Here's an interesting article from the San Francisco Bay Guardian, with the tag line "Imagine trying to find a job without a shred of work history. Welcome to the transgender job hunt."
The article is from a while ago, but I just recently came across it, and it illustrates the background to the issues I discuss in this blog. As the article notes, "In the transgender community, to have full-time work is to be in the minority."
Recently, in discussing marketing of my consulting services, someone wisely suggested that I join a transgender professional association, assuming that such organizations exist, as do gay professional associations, of which there are a number. Trouble is, there is no such thing. Various people have tried to start one, but the numbers are so vanishingly small.
It also reminded me of my transition. My old law firm refused to give me references without revealing my situation. When I hired a service to call and ask them for references, they referred to me as "it." I left my legal career behind, and went to work as a secretary, and was glad to do so rather than be on the street. I didn't tell them I was a lawyer, or much about my situation, as my situation was rather dire, and I really needed that job. Things have improved since then. But then again, I have three degrees and a lot of social capital. What happens to those who don't?
