Census Work

[Tammy Hope]

Got a call from the Census folks today. I've been selected as a candidate for crew leader training (I wasn't last year) and the training starts Feb. 16

I asked the person on the phone about my status. i told her that since last year I had transitioned to presenting a female identity full time and that I would need to be identified and addressed as Laura (except in legal matters such as payroll) and would that present a difficulty, not so much as an employee - because I recognized that the government was an equal opportunity employer - but as a person who would potentially be in a supervisory role and she said it would absolutely not be a factor.

Now, of course, i recognize that this is one of those situations in which she can't SAY it will be a problem, but I do have her on record telling me so.

I find that I'm really pretty psyched about the idea that I have a chance to actually "get my hands dirty" in the world as Laura rather than just being "that guy who dresses like a woman" who comes in the store sometimes.

If* I get it, it should be a fascinating experience.

*I've gotten mixed info about whether everyone who goes for the training will in fact be a crew leader if they handle the training, but I think the person who was casting doubt is taking things out of context. I remember in the enumerator training last year, there was a built in allowance in the size of the group for those who would decide it wasn't for them or be forced out by circumstances or whatever. I believe the basic idea here is if you can handle the training and want the job, you have the job.

[myles]

Congratulations! On the job and as presenting as Laura at the job.
Cheers,
Myles

[mtfbuckeye]

I worked for the census last year as a crew leader assistant. It's a pretty easy job, but the lack of knowledge and initiative both above and below me in the chain of command was frustrating.... Good luck! I'm eager to hear how it goes for you.

[Tammy Hope]

I was an enumerator last year and the crew leader was a 22 year old woman who's only previous experience was working the desk at a finance company.

*insert headslap

how they figured she was right for that job I'll never know. in her own crew she had three people who were retired business owners and two retired teachers.

[Adio]

Laura, I've a question for you since you'll be helping other people fill out their census.  Which sex should a person who is not legally their target gender put down?  For example:  I'm legally female but present as male full time minus a legal name change.  Would I get in trouble with the government for checking male?  I couldn't find anything on the census website.  Also, does the name I put have to be my full first name or can it be the name I go by?  It's okay if you don't know.

[tekla]

Everything has to be according to legal documents, and there is a $500 fine for providing false information, though I don't know how often its ever used.

[Adio]

After a bit more thorough searching, I found this:

"Enter the person's legal name, that is, the name used to sign checks and other important papers."

I use my first initial to sign everything and it's what listed on my checks and the like.  I might have to give in on this one though because of the way my school lists me.

"Mark the box that indicates the person's biological sex."

Poor wording in my opinion.  I consider myself a natal female, not a biological female.  It says nothing about legal gender or sex markers.

[Tammy Hope]

what tekla said about the legality of the matter is true, I'm sure, but honestly - I think the odds of anyone "calling you on it" are so long you'd need a Vulcan to calculate them.

[Tammy Hope]

Bumping the old thread but....

Been training this week and it's been such fun. I've never been referred to as "Laura" "she" and "her" so much in one day in my life and it's WONDERFUL!

My bosses are great (my supervisor told me "if anyone has a problem with you they have a problem with me") and so far no co-workers have blinked at all.

I'm going to be either a crew leader or a CLA so I'll be training a team of 8 or so folks who will be under my supervision and that should be interesting but so far so great.

Only small drawback is having to put the legal name on all the paperwork.

[Janet_Girl]

That is total neat, Laura.  Well except for the legal paperwork, but that will be corrected in time.

[mtfbuckeye]

This isn't related to being trans, but I'm having an AWFUL time getting my census employment file transferred from Illinois to Ohio... just seems to be some bureaucratic snafu at each step of the process... ugh.

[Tammy Hope]

That is total neat, Laura. 

Yeah, I felt like I should have a hat to throw in the air like Mary Tyler Moore, lol.

Post Merge: February 25, 2010, 01:27:56 AM
Oky-doky.

got the Crew leader job and start training my crew on Monday. We're in the QC operation by the way.

First downside - I had to call all the members of my crew and every LAST one of them said "sir" to me even when I put "laura" in my introduction.

My phone voice is apparently so masciline it trumps everything.

One person, after asking me to repeat my name (apparently she heard "Bob" or something) asked "Are you ....a...guy?"

(to which I replied "it's complicated"  and she expressed a "whatever you want to do" sentiment but seemed a bit put off)

The peolpe in the office were WONDERFUL - we had a pot-luck last Thursday and even the folks there who had to know my status treated me like "one of the girls" including one who was freely chatting me up in the rest room without an obvious concern.

And the guy who's going to be my CLA may or may not have made me but he's an older dude who one might suspect would be intolerant but so far he's been kind.

I guess I'll find out Monday how my crew will react.