Quote from: Alainaluvsu on February 13, 2013, 12:43:05 PM
By the time I stopped working in IT, I absolutely HATED it. The only thing I liked was making the wiring closets look nice and clean. And trust me, I worked some magic in that lol!

Yeah but, were they up to BICSI standards?

Quote from: Brooke777 on February 13, 2013, 01:01:44 PM
Yeah but, were they up to BICSI standards?

I have no idea what that is. Probably not. But here's a before and after of one of my jobs that was a total MESS at first. We weren't allowed to put in new equipment and some of the cables didn't reach to where I wanted them to. Not even close to my best work, I lost all of that after I changed my cell phone.

Before:



After:



That was done on a business day, too. So I could only take one person off at a time. And yes, I liked doing that stuff

I kind of hid on computers and internet, and have done some IT work but my real passion is software development.

Habit I guess, but habit affects nature ^.^

Quote from: Sadie on February 13, 2013, 11:37:48 AM
I know exactly what you mean.  I always used computers and I like video games but after leaving the medical field I thought that would be a good career for me. Honestly though it's not. I realize this but I am kind of stuck, as I am older now as I can't really swing going back to school and with all the unemployed college grads is it even worth it?

If its any consolation I work in health care   and IT. The health care field is always coming up empty handed when looking for technologists with a health care background. PPACA wasn't 2000 blank pages, there are tons of laws and medical procedures that need people who understand them

Have you thought of moving to the northeast? There are 4 heath insurers within a couple of miles where I am right now (Hartford, CT). The company I work for runs a group of elder care facilities in Tennessee and they are constantly looking for nurses. The job market is blazing hot if you want to grab for it

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on February 13, 2013, 01:26:10 PM
I have no idea what that is. Probably not. But here's a before and after of one of my jobs that was a total MESS at first. We weren't allowed to put in new equipment and some of the cables didn't reach to where I wanted them to. Not even close to my best work, I lost all of that after I changed my cell phone.

Before:



After:



That was done on a business day, too. So I could only take one person off at a time. And yes, I liked doing that stuff

Well done. 

I was actually kidding about the BICSI. Unless you have been doing telecom for a while, at a very in depth level you probably have never heard of it.

Man... I never knew that such statistics existed. And in case there needs to be further confirmation, I was actually a total math nerd in high school, president of the Mu Alpha Theta team, and was an engineering major in college. (Until I failed out due to my personal issues getting the better of me.) So, hell, I don't know why this happens. But I fit this also, even though I dropped out of the field after 2 years of college.

And I'm still a total nerd,spending lots of time watching anime and computing and playing games. (I really look forward to being a geek chick. )

Quote from: cheetaking243 on February 13, 2013, 01:33:03 PM
, and was an engineering major in college. (Until I failed out due to my personal issues getting the better of me.) So, hell, I don't know why this happens. But I fit this also, even though I dropped out of the field after 2 years of college.

I don't want this to sound preachy but one thing I want to see in this world are more successful transwomen. I don't want to be the only one. It's entirely possible to do this all, be successful and live a comfortable life. I have 6 figure jobs at my company that I have to give to foreigners because not a single American worker has the education or qualifications. An American engineering degree is like owning your own bars of gold. When I went to college there were 475 in the freshman class and 25 of us graduated. Starting salaries in engineering are hovering near $75-80k. That's a 21-22 year old fresh out of college! In 10 years your earning potential will be close to $200k. That's one hell of a leg up in the world.

If you only have 2 years left then suck it up and do it. You can thank me later

Quote from: Sadie on February 13, 2013, 11:37:48 AM
I know exactly what you mean.  I always used computers and I like video games but after leaving the medical field I thought that would be a good career for me. Honestly though it's not. I realize this but I am kind of stuck, as I am older now as I can't really swing going back to school and with all the unemployed college grads is it even worth it?

I'm actually in healthcare IT. We hire consultants that have clinical experience to help us model our software. It might be an option to try to get one of those consultant jobs, and show enough interest in computers that someone's willing to take you under their wing. Degrees really aren't as important in programming. All I have is a high school diploma and I still get paid the same as any other lead developer. I just have to fight a little harder for it.

Quote from: Zumbagirl on February 13, 2013, 01:54:42 PM
I don't want this to sound preachy but one thing I want to see in this world are more successful transwomen. I don't want to be the only one. It's entirely possible to do this all, be successful and live a comfortable life. I have 6 figure jobs at my company that I have to give to foreigners because not a single American worker has the education or qualifications. An American engineering degree is like owning your own bars of gold. When I went to college there were 475 in the freshman class and 25 of us graduated. Starting salaries in engineering are hovering near $75-80k. That's a 21-22 year old fresh out of college! In 10 years your earning potential will be close to $200k. That's one hell of a leg up in the world.

If you only have 2 years left then suck it up and do it. You can thank me later

No, no, I finished college! Don't worry about that. (It took me 7 years, but I finally did make it, back in the spring of 2011.) All I'm saying is that I failed out of the division-1 engineering college that I was in when I first started, (Mercer,) and ended up in a small liberal-arts college where I decided to pursue my dreams of writing instead, and after MUCH emotional hardship, I did graduate. (Chemistry 1 was my favorite class... I took it three times... )

And you know, I really feel comfortable where I'm at now. I'm working as a poker dealer at a local casino, making $50,000 per year with full benefits, and I do get to do math, so it's not just a totally braindead job. I probably should have gone much further with my brains than I did, but I really don't feel like it anymore. I'm only 27 years old, and only a year and a half out of college. I need time to BREATHE!!! Just get settled, and get away from that rigorous academic life, and above all, FINALLY explore being myself rather than worrying about moving up in the work world. I'll worry about that once this whole gender-transition thing is over with. Until then, I just need something safe, secure, and something that can pay the bills enough so that I can afford the doctors' visits, HRT, and save up for surgery. That's my goal right now, and right now it's being met, so I'm not worried about it.

Sounds like a good plan!! I just don't like seeing the American dream being ripped away from people's hands and given to foreigners. Only 5% of engineering grads are Americans. The job market is so starved for talent we hire h1 visas from India. It isn't cost it's no resources available. The new wave of immigrants coming to the US have great educations and are replacing older more senior workers. I just really like seeing people succeed. It's a personal mission for a lot of ignored young Americans that are losing out at their shot life.

I'd love to do engineering.... if it wasn't for the math 

Quote from: Zumbagirl on February 13, 2013, 01:29:04 PM
If its any consolation I work in health care   and IT. The health care field is always coming up empty handed when looking for technologists with a health care background. PPACA wasn't 2000 blank pages, there are tons of laws and medical procedures that need people who understand them

Have you thought of moving to the northeast? There are 4 heath insurers within a couple of miles where I am right now (Hartford, CT). The company I work for runs a group of elder care facilities in Tennessee and they are constantly looking for nurses. The job market is blazing hot if you want to grab for it

I have thought about moving a lot. I am pretty sure I would not live here if it were not for my children.  My parent's have often suggested I move and look for work in more liberal states. However, I have a very active relationship with my two daughters. I honestly don't think I could bear living hundreds of miles away from them and only being able to talk to them on the phone.  I also think they would be crushed as well if I left their lives like that.

I could not do nursing again even if I wanted to unless I went back for a refresher course and retake my license exam.  If you have not practiced in over 5 years you have to do this. Its been 13 years since I have been on a hospital floor. The refresher courses are crazy, its basically like going back to nursing school. I see the reason they do this, it's for safety but still it makes it very hard to jump back into the field once your out. That isn't even counting the whole host of reasons that got me to dislike nursing and made me leave in the first place.

It must sound like I am making excuses but honestly I have given all of these things a lot of thought.

+1 here. I have worked in IT in various roles since 2001. This thread and the one on childhood toys a few weeks ago is wierding me out. We all seem to share some personality traits seemingly unrelated to being trans.

Quote from: EmmaS on February 13, 2013, 07:12:12 AM
I'm only one person but I'm terrible with computers haha.

Don't worry, I'm horrible with them, too. To me, computers are like cars: every part other than the basic ones, to me, will always be referred to as a "thingy." 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Anyway, as a joke, all of the guys in my Advanced Calculus class got together on the first day and said, "Oh my gosh, are these the 'girls' we've been hearing of? They do have large cysts on their chests! Poor things! Wow, I never thought they existed, but it's true! Girls!" 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

I can't go to college. I just can't. I like knowledge and learning, but I despise school. 
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Quote from: DianaP on February 13, 2013, 03:18:51 PM
Anyway, as a joke, all of the guys in my Advanced Calculus class got together on the first day and said, "Oh my gosh, are these the 'girls' we've been hearing of? They do have large cysts on their chests! Poor things! Wow, I never thought they existed, but it's true! Girls!" 

