Educationally, my field is Theoretical Sociology. Emphasis on potential ramifications and language effects on dialog of late, originally it was literally all about magic (my first dis was on such in the modern world).

Practically, its been a gazillion things ('cause Sociology for me is a pretty lonely thing and I prefer higher personal interaction).

Right now its advocacy.

Electronics Technician by trade. A gender neutral occupation. Usually requires little physical effort but can be very demanding on my remaining brain cell.

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Post Merge: June 02, 2009, 05:06:58 AM

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Kyla, if you like geology you would love it here on the Wasatch Front. The Wasatch mountain range is one of the very few in north America that is still growing. Only a few millimeters a year but growing. However it's on a very unstable fault and could come crashing down at any moment.

I did my PhD in rocket fuels and then worked in that field before going into Manufacturing Management, Technical Service and Manufacturing Improvement.

I now have my own business which does 6 Sigma, Lean Manufacturing and Management Standards implementation.

Buffy

welcome!

And I make computers stop crying after they have been so cruelly abused by the savage tribe called the L-user. The things they will do to technology! For systems that find it hard to open up again I crack them open so that they can reveal their secrets to me. This actually combines with other fields especially since I have taken an interest in quantum cryptography.

Therapist.

Not employed right now for medical reasons but in the past I spent time in the Army infantry, got a degree in music, did some factory work, was a bouncer (yikes), a bounty hunter, a police officer, a firefighter, an EMT and a quality control specialist.  *shrug*

I haven't been on since I originally posted the topic, but I'm glad to see a lot of people are responding.

I started this topic to see if there was perhaps a trend in what we pick for our professions. Jesslee pointed out that we tend to focus on professions relating to engineering and math.

At one point in time, we were all genetic males, and I recall hearing a saying that men are better at math and science, where women excel at verbal skills and English. Being the scholarly student that I am, I looked into this and found that the results of this are not significant. That being said, there is more of a deviation between races, than sex. In fact, Jo Boaler, an associate professor of mathematics education at Stanford University stated, "differences in performance between males and females have shrunk to nearly insignificant levels on most standardized tests". (the full article can be read here:  http://ed.stanford.edu/suse/faculty/displayFacultyNews.php?tablename=notify1&id=276).

Perhaps it has more to do with the Gender Identity Disorder that we all share. There is not enough research regarding this topic to back up my crazy theory, but I believe that it might be significant enough to approach as a possible reason - Then again, maybe it is just a coincidence.

Regardless of which, I thank everyone for the warm welcomes and a little background information 

Quote from: Kyla on June 02, 2009, 02:27:41 PM

Perhaps it has more to do with the Gender Identity Disorder that we all share. There is not enough research regarding this topic to back up my crazy theory, but I believe that it might be significant enough to approach as a possible reason - Then again, maybe it is just a coincidence.

Just curious, but for most who transsex we wind up as men and women, why would there be any more of a significant difference for us than there would be for other men and women?

Jesslee pointed out that we tend to focus on professions relating to engineering and math.

Well, those that responded to the survey tend that way, but that is nothing like a viable sample or anything.

Nope for that probably about 1,000 responses would be needed.

Perhaps, but there are factors that can be seen very clearly right from the start, like the fact that the poll is only open to those with a computer and internet connection. 

You mean there are people out in the world who do not have a computer and an internet connection? There are places where there are people but not advanced technology?  I cannot fathom the though, even in Bangkok there were Internet gaming places on every block.   

Well considering the rate of unemployment in the Trans community, I'd say its quite a few people.  Those gaming establishments, like the internet cafes, take money.

To Tekla:
It's true that this small question wasn't done in controlled conditions or in an situation that could prove to be of any significance. I'm not trying to do any formal research, but I do find it odd that there is a trend in how people have decide on their profession. I simply tried to explain what I saw occurring, a hypothesis if you will.

