So I realized today that I need to figure out where I'm going to live over the summer (currently I'm living on my college campus, but I'll have to find somewhere else during summer break), which means I need to find a job that is
A) in St. Louis (I have one supportive relative I can live with)
B) one I can live at
or C) pays well enough that I can make money while paying to live nearby
I would really like to be a summer camp counselor (which I've done in the past), but I would need to find an overnight camp that would be ok with a trans guy being in cabins (or whatever lodging) with campers overnight and such. If it matters, I'm almost 3 months on T and pass most of the time, but I definitely look a lot younger than I am (I'm 21), and bind pretty much any time I'm around people. Does anyone have any suggestions (summer camp or otherwise)?
Thanks!
Kye,
Welcome to the site.
I am sorry I do not have any information for you. However, we have a lot of members all over.
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Things that you should read
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With warmth,
Joanna
This is a touchy subject for a lot of summer camps. I've worked in YMCA overnight camps and have some experience in their facilities as well and I've known of LGBTQ staff both on counselor and administration level but haven't ever known someone working there who had transitioned or was in transition and was overnight staff. I could imagine it would depend largely on the state of your paperwork. If your gender markers haven't been legally changed, I could see it being a potential problem simply because children are involved.
In a typical summer camp you would have to use a communal restroom and shower with the campers. That could present a difficult situation.
Thanks everyone! Unfortunately, I won't be able to change my gender marker for a while. I can definitely see where that could be problematic. I did work at a YMCA camp as a counselor last summer (only during the day), and judging just from that experience, I don't think the bathrooms/showers will be too much trouble, but I know it's different everywhere.
I guess I'll just apply a bunch of places (full disclosure up front) and hope at least one doesn't turn me down. I could probably get some other kind of job without too much trouble though, it just won't be ideal.