You get used to that after a while.  In a computer science lecture of about 200 people there was maybe one girl in the room.

Interesting thread, I have to say I have noticed that too.
Myself i do work behind a box, but i am not IT.
I'm a Graphic Designer and have been for the last 10 years or so, am getting rather tired of it though, kinda working out what else I might like to do soon.

Jay-Bird

I've always thought it was because that computers and geeky hobbies in general were a form of escapism and a kind of solace for many trans people, which may be partly to do with it. I've noticed the same trend too, although I'm not into IT particularly, as I'm a tax advisor so I merely rely on IT!

I would propose to expand that to include chemists!!!  I have two computers on my desk at work - one for email, documents, excel spreadsheets.  The other is an engineering work station that is hooked into 27 other computers for parallel processing when I do molecular modeling.  I have known other chemists who are trans as well.  There are a number of women chemists. 

Engineers, Architects, Scientists and Comp Sci?

Quote from: girl you look fierce on February 13, 2013, 11:14:32 AM
My opinion about this is really unpopular so please don't read it if you are really sensitive, but mainly it's because men are more interested in those fields and most TS women are interested in mostly male dominated things.

It's not like it matters to me, but I don't think we all have to pretend it's not obvious... also doesn't matter to me if it's because of how they were raised or just their natural personality (though to be honest you need a specific type of personality to actually enjoy intensely logical things like computer programming, which seem sorta bland to people who are differently oriented).  But at some point there is a creative outlet there too.

Well it's true. My dad is really into engineering/IT/Software and always tried to get me into it. I hated it. I always wanted to be a teacher or artist. He always gave me crap, my mom was more supportive. I ended up going to school for something really masculine to try to man up (criminal justice). It was interesting but I had no desire to be a cop or something running around shooting and beating people up. It left me jobless with a degree useless to me after college. Now i'm working in retail customer service and strangely I like it. All the interacting and the women I work with are great. It doesn't pay a lot but I don't care.

I'll probably catch a lot of flack for what i'm about to say but i'm going to say it. Flame me or down vote me if you choose.

I notice a lot of trans women in male dominated fields with good pay because they transitioned after they had the schooling and experience provided by male privilege. These late transitioners are in a kind of sweet spot if they managed to keep their jobs. Many of the younger transitioners are caught with no work or schooling experience because they faced the adult world as out trans women and not men with a secret. Due to this, many of them are left homeless or having to sell their bodies to survive. The fact is that this board is not a realistic portrayal of the trans community. MOST trans women do not have access to these forums or take part in them because they are too busy struggling to make ends meet to chat online. Every day many of them are killed or imprisoned for who they are. I am lucky to have a supportive middle class family or even I perhaps would have ended up like them. So no there are not many trans women who are computer programmers/engineers/IT, most of them are homeless or prostitutes.

/end rant

Quote from: MaidofOrleans on February 13, 2013, 06:41:08 PM
I notice a lot of trans women in male dominated fields with good pay because they transitioned after they had the schooling and experience provided by male privilege. These late transitioners are in a kind of sweet spot if they managed to keep their jobs. Many of the younger transitioners are caught with no work or schooling experience because they faced the adult world as out trans women and not men with a secret. Due to this, many of them are left homeless or having to sell their bodies to survive. The fact is that this board is not a realistic portrayal of the trans community. MOST trans women do not have access to these forums or take part in them because they are too busy struggling to make ends meet to chat on-line. Every day many of them are killed or imprisoned for who they are. I am lucky to have a supportive middle class family or even I perhaps would have ended up like them. So no there are not many trans women who are computer programmers/engineers/IT, most of them are homeless or prostitutes.

No flack because I think your right.  I talked with my psychiatrist about the young transistioneers and their struggles.  She agreed with what you said as well.  If I loose my job tomorrow, I'll have another job before I leave the parking lot.  I don't worry to much about the monetary cost either.

The only point of slight disagreement is around spouses.  Try to imagine looking at the woman you truly love, the one who has been there through trials and good times and grand children and surgeries and and and.....and tell her your actually a woman.  Way harder for me than telling family, friends and work all put together.

Transitioning is hard.  For some, particularly the 18-25 crowd, it can be harder.