Blue Collar Transition

[josee]

I have been really soul-searching, reading and keep coming up with my own self-diagnosis of gender dysphoria. I plan to start back in therapy soon. I have had these symptoms of depression for years, been taking anti- depressants for more than 10 years and self- medicated from early teens. Boy that's alot of hyphenated words.
Lately started reading Anne Vitalle's Gendered Self. I see myself so much in the 3rd category transsexual.

What I am wondering here is, I work in a blue collar, male dominated field where the pay is pretty decent. The work is outside alot and pretty physicaly demanding at times. Wondering how I will be treated when coming out and transitioning at work.
Anyone here have experience with that? Any advice would be appreciated.

Not that it will affect my decision, just wondering if it might be a good time to start looking into a different career.

[ReneeT]

If your transition were to include HRT, be prepared to lose substantial physical strength. If your job requires brawn, looking for other lines of work my not be a bad idea. I am really amazed at how much bulk and strength i have lost after a year and a half of hrt. Good riddance to the bulk, but i do miss some of the physical capacity i used to have. The trade-off is worth it, though.

I threw in a hyphenated word for your sake :-)

[Anna Lorree]

No personal experience with this (at least not yet), but I'm very interested in following this thread. I am a fire department Captain, and in much the same boat.

Anna

[josee]

It will almost certainly include HRT. Looking forward to the reduction in bulk (just hope some goes to my skinny butt).

Think I have heard of a fire captain somewhere transitioning.
I am a commercial HVAC technician. I've never even met a CIS Female in the field. Know they do exist but really rare.

[AllieSF]

Anna: Not sure where you actually live, but I know a San Francisco policeman who is a post-op (hyphenated to stay on topic!) FtM. So, at least in the Bay Area people can successfully transition at work in civil servant, police and professional positions.

Josee: Depending on your profession and other capabilities and then your age, I agree with ReneeT that looking at other careers may serve you better over the long run and may also provide you with a diverse company who respects the law and supports their employees' needs. Good luck.

[Anna Lorree]

Anna: Not sure where you actually live, but I know a San Francisco policeman who is a post-op (hyphenated to stay on topic!) FtM. So, at least in the Bay Area people can successfully transition at work in civil servant, police and professional positions.

Josee: Depending on your profession and other capabilities and then your age, I agree with ReneeT that looking at other careers may serve you better over the long run and may also provide you with a diverse company who respects the law and supports their employees' needs. Good luck.

SFPD has a great reputation for being more open about this sort of thing. I live in Humboldt County and work in the Eureka area. It is MUCH different up here. They don't call us California's Appalachia for nothing. This and a lack of resources and good jobs is why we are starting to look toward leaving.

Anna

[Kirsty_D]

I work on an oil rig…

Male dominated, physically demanding and full of a**hole's who are very intolerant of people who do not fit in but I think I can get through this… (maybe…) You'll never know until you try!

I'm on HRT and lost over 40 pounds in weight, blood pressure has always been in the 120/80 range but on Monday at my annual medical it was 108/66. I feel much lighter and fitter than I have done for years but some of my co-workers have commented on my changing appearance. One co-worker got wind of what was happening and made sure he told everybody, trying to out me but I've just brushed it off.

[arbon]

It is hard to predict how they would respond - only one way to find out .

but where I work, which is with all men in a light manufacturing environment, there has not been a much acceptance of me yet.

[thechic]

Hi there

Im in the industrial refrigeration trade but do a small ammount of commercial HVAC work and have never had any trouble, have always been able to get extra help with heavy lifting, people have alway been willing to help.Have been transitiing for the last year,99% of the custimers treat me as a worman which is good,Im sticking to this job as the pay is good.

[Nicole Erin]

Men tend to have problems with this. Just start thinking of your next career move if things get too bad.

Me - I work in a place that is kind of masculine, about 1/2 women and 1/2 men there.
None of the women seem to have problems with who I am but about 1/2 the men will not associate with me. Of those men who won't have anything to do with me, about 1/2 of those are known to be pricks anyways.

One of my friends here in town works in a heavy industrial field and says a lot of the men do not like her. These are guys she has worked with for years and used to be friends with until she started transition then all the sudden they turned their backs.

[Stephenie S]

How you are perceived (even in a male dominated field) has a whole lot to do with how YOU present yourself.

If you make a big deal about it, so will everyone else. If you can keep your cool and present as relaxed and matter of fact about it, the excitement will soon fade.

[CharleneT]

How you are perceived (even in a male dominated field) has a whole lot to do with how YOU present yourself.

If you make a big deal about it, so will everyone else. If you can keep your cool and present as relaxed and matter of fact about it, the excitement will soon fade.

PERFECTLY stated !! ! :iagree:

[sandra-leigh]

Reactions to HRT will vary widely.

It is not clear that I lost any strength, but my endurance has gone AWOL. I can lift, but I cannot hold much at all -- enough so that something like HVAC would be completely out of the question for me. Testosterone is an important "fuel" for muscles, and it seems I no longer have reservoirs of T to sustain anything. (It doesn't take all that long before I can do something else.)