To be honest, it would be rather difficult to perform formal research into the investigation of this trend. I suppose I could use develop a test similar to the MMPI, which uses empirical keying to determine different types of disorders; it also boast validity scales, which is a huge plus. Alteration would obviously be required, but it might be feasible. However, not only is psychology not my field of study, but I don't have the time or effort to commit to something like that at the moment. Right now, the data gathered this way may prove to be useful to see an emerging trend in a set social group.

You are correct, that the data here is only a small portion of the population of MtF. However, usually it's trying to obtain a theory that can apply to one group, and then testing to see if it applies broadly to the over all larger group. It's easier to take small steps at a time. As I stated before, I wanted to see if a trend occurred, but I also asked because of curiosity.

Don't take anything I say to be of any significance, I just like to ponder, propose questions, and simple think about what makes the world go around. It's the curse of being a in a field were theories are constantly questioned and new ways of thinking are constantly being proposed.

Nichole:

Technically we don't start out as women or men, we start out as the reverse, and it is possible that this could impede our thinking, or perhaps change the way we think. It's difficult to say, and like many hypothesis, is open to debate and question. I just stated this loosely to try to articulate why a trend might be occurring. This might also be a sign of nothing more than a coincidence, which given the small group that answered is a possibility.

To summarize:
I'm just one person, I have no expertise in the area of behavioral psychology and my hypothesis is just based on pure speculation. Remember that gravity was discovered by observing an apple fall and questioning why this happens - it is possible to find answers to life in the smallest of objects, in this case a group. However, my psychology professor warned me about over analyzing behaviors and patterns. In other words, I'm more than likely wrong.

I'll go back to licking my rocks now...

Quote from: Kyla on June 02, 2009, 03:55:51 PMTechnically we don't start out as women or men, we start out as the reverse, and it is possible that this could impede our thinking, or perhaps change the way we think. It's difficult to say, and like many hypothesis, is open to debate and question. I just stated this loosely to try to articulate why a trend might be occurring. This might also be a sign of nothing more than a coincidence, which given the small group that answered is a possibility.

There is an interesting related topic here:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,60467.0.html

1) This is the Internet. Yes, there are lots of geeks on the Internet. The over-representation of mathy-sciency-engineery type people is an issue that comes up frequently on every non-math-science-engineering forum on the Internet. It has nothing to do with whatever the group is.

2) Larry Summers is a moron. There are no significant differences in aptitude, or at least not one shred of real evidence, but only differences in culture and expectations of men and women. A friend of mine just posted a link on the Facebook to a news report on a study showing that Larry Summers is a moron. Most people already knew that ... I hope.

3) Those differences in culture are significant to this discussion -- being encouraged when we were "boys" to go into more technical fields while other girls, recognized as such, are discouraged. That's not universal, but overwhelmingly common still today. I see it over and over again. I believe that parental influence is the biggest factor.

Union electrician, foreman, superintendent, project manager, estimator, CADD designer.  It took me 34 years to do all those different jobs but they were all in electrical construction.

Since I transitioned I've been warned "accidents can and will happen" if I ever come onto a job site.

Julie

Electrical engineer, mathematician, software engineer... and I would have gladly traded those if I had been able to make a living in music. I have classical piano training since age 8, and played keyboards in a band that never went anywhere.

But I would postulate that the engineering fields are similar to the arts... we make things, create things, assert ideas and notions, and see the world outside of the box. We are inventors, creators, makers of things that sometimes turn the world upside down and on its ear.

I dont see anyting gender specific in that... 

I don't know, I've worked for engineering firms, and I've done commercial performance art for over 30 and I don't see much overlap, except techies are techies in both places.  Performance art has a self centered component to it that requires a look at me all the time attitude rather than a project based team approach. 

All my education was in fine art Photography, although except for a few catalogues, weddings and prints I never used it other than for my own satisfaction. As I moved to a rural place the only work was carpentry and fishing, I did both.
I took at shot at corporate life for several years as a facility manager and construction supervisor in the US and Caribbean. The travel became an issue so I began building homes and selling them. Then I got MS and knew I had to find a less physical profession. I am now a property manager at a resort and I like it.