going to wrest that power from your employer.  Any specific suggestions?

Julie

I did not say that, but that is what I heard from the professor.

I guess the power can be shared with many people or a group. History says that people have been under collective power systems.

I can say that you need to keep strong social relationship and friendship to wrest the power from the empoloyer  .

Barbie~~

[finewine]

I did not say that, but that is what I heard from the professor.

I guess the power can be shared with many people or a group. History says that people have been under collective power systems.

I can say that you need to keep strong social relationship and friendship to wrest the power from the empoloyer  .

Barbie~~

The original concept, I guess, being a "union" (albeit probably not with trans rights in mind back in those days)

[Dianna]

I'm 40 plus and I have never discussed transsexual/transgender in my place of work.  No one knows about me, that's how I have always been in my profession.

Unless a person is very obvious in "looks", I believe it's an area to keep out of the workplace.

[milktea]

heard about the hsbc senior exec in hong kong who got fired for being a transexual? what does that speak about 'power'? that someone had a bigger stick?

i think the more realistic way for most ts here is to transition on the job and when you are passable and got your name changed GO FIND A NEW JOB! for most people pls don't count on your coworkers *really* being cool about it, they aren't! and what is it about ts here that are dying to 'come out' and confess to everyone they knew that they are 'transitioning'...and attract the stigma? so long as you don't walk around in a skirt blatently denying the obvious actually works -- there's no way anyone can prove that you are a transexual unless they have your medical records.

so my advice: deny everything while transitioning, then do your name change, wipe the slate clean and go somewhere else on your female identity. a lot more elegant than the mess you create by can't helping coming out...

[tekla]

There are a lot of things both good and bad about trade unionism (I'm not going to speak to unions for things like civil servants or police) but one of the best things is that its not just you against some huge corporation, and they just can't dismiss you with a wave of their hand, you have other people on your side, and they have a process and a procedure they have to follow.  It can't be done on mere whim.

That being said, any manager worth their salary knows how to document this stuff.

And that being said even if you would lose job A, the union can have you at job B the next day.

And I think what Barbie says about power is true.  Its easy to pick on people who you know will not fight back, or who will react by ineffective means.

For all the stuff about 'love conquers all' real change comes only under threat.  Power can only be confronted with power.

[Muffin]

I think it's very tempting to want to go full time before one is ready for it in the eyes of others. Which begs the question do you do what you feel like or do you consider what other people think even if what they think is wrong? To keep the peace? I believe the biggest problem people have with TG folk is the guy in a dress issue they can't process it, but if you are a girl in a suit then most people won't bat an eye lid.
I went androgynous for as long as I could, I even binded for awhile. Maybe I care too much what other people think, but I know how people think, and even though I disagree with them and think they complete selfish ignorance jerks I'm never going to change that. Only time will over a few more decades.

I do think it was wrong for your HR manager to give you the green light to then turn around and not even give you the opinion to go back to a male suit to keep the peace. That is wrong and you should fight that as you did nothing wrong.
I'd say the safest time to go fulltime at work is when you over hear people saying "why is that girl wearing a suit?".