I've been a long time reader on these forums, but this is my first post. So, let me start by giving a quick introduction then we can move to my main question at hand. I'm currently a 22 year MtF, and I have a very loving and supporting family (well, those who know about my "condition"). I haven't started hormones yet, but I plan on doing so after I move and talk to the therapist and all that good stuff.

Alright! Finally, the topic as hand - I've always been slightly curious as to what most MtF individuals picked as a profession. Do the jobs we choose tend to be more neutral, feminine, or masculine?

I've currently working a low wage job to get me through college. I'm a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and studying Geology. We actually have a small museum dedicated to the geology department. To the left side in the museum we have a mineral and rock collection, and to the right side their is a collection of fossils and all that kind of stuff - I'm not really into paleontology. We also have an actual seismograph, although there is not much activity in Wisconsin; we do rarely measure the stray p and s-wave from other regions of the continental United States.

My friends don't appreciate my knowledge of the geological activities of the Earth and find it rather annoying when someone mentions something relating to geology and I go off on a three hour lecture on why I find a rock interesting. Also, I have a quirky habit of examining individual rocks from driveway gravel, and I've been known to lick a random rock or two - actually, I've lost count as to how many I've licked.

I found Geology to be one of those professions that falls into the gray area of the gender spectrum. I've seen several females, as well as males in my geology classes.

Sorry, that turned out to be more of an introduction, than focusing my question at hand. Looking back at my post I can see why people find it annoying when I talk about Geology - I get so off track. Regardless, please feel free to respond, I don't bite. In fact I'm a really gneiss person.

Hi Kyla,

Well let's see.  Auto mechanic, parts sales counter person, store manager auto parts, truck driver, computer programmer, retail sales home improvement.  Currently cashier and re attending college.

And of course...

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Janet

I am too busy with school to work but I hope to be a philosophy teacher when this is all over.  I have only had one female philosophy teacher but I am pretty sure that there are plenty of them out there.  I wouldn't worry too much about having a feminine job, you like what you like. 

Scientist

I've always followed what I want to do.
Very pig headed. Does that mean I'll get swine flu?


Cindy
Oh and welcome

Currently studying to be a mechanical engineer.  Looking to make my way through the motorcycle industry and eventually start my own company.

I am a armoured crewman, I crew a tank basically. This job was all about denial but I'm too close to my pension to quit now. Luckily(?) for me in Canada you can be TS and stay in the military.

Hi Kyla,
Welcome to Susans.

So gniess of you to drop in. Geology is cool. I ventured towards IT when I went back to school, but geology has always been a subject of interest to me.

I am the proverbial hack of all trades. No kidding, I've done agriculture for 10 years, composites manufacturing for 12, warehousing, resturaunting, cabbie, residential constuction and studied electronics in the Naval Reserve.

My goal is to start an organic self-sustained greenhouse business where I can supply nicey-nice produce (esp. tomatoes) in Febuary. Oh, and flowers too.

imagine whirled peas,

when I was younger i joined the navy but my vision cut me out and I ended up in a cycle of factory work.

in 2001 I went back to college after a layoff to get a teaching degree (which suits my skills) but I was still repressing.

Now it's pretty much useless since transwomen are not exactly at the top of the list for teaching jobs.

I'm thinking about looking into nursing (mainly because of the availability of jobs and the sense I get that maybe it'd be more open to a girl like me) but i also have a feeler out to someone for advice about maybe perusing a career in counseling...in either case it will take considerable good fortune to pull off the financing.

I wonder what it takes to get trained to work in a laser hair clinic? Might be some good fringe benefits there...

I am a Recording Engineer and Producer. Im also a musician and hope to someday release my own material. Luckily my engineering work more than pays the bills so I can continue writing my album part time. Music is my life. I used to build and repair computers too, but its not something I enjoy enough as a career.

Im not sure that you could classify my job as male, female, or neutral. I do know that there arent enough women at the console in recording studios. Hopefully that changes. 