I seem to be more affected than most in this matter; the other end of the scale is people reporting little change or nothing that they couldn't handle. The problem is that you don't know how you will react until you try.

[kimdl93]

I am a commercial HVAC technician. I've never even met a CIS Female in the field. Know they do exist but really rare.

I don't recall her name, but I believe there is a member here, from New Zealand, that has transitioned and works in HVAC. Perhaps someone else knows her and could connect the two of you.

[Dawn cd]

As you move ahead, it would be wise to confide to two or three coworkers who are close to you. (And your boss, of course.) These friends will be there to defend you when the apes learn of your plans.

[Jorja]

I inherited my husbands construction company. Being an architect it was a natural. Since that time I have hired mostly TG/TS and gay employees. There is so much talent out there among TG/TS and gay communities but MOST male operated companies cannot get past their idea that to be in the industry you have to be a heterosexual male and no way a TG/TS person. Just because there has been a gender change or prefer the same sex dosen't mean that they have forgot what they have been trained to do. We have actually put a lot of our competition out of business because they cannot get the work to stay in business.
Now I can't speak for the company you work for but I would keep you on if you really knew what you were doing. As for the physical aspect, You have to learn to work smarter not harder.

[arbon]

I inherited my husbands construction company. Being an architect it was a natural. Since that time I have hired mostly TG/TS and gay employees.


I think you are so awesome for doing that :)

[Darla]

Jorja - bless you! When the rest of the county wakes up to te fact that talent is talent, and acceptance and a decent work environment is really a huge part of a successful business, we'll all be the better for it. I bet you have a high retention rate and a really satisfied customer base. Because your employees are satisfied.

And to the OP - do what you're good at and love and it'll flow from there.

[Inna]

Bulk and strength are one thing, on the other hand psyche and emotional content will be viewed by you totally different when devoid of testosterone. For me my life had become clarified and aligned. However things which tickled my fancy under testosterone, are nearly all null with Estrogen in my veins. You might look so differently on the direction of your profession once in transition.

[josee]

I don't recall her name, but I believe there is a member here, from New Zealand, that has transitioned and works in HVAC. Perhaps someone else knows her and could connect the two of you.
You mean Geneva? Looks up...

[josee]

I work on an oil rig…

Male dominated, physically demanding and full of a**hole's who are very intolerant of people who do not fit in but I think I can get through this… (maybe…) You'll never know until you try!

I'm on HRT and lost over 40 pounds in weight, blood pressure has always been in the 120/80 range but on Monday at my annual medical it was 108/66. I feel much lighter and fitter than I have done for years but some of my co-workers have commented on my changing appearance. One co-worker got wind of what was happening and made sure he told everybody, trying to out me but I've just brushed it off.
Sounds like the typical HVAC tech. And good for you on loosing weight and getting the BP down!

Hi there

Im in the industrial refrigeration trade but do a small ammount of commercial HVAC work and have never had any trouble, have always been able to get extra help with heavy lifting, people have alway been willing to help.Have been transitiing for the last year,99% of the custimers treat me as a worman which is good,Im sticking to this job as the pay is good.
I wonder if attitudes in New Zealand are a little more open minded than Virginia?

Men tend to have problems with this. Just start thinking of your next career move if things get too bad.

Me - I work in a place that is kind of masculine, about 1/2 women and 1/2 men there.

One of my friends here in town works in a heavy industrial field and says a lot of the men do not like her. These are guys she has worked with for years and used to be friends with until she started transition then all the sudden they turned their backs.
That's what I am afraid of...

How you are perceived (even in a male dominated field) has a whole lot to do with how YOU present yourself.

If you make a big deal about it, so will everyone else. If you can keep your cool and present as relaxed and matter of fact about it, the excitement will soon fade.
Thank you for that! So right ...I hope...

I inherited my husbands construction company. Being an architect it was a natural. Since that time I have hired mostly TG/TS and gay employees. There is so much talent out there among TG/TS and gay communities but MOST male operated companies cannot get past their idea that to be in the industry you have to be a heterosexual male and no way a TG/TS person. Just because there has been a gender change or prefer the same sex dosen't mean that they have forgot what they have been trained to do. We have actually put a lot of our competition out of business because they cannot get the work to stay in business.
Now I can't speak for the company you work for but I would keep you on if you really knew what you were doing. As for the physical aspect, You have to learn to work smarter not harder.
That's why we all love you Jorja. Yes smarter not harder.

Bulk and strength are one thing, on the other hand psyche and emotional content will be viewed by you totally different when devoid of testosterone. For me my life had become clarified and aligned. However things which tickled my fancy under testosterone, are nearly all null with Estrogen in my veins. You might look so differently on the direction of your profession once in transition.
You have a good point there. I may not want to do this anymore.
Guess I'll cross the bridge when I get there but plan for a detour. ;)

Thanks for all your replies everybody!:gh: