Addmitted to being Transgender on job application

[Deborah Jane]

Like quite a few of us here, i'm currently unemployed and applying for any job I may have half a chance of getting.
One of the forms I filled in today had an extra section stating they were an equal oppurtunities employer and had a seperate section asking for Nationally, Ethnicicity and Religion.
Also in this section was a question asking...
Gender?...Male...Female

I ticked both boxes, but inside the Male box added in brackets....Transgendered

It felt good taking this step and maybe they'll even add "TG" on future application forms

Wish me luck :)

[Sheila]

I am so proud of you darling :hugs: & :love: ........... I know just how big a step this is for you :kiss:

[SirTrey]

Big hug, Debs....That's a big step and I am very proud of you....:hugs::drink:

[Kimmy55]

Actually this could be a good thing for all of us.Maybe more employers will add the box,among others to the printed application!

[Teri Jean]

Good for you Debs, I came out at work this week and so far there has been fair reception and hopefully the University is commited to walking the walk. Good luck, and huggs.

Teri

[Ann D Bluebird]

A bold move! How "they" react to this will be a good measure of the (potential) employers fair dealings. Best wishes with the application!! :hugs:

[PaulaJaneThomas]

Good luck Debs. Just bear in mind that unless you're TS your prospective employer can legally discriminate against you.

[Nicole Brown]

Hi Deborah,

Congratulations on taking a really big step. I sincerely hope that the company you applied to is one of those honorable ones this is really open to diversity. If so, they will be the big winner as they will get a really great employee in you.

Nicole

[Starr]

Good for you girl I am proud of you, however just because they are equal oppurtunities employers don't mean they will accept Trangendered employees. Someone correct me if I am wrong but under the law all companies have to be EOE to the point the law requires. Like you I am looking for work, I always read the small print at the bottom looking for companies that are accepting of gay, transgender, gender identiy and now i am finding a few group, gender presentation. These are the companies I put most of my applications too.

[NiCo]

WOW! So brave! I’m uber proud of you! :D :hugs:

[Sandra]

Well I couldn't give you a hug over the phone so this will have to do :bh:

Well done Debs and we're keeping everything crossed for you.

[Kieron Andrew]

I have had a few form in the last few months that have had 'transgendered' and its a milestone that companies are now actively recognise us :)...well done debs :D

[MAJESTYK]

:hugs:Good for you!:hugs: I got layed off from my job before I had the chance to tell them and here in the States, especially around here, I dont see a seperate spot ever appearing on an application........But, I will look

[Tina B.]

Very brave of you Debs, good luck on the job hunt!
Tina

[Kayla Shadows]

Congrats.That is awesome.Its really gotta be something to pen that down.Being honest with yourself is a good feeling too.Its a big step.I wish you much luck :hugs:

[Ze]

Fantastic, Auntie Debs! :bh: I hope it all turns out well! Keep us all informed. :)

[Angie G]

Good luck on getting the job Deborah. I hear thins are bad out there.:hugs:
Angie

[Karren H]

Actually....... if I were out of work in this economy and really needed a job I wouldn't do anything that could potentially reduce my chance of getting a job... Mater of fact I'd man-up if needed to because taking care of my family financially is way more inportant to me than a box checked on a form that could end up in someone's trash can.. Good luck and hope it works out!!

[PaulaJaneThomas]

But if they expressly state they're an EO employer, why would they want to?

All employers in the UK have to obey equality legislation so EO is nothing but window-dressing.

[Leslie Langford]

I applaud your courage, deborah, and as more and more of us make statements such as this and refuse to keep hiding in the closet, the sooner we will all achieve full equality with the rest of "mainstream" society. After all, it is always the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.

But the road is a long and treacherous one, and while many companies may talk a good game as far as supporting diversity goes and claim to be extending equal rights/consideration to the transgendered community, many only pay lip service to these progressive policies. And they only do it when there's something in it for them - not because they are model corporate citizens and all around "good guys".

How many companies used to claim that they supported "work-life balance" to create a friendlier and more attractive and productive workplace, and then ended up slashing jobs by the thousands and tossing their employees aside like yesterday's garbage as soon as the economy started to slide and their bottom lines suffered? Gotta keep those shareholders happy, after all!

To be honest, I think our real clout will only be felt through our collective purchasing power and by massively supporting businesses that happily cater to us and treat us with the dignity and respect that we deserve. When we shop at a women's clothing store and get exceptional service or have a makeover done by a friendly and supportive make up artist - write to the corporate head office and TELL someone about. Conversely, when someone treats us shabbily, make a huge stink about it and if need be, use the Internet to get the message out there so that they will never, ever repeat that error again. And above all, tell them that you will never again set foot in their establishment, will spend your hard-earned dollars with someone who appreciates your business, and will tell anyone willing to listen about your bad experience with them.

These aggressive tactics have worked exceedingly well for the gay and lesbian communities, and once corporations realized just how much spending power they had, they began to fall all over themselves to cater to them.

And so, if a company wants to be able to properly serve the transgendered community just as effectively, what better way than to hire those same transgendered people who properly understand it and the market they represent. That's where the real push for hiring transgendered individuals will ultimately come from, and not from some wishy-washy, feel-good corporate policies that are merely window dressing on a mission statement.

[Shelly Preston]

Well done Debs

I am sure at the very least your application will get noticed

I hope your honesty is rewarded with the job that you want :bh:

[Sara82]

I wish you the best in your job hunt, its a tough market right now, and you have incredible courage.

[5150 Girl]

Hmmm,,, good idiea.... ya know, with all the minority rights, and afirmitive action, and politicaly correctness,,, coupled with the fear of a discrimination suit, mayve it was the smart thing to do!
I;'ll try it the next app I fill out... However, I have a lot of bad stuff aginst me, so I think they'd feel coverd aginst a lawsuit

[Hope]

Wow... that took balls.

Or maybe it was a sly attempt at claiming minority status?

[SuperBellz]

Let us know how the job hunt goes and if there's any success - times are tough regardless nowadays so any hope of employment is better than nothing.

[donnatracey]

I agree with Hope - WOW! You are far braver than me. Hope everything works out well for you....:)

[Midnight Skye]

Hey Debs, I LOVE what you did to your job application. I almost would like to see gender dashed right off job applications entirely, but I understand it has its need in some jobs. My workplace (after hiring) lets us flag in a private part of our profile that were GLBT... which flags you for specific mail, groups and information. I hope you can get a great job, good luck!


PS... my original sillyness... "Hey Debs, hearing your job application form has a transgendered marking is so neat!"

[Sheila]

I assumed Deborah Jane wasn't in the UK (I now discover she lives in the USA).

We do live in the UK Katie ;.............. I did check my PM to you as I thought ohh noooo I have been an idiot ........... but I had said the United Kingdom :)

[Adelaide]

Wow...that's a big step.... Congrats!
Let us know what the employer's response will be.
A

[baby beluga]

There probably won't be a response from the employer.

There are times and places for battles like these; I don't think that right now is the best time to do something like this.

[Sheila]

There probably won't be a response from the employer.

There are times and places for battles like these; I don't think that right now is the best time to do something like this.

There may not ever be a right time, so things will never change if we take that approach ............... Debs felt this hopefully future employment was the right time for her to admit to being TG ........ she felt there may be better qualified people than her applying for this job, and decided as EOE was clearly stated to at least give herself an opportunity to be interviewed ......... will she do it next time maybe, maybe not, but she did this

[PaulaJaneThomas]

There may not ever be a right time, so things will never change if we take that approach

I'm very hopeful that we can get an amendment to the Equality Bill which is currently going through Parliament to cover all gender variant people. At EU level there moves afoot to amend the Equality Directives to include the Yogyakarta Principles (http://www.yogyakartaprinciples.org/principles_en.htm). Much of this is already in UK law in one act or another. We just need to get coverage for the wider gender variant population. So hopefully this time next year Debs will be able to work as Debs if she so wishes.

[Sandra]

There are times and places for battles like these; I don't think that right now is the best time to do something like this.

Why not?

Ok she may not get the job but that could be for a number of reasons, but I guess most here will say oh no it's because she TG, well that don't wash with me. My SO applied for a job as Nigella and has been working at the same place for nearly 3 years. People do empoly TG people, it just needs more people to have the guts like Debs to go ahead and try.

[Jennifer Marie P.]

Way to go girl you did the right thing.

[Di]

People do empoly TG people, it just needs more people to have the guts like Debs to go ahead and try.
__________________

Exactly!!!

Very courageous and I am very proud of you:hugs:

[CharleneT]

First: I hope you get the job !!

and... I can't wait for the day when job app's do have "TG" or the like as an option.

[SherriePall]

Very best in your job hunting. Let us know if anything results from your marking the application in that manner.

[Kate Simmons]

Cool beans Debs. Applications have changed over the years. I remember when I first applied for jobs (yeah, way back in the stone age) the application used to read in one spot: Sex? with a blank space following it to fill out. Me being the wise ass that I was, I usually filled in "yes" or "often". Probably why they changed it.:heehee:

[Girly Sara]

Well done, Debs and the very best of luck with your job application!

Sara xxx

[Sarah Ellis]

I hope you get it too. but I want to see the end of the blatant prejudice and discrimination against all of us transgendered people. I've said it time and time again, I will not be filed away in a box on a piece of paper.
Collecting facts and stats is one thing, which is where the TG option on forms is a good idea, but I have a feeling that these facts and stats will be used against us at some point.
Peoples views and prejudices have to change first before we can all be truly accepted into the wider (I hate the word mainstream) world.

[sherri52]

Three gold stars for Deborah. I hope you get the job.

[Sarah_GG]

Good for you Debs! :hugs:

Maybe if everyone who was TG filled ticked the third box then there's be a greater awareness of the percentage of people who actually are. Then things can start to change!