Studying to be a physicist, or at least to get my PhD in the field. It's not exactly a field permeated by an aura of warmth and femininity. In the U.S. it's about 90% men and 10% women in the field. The high prevalence of women in the related fields of chemistry and mathematics makes it clear that there is no reason but social custom that women don't go into physics, not ability or interest in the type of subject, but just the notion that women don't do physics. The field has a strongly masculine vibe that is a little hard to describe, but that has always been a bit of a problem for me. I've depended for years on female classmates to give me the kind of studying environment where I could learn better. Of course, in the many classes I've had with few or no other women, I've just had to work with the guys or fend for myself. It works fine, but it's not the kind of collaboration I loved when I got into the field at the prodding of some female friends in the field.

Hi Kyla, welcome to the forums. There's lots to read and some really interesting discussions going on right now actually. It was a great time to join in!

Per your question, I'm a psychology student. I actually went to school to study nursing, but took a psych course as an elective and was hooked and changed majors that term. I know psychology is considered a soft science, but considering we are the people who pick up the pieces when Bubba beats the crap out of his wife or molests his kids, I don't really think the term "soft" brings up the right image. It's a field dominated by women, sure, but it's a field requiring intuition, empathy and emotion, and in our society those are deemed feminine traits.

Currently, I manage an Apple Store.  I've drifted though bars, call centers, computers, retail, light factory work, other things.  I'm 31.

Managing some computer store isn't really my dream, but I'm good at it, & it pays reasonably well for now.  I have a B.S. in psychology, & am working toward getting my M.S. in counseling, with the intention of eventually working with other trans people to help with their transitions.

Hum.. Well I've been a goat and llama herder, love goats by the way.  Ok I'm weird too.  But I started out in mechanical engineering way way back in guy mode and it still pays the Bills all these years later.  I'm a PE but not at all your typical engineer.  Oddly enough I never was.  OH and just to be different I also am a CMT.  You will not find many enginners, who are also trained massage therapists. Plus I mess around with boats, because I love nature and yes it's true I love Sail boats.

Beni

Hi Kyla  I am a self-employed artist who used to be an electrical engineer/corporate manager until it all went to hell and I decided to follow my heart. The only reason I went the corporate route in the first place was because I didn't think I could make a living as an artist. Well, I've been doing this for some time now and make about the same income as I did in the corporate world, but I am a thousand times happier and more fulfilled. I think it doesn't matter what you do so much, as it does loving what you do. Oh, and Geology rocks! 

For my transition I work as salesman and butcher (it was Moms idea) after my transition I work as:

• Nurse for old people
• Telephonist

Now I have no job. It is hard to find a job if you are 56 years old.

Wow I feel kind of behind. Everyone is in fields that require lots of math and stuff. IM a paramedic (A.S). in Paramedicine and Registered Nurse that's getting ready for medical school (science classes are kicking my butt though)

My title is Life Coach but what I do is counsel people with severe and persistant mental illness and co-occuring substance abuse.  I've been working in mental health since transition.  My academic background is in economics and I worked as a researcher and statistical analyst in a trial consulting firm and later as a securities broker, some stocks but mostly bonds.  My earlier work was a little weighted towards males, my current work is overwhelmingly female, pretty gay, too.

I plan on getting a masters in clinical psych (MFT), continue working in the same field and hopefully the same institution.

Everyone is in fields that require lots of math and stuff.

That's probably because this is the Internet, and the Internet is disproportionately populated by nerds.

Also, for me, I was a social outcast, not accepted by either the girls or the boys when I was little. Math was something that didn't require any social skills. Sad but true. I like being good at math, but I think I would have prefered a somewhat happy childhood. 

Biology major here.  Hope to go on to grad school and eventually do some field work in South America or Oceania if I'm very fortunate.

I am a Aerospace engineer, now working towards a phd.

does the fact that so many of us are either engineers or mathematicians/ physicists , seem at all odd to anyone else?


my university has around 30k students but we only have around 120 students in the AE dept. I would expect to see similar proportions amongst us. apparently this is not the case.

I would love to hear others thoughts on why this might be.