I'm an mtf, pre-everything, presenting as male. However, I just painted my nails black last week and I love it, it's given me so much more self-esteem and just makes me feel good in general.

I'm in between jobs right now and it occurred to me that nearly every job I could possibly get, I would probably not be allowed to wear nail polish. The only job I can think of where I could get away with this is a position at Hot Topic, and I am really not all that interested in making $8 an hour and having all my coworkers be teenagers. Does anyone have any advice?

I'm sorry if I posted this in the wrong section.

First off of Elektra, I'd like to offer you a big warm welcome to Susan's place. This is a wonderful community with very supportive of and beautiful people who are more than welcome to help in any way we can. I'm sure a moderator will be around to give you the rules of the site, so everything is at your fingertips, so pull up a chair and dig right in.

As far as nail polish goes. I'm not sure where you live right now, but in the Chicago area. I see men wearing nail polish all the time, especially black. My advice to you is, if you wearing nail polish makes you happy and your comfortable with it just own it. If you go in for an interview with confidence looking for a job, that certainly says more about you than any nail polish on your fingers. I hope this helps you sweetie. I wish you nothing but the best of luck on your chosen path and journey. Safe travels, pumpkin.

Hugs,

Melissa Ann

I wear clear nail polish at work. Nobody says anything. I've seen people looking but nobody has said anything to my face.

I have no problem in my office wearing polish, but I've been here for a long time, but even if I recently started it probably wouldn't be a problem.
I rarely wear black though. Too masculine for me. Well today I am, but that's for Halloween.

So try an office job.

I've been wearing clear nail polish myself.. love it! hated seeing my nails look so plain and dull lol   Going to throw on the pine green and sparkle red come Christmas! So far no one has said anything, even tho I've noticed some looking. 

Welcome to Susan's Electra.

Black nail polish is cool and I often wear it. But can you pull off coral, red, chrome, or pink? My absolute favorite is coral or chrome. Black is still a guy color and a lot of musicians wear it. Eyeliner too. But girly colors and silver chrome isn't really that girly but pushes the envelope a little.

But jobs that allow it? All I know is driving a truck or musician. All I know is driving and music. Never had a "real" job. Sorry hon.

Hi Electra and welcome.

I've worked in hospitality and gaming almost all my working life. (If this is not a real job, fine just have a good night out without us ). Ok depending on the bosses rules I have had anything from clear nail polish to any crazy colour I'm feeling like at the time. From pinks to purples, to blacks to reds. The only time I had any type of critisim was the time i painted them a horrid green colour

Quote from: AshaztiSR on October 31, 2014, 09:44:24 PM
So far no one has said anything,

When they ask the correct answers are

Q: "Are you wearing nail polish?"
A: "Yes."

Q: "Why are you wearing nail polish?"
A: "Why not?" or "I like nail polish."

Q: "Oooh, that's pretty. Can you do my nails?"
A: "Sure"
( I like to do nail art.)

I wear clear nail polish all the time.  For a while, I was so worried that people might notice and think I was gay/girly and laugh in my face like middle school bullies, but none of that happened.  People have obviously seen it - even the clear can be hard to hide when the light catches it - but nobody's said anything and it's not a big deal.  ("Manly" job too, working around men.)

I'd not wear it to a job interview, especially not colored polish, but once you've been in the job a few weeks, by all means start to polish those nails.

I've recently fallen in love with black nail polish.  Haven't work it to work yet, but I'm sure I will sooner or later.

I've found non-profits and tech companies to be pretty accommodating. But I think a lot of it probably depends on the cultural/work environment. I'm in the Northwest, so up here's a lot more permissive (and there are more legal protections) than some other places in the country.

Title VII provides nominal protection for gender non-conforming presentations with most employers (see http://transgenderlawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/TitleVII-Report-Final012414.pdf) but I'm sure we all know what the law nominally protects and how it works in practice are two different things).

Quote from: Brenda E on November 01, 2014, 08:03:13 AM
I wear clear nail polish all the time.  For a while, I was so worried that people might notice and think I was gay/girly and laugh in my face like middle school bullies, but none of that happened.  People have obviously seen it - even the clear can be hard to hide when the light catches it - but nobody's said anything and it's not a big deal.  ("Manly" job too, working around men.)

I'd not wear it to a job interview, especially not colored polish, but once you've been in the job a few weeks, by all means start to polish those nails.

I've recently fallen in love with black nail polish.  Haven't work it to work yet, but I'm sure I will sooner or later.

I agree 100% with you Brenda. I've been wearing clear nail polish for a long time as well, and like you said sometimes it's hard for people not to notice, and when they do, I don't let their comments bother me.