I hope my last ditch effort is not in vain

[Nicole Erin]

Well I am close to finishing beauty school, and about that time will have a legal female name.
Perfect world - I will be working in a salon come January.

But once again reality may have something nasty to say. Now at school, people seem to accept me, but then how many people are going to possibly ruin their schooling for discrimination?

We read and hear stories all the time about TG women who have a hard time getting a job. Now me, I am not lucky enough to pass well. Believe me, I hear about it all the time. "Oh I knew you were male right away" or some story about another TS they know but of course with her they couldn't even tell until someone said something.
Kind of reminds me of my bodybuilding days when someone would say, "OH I know this one guy who is into weight lifting and can bench press a car".
You know how people seem to LOVE to downgrade you, put you in your place, or talk about someone they know who is WAY better. :sad:

Why would GG's feel the need to tell me about some other TS they know who "you could not even tell" (which sounds to me like, "Oh you don't pass, you are shit, give up)

So now I get mixed reviews about how salons may or may not hire. Some say I would be welcome with open arms, some say it would be a hard road. My REAL fear is not being able to get any kind of salon job. I cannot go to a booth rent one yet as I have no clientel but that comes with time.

So what are your thoughts on the "one upsmanship" people or if you know of any TG who work in a salon and such. I know it is a bit late now to worry about this but I wonder what my chances really are.

[juno]

Gay hairdressers are well accepted and usually good at what they do (my uncle is one). It makes sense that a good looking crossdresser would be well accepted for similar reasons, that the job is a good fit for a person with both male and female abilities. I suspect that you may get written off as not passable because you are around beauty school people, where the bar is higher than average for what passes as a good looking female. Most likely, there are a few places that will not accept you, and plenty more that will. Of course, customer acceptance is really the most important.

[ColleenW]

I can't speak for Indiana, I've never been there but I can tell you that here in LA, at the salon that I frequent there is one of the beauticians who's been going through transition and he, now she hasn't had any problems getting or keeping customers. She's always busy and generally you've got to get an appointment 2 - 3 weeks in advance. Hope this helps.:)

[Danni Bear]

Erin,

The man that styles my hair started as a barber then went back to school as a beautician. No he is not gay and has many regular clients both men and women. Not only does he do hair but has become a nail stylist also. He stays in demand and requires appointments to have anything done. The opportunities are there for anyone regardless of male or female. Some may resent you for being true to yourself, that is their loss.

You are a woman embarking on a wonderful journey, enjoy it and never surrender who you are. NICOLE ERIN out to conquor the world.


Danni

[docrobbysherry]

If you're GOOD, Erin, don't worry! My daughter has been a hairdresser for a number of years now. She started by taking "walk ins". However, she's good, I guess! Ladies began requesting her. Then, their friends came in. She rents a chair now and is making very good money. Even with the recession hitting her area HARD!

She tells me about several guys she has worked with. A few r gay, but ALL r quite eccentric! One, really pisses her off! Because he gets the PRIME hours, highest prices but also the biggest tips, and the MOST requests! Because, she says he's, "The best!"

PS: One warning: She made very little money at first!

[Stephanie Miller]

As a business owner I help you with the thought patteern most business people have. They are not in business for the fun of it. They want to make money. Period.
If a pink elephant walked into my office and I knew I could make money by putting it on my payroll - it would be on my payroll so fast it would make your head spin.
You have to stop the worry about what people will think Erin and get on with your life with a goal in mind. There are thousands of TS people working. They have the right attitude and convey it to others. YOU can make it thousands and ONE! Hold your head up, take pride in your work, be cheerful to customers, honest to your boss and go get em'

[Diane Smith]

The salon I visit for my nail services employed a transgendered stylist in transition for a number of years. She was always busy and had a loyal regular clientele. Everybody was well aware of her status (and she was in no way shy to talk about it), but it didn't seem to make any difference in the way she was treated by either the other employees or the customers. She was also very talented at her work, which was a highly regarded specialty, mainly braids and weaves for African-American women. She did have a few life situation and personality issues that were mostly unrelated to her gender status, and didn't get along very well with the salon owner -- but this could happen to anybody, and I would have a hard time working there for some of the same reasons. She left a year or so ago under not the friendliest of circumstances but has, I am told, landed on her feet at another local salon and is doing well.

Although not every situation will be the same, I think the beauty industry is among the most accepting of lifestyle differences and that you will, at least in the long run, be able to find a friendly place to work. I wish you luck, and let us know how it goes. I am looking toward a career change in a couple of years and this is high on my list of possibilities as well.

- Diane

[Christy_M]

I know a beautiful CD who works en femme at a salon. It is possible to be transgendered and have a good salon career. As far as the one-upmanship problem, people are people. Jealousy makes people try and knock others down to their level. You should take it as a compliment that they are somehow threatened by you to have to knock you off the pedestal they placed you on.

If that doesn't work, after their story, you can tell them you "have known genetic girls that had absolutely no masculine characteristics like big hands or large feet" and then give them the up and down disapproving look that will make them think you are referring to their own parts...of course that is just mean and doesn't follow the golden rule. I guess at this point I should say - although I don't act like a bitch, I certainly know how to do it... ;)

[Nicole Erin]

a highly regarded specialty, mainly braids and weaves for African-American women.

WOW, I will say - someone who can perform those services can probably command a crap-load of money cause no, those are NOT easy services. I have worked on a few ethnic women and it is much more challenging given the texture of their hair.

For the one-up thing, Maybe Christy is right about people have to knock someone off their pedestal.
Of course as i don't see myself as pretty or very passable, knopcking ME off a pedestal is like telling a guy in a wheelchair about how "I know this one guy who has working legs".
Well bad correlation but anyways....

[TxKimberly]

Believe it or not, I think it may be an attempt to make you feel better in a round about way. I'm not a psychiatrist or anything like that, but you do learn a little about human beings in 45 years. I think maybe that their telling you about these other perfect TS's is a misguided attempt to compliment you by association. Kind of like saying "I have a friend with that same kind of car and they are awesome!"
I would have to agree with some of the others here, that you have chosen one of the few professions where being TG or "gay" may actually be an advantage. Don't get me wrong, it wont do you the least bit of good if you suck at it, but if you are pretty good at it, I don't think that being TG is going to hurt you.
I just floated that question by my own wife who is not at all reluctant to be honest about such things and she agrees. If you are good, she wouldn't hesitate to visit you and doesn't think that most women would either.
So now your big hurdles are to get the job in the first place so that you get the chance to prove that are good at it.
I don't know exactly where you live, but I've found Indianapolis to be a fairly friendly place. I'd sure rather try and make a go of it there than in someplace like Corydon or Columbus Indiana. :D

[Paula_56]

Be yourself, grow as a women, be confident, happy and helpful people like to be around people like that, if you are insecure, bitter, and resentful, TG or not no one wants to be around you. You have skills that can be useful make your self valuable and you will prosper. The longer you live as a woman the more you will be accpetable and "pass" as a woman

[mklinden2010]

Two pair.

[Fab Karen]

Tamara V. here works in a salon, maybe you could get some tips from her.