For better or worse, November was a helluva month. I wish I could say that it was most notable for my tranny self finally becoming employed again. Unfortunately, it's for how I came to be unemployed again.
After applying to only three places, I got a job wiping tables and maintaining restrooms at the mall food court.
Yay! Now I can finally work on getting my beard lasered and name changed! Fuck yeah! Connie and I can finally eat! Woo-hoo!
The application was really minimal. The interview wasn't "What can you do for us?" so much as "Great, you're obviously desperate enough if you applied. When can you start?"
I had my first day of paid employment as myself in a few days. Other than being really tired and sore after six hours of near-constant walking, I felt great. Self-sufficient even, as I was taking the bus and making it on time.
I was, at this point, perfectly successful in my social transition: I was finally living, working, and passing full-time in my true new gender, and quite happy doing it. Never mind that I was wiping Taco Bell and Steak Escape crumbs off formica tables for seven dollars an hour. This was the Transgender Dream in action.
The next day, I left copies of my right-to-work documents for the manager, and got to work, only to get a call in the morning regarding them.
"We have a problem." The manager had assumed I was legally female and had filled out my already submitted paperwork as such. My driver's license as of this writing still indicates otherwise.
"Would you like to be re-hired as a guy?"
"Yes, please do." The uniform was the same and as far as I could tell, there was no dress code otherwise. Of course they're not stupid enough to discriminate against me at this point, right?
After the manager's apparent conference with a couple office drones, I was so not re-hired as a guy. I was terminated on the spot simply for being legally male. Of course, it officially wasn't discrimination, as I angrily insisted, but my "inability to do the job." In any event, sex is a protected class. (Even though transgender status is not protected here in Wisconsin, there was recently an important precedent for going at it via the "sex" angle instead.)
Soooo, I filed a complaint with the Equal Rights Division at the advice of an attorney who said he thought I have a case for discrimination. If an arbitrator decides I have a case and there is no settlement, a hearing will be scheduled.
In the meantime, tranny for hire. Appleton area. Passable. Decent with computers and words. Can wipe tables.
Well crap! I'm sorry to hear that you're in the middle of a discrimination suit, especially over such a stupid situation. Here's to hoping you can settle it and find something that suits you a bit better (i.e. fewer crumbs)!
I guess it's one way of asserting yourself as a woman, though :)
Such a shame isn't it? We live in a world full of people who are scared of anyone who is in any way different from them. I can't begin to say I understand what you're going through but I know the feeling of being on the outside looking in.
Foo-ed Court - 12/07/06 02:20 AM
For better or worse, November was a helluva month. I wish I could say that it was most notable for my tranny self finally becoming employed again. Unfortunately, it's for how I came to be unemployed again.
After applying to only three places, I got a job wiping tables and maintaining restrooms at the mall food court.
Yay! Now I can finally work on getting my beard lasered and name changed! Fuck yeah! Connie and I can finally eat! Woo-hoo!
The application was really minimal. The interview wasn't "What can you do for us?" so much as "Great, you're obviously desperate enough if you applied. When can you start?"
I had my first day of paid employment as myself in a few days. Other than being really tired and sore after six hours of near-constant walking, I felt great. Self-sufficient even, as I was taking the bus and making it on time.
I was, at this point, perfectly successful in my social transition: I was finally living, working, and passing full-time in my true new gender, and quite happy doing it. Never mind that I was wiping Taco Bell and Steak Escape crumbs off formica tables for seven dollars an hour. This was the Transgender Dream in action.
The next day, I left copies of my right-to-work documents for the manager, and got to work, only to get a call in the morning regarding them.
"We have a problem." The manager had assumed I was legally female and had filled out my already submitted paperwork as such. My driver's license as of this writing still indicates otherwise.
"Would you like to be re-hired as a guy?"
"Yes, please do." The uniform was the same and as far as I could tell, there was no dress code otherwise. Of course they're not stupid enough to discriminate against me at this point, right?
After the manager's apparent conference with a couple office drones, I was so not re-hired as a guy. I was terminated on the spot simply for being legally male. Of course, it officially wasn't discrimination, as I angrily insisted, but my "inability to do the job." In any event, sex is a protected class. (Even though transgender status is not protected here in Wisconsin, there was recently an important precedent for going at it via the "sex" angle instead.)
Soooo, I filed a complaint with the Equal Rights Division at the advice of an attorney who said he thought I have a case for discrimination. If an arbitrator decides I have a case and there is no settlement, a hearing will be scheduled.
In the meantime, tranny for hire. Appleton area. Passable. Decent with computers and words. Can wipe tables.
Posted in discrimination, employment by Milla | Comments (3)
Well crap! I'm sorry to hear that you're in the middle of a discrimination suit, especially over such a stupid situation. Here's to hoping you can settle it and find something that suits you a bit better (i.e. fewer crumbs)!
I guess it's one way of asserting yourself as a woman, though :)
Posted by patita at December 7, 2006 07:36 PM
Thanks. *sigh* I suppose it's also proof positive I really do pass. (Something it's usually hard to be sure of.)
Aw well. =)
Posted by Milla at December 8, 2006 11:12 AM
Such a shame isn't it? We live in a world full of people who are scared of anyone who is in any way different from them. I can't begin to say I understand what you're going through but I know the feeling of being on the outside looking in.
Good luck, I hope it gets better.
Posted by Billy The Blogging Poet at December 13, 2006 10:33 PM