does being aCD mean you are more likely to get fired?

[girl_in_pantyhose]

Sadly i got canned today. but is starting to seem like a trend to me, crossdressers getting fired. I have two other friends who crossdress and they both got fired within a week of each other. is it just me or have you seen the same thing before?

[CD_DIANE]

It is probably more that the economy is a total mess. If you are in the Tampa area, you have to remember that Florida is very much a "tourist" area, and if the tourists don't come here there will be layoffs. Good luck in finding something else.

Diane

[kathtx]

Sorry to hear you got the sack. Was your employer aware you were a CD?

I don't know how much to make of your knowing several CDers who got fired recently. Sadly, there are *lots* of people getting the axe these days (at least in the USA), and it's gonna get worse before it gets better. Some of those fired will be CDers, so it's not surprising you know a few.

It's unfortunately true that the transgendered have almost no legal protection in most US states and cities. In the Oiler case a few years back, a court ruled that a company could fire an employee even for CDing on his own time.

Even in states where there are good antidiscrimination laws, they're hard to enforce. I used to work for a laboratory whose policies were officially very tolerant. There were numerous out gay employees and even a few out TG employees. Yet, of the seven people I knew personally who were fired during the decade I worked there, three were African-American and three were lesbian. Seems like a pattern, huh? Yet, by American law statistical patterns cannot be used as evidence of discrimination. (See Susan Faludi's book "Backlash" for the story of how antidiscrimination laws were systematically gutted during the 1980s. The laws are still on the books, but are virtually unenforceable).

Incidentally, I *don't* think there was a deliberate policy of systematic discrimination at my lab. Rather, I think there were some bad apples in middle management, particularly in non-technical areas, and upper management didn't take a stand (which means they didn't really consider diversity a serious issue, despite lots of lip service). Of the seven people I knew who got the axe, all but one were in support staff, only one was in the technical staff. Engineers and scientists are valued for their skills and technical managers are usually well-educated so there was more tolerance on the technical side. (Not that there weren't also some good and tolerant managers on the support side...)

As a scientist, I'm in an environment that is pretty tolerant. I don't dress at work, but my wife and I don't particularly hide who we are; some know, some don't, the difference being largely the perceptiveness of the observer. Based on comment we've gotten, most people seem to assume we're both bisexual (she is, I'm not, but it's no skin off my nose if people think I'm bi or gay) and anyone who talks to us for more than a few minutes knows we're anything but traditional regarding gender roles. Nobody gives us any trouble because we're two nice, easygoing people who are good at our jobs.

It's sad that not all work environments are so accepting.

Kath

[Salene]

Depends on the compeny I'd say. When I worked for Publix I got suspended from work for 3 days for wearing eyeliner cuz it was in violation of there anti-crossdressing policy... seriously. They have an anti-crossdressing policy, posters on "exceptable" dress and all. This was maybe six or seven years ago. sence then I've worked for Tire Kingdom and the power utility, been very open and had no problems. I'll be wearing purple nail polish to work tomarrow. :D

[Raquel June]

You didn't say "laid off." You said "fired," and that tends to imply that you did something. You didn't give us any information on what that something was -- whether it was CD-related or not, so how can we answer?

On a grander psychological level, "social dysphoria" is a typical diagnosis of CDs (although more so with TGs). These are feelings that you don't fit in with society and that simple everyday things are difficult and foreign at times, regardless of whether you are actually gender dysphoric. Social dysphorics (and gender dysphorics) are similar to schizophrenics in that they often have depression, a lot of anxiety, and difficulty maintaining a job. Crossdressers and transgender people tend to really set off flags for schizophrenia when they take personality tests like the MMPI.

(btw, schizophrenia has nothing to do with multiple personality disorder like most people think)

[Satrana]

Assuming the employers are unaware of the CDing, then one possible explanation is that we are less aggressive and less competitive than the more macho males. So if an employer has a toss up between 2 guys to let go, he will instinctively want to keep the fighter and let go of the "nice" guy.

[Josey]

In my hayday as an executive in Human Resourses we "fired" someone who violated a company policy. On the other hand if economic conditions were in play we "released" employee thus allowing them to collect unemployment benefits.

[Kelsy]

My boss loves my fem side and I have no fear of being fired. self employment is a wonderful thing!!:D

:hugs:Kelsy

[Vicky_Scot]

Sadly i got canned today. but is starting to seem like a trend to me, crossdressers getting fired. I have two other friends who crossdress and they both got fired within a week of each other. is it just me or have you seen the same thing before?

Sorry but until you tell us what you and your friends were canned for, then I for one can not really answer your question.

So please give us more details so I and others can make a educated response.

Xx Vicky xX

[Joy Carter]

I was forced out of my life long career, just on a rumor. Peer (supervisor) pressure prevails, no matter what the truth is.

[Angie G]

It could be for any reason one gets fired if you f&*% up if you miss time if you don;t kiss enough butt even if you my smile wrong and they most time make it for something that will stand up if questioned.:hugs:
Angie

[insearchofme]

If it were to come out that I was a CD I'd never work in my profession again. Sad but true.

[battybattybats]

Assuming the employers are unaware of the CDing, then one possible explanation is that we are less aggressive and less competitive than the more macho males. So if an employer has a toss up between 2 guys to let go, he will instinctively want to keep the fighter and let go of the "nice" guy.

Or it could be we are often too effeminate as males resulting in transphobia or homophobia (if there' a difference).

Thats why antidiscrimination policies that cover more than just sex (male or female) or even recognised Transexuals but ones which list Gender Identity and Expression are much more useful. They prevent sexist discrimination like men being fired for being too masculine or not masculine enough and the same for women as well as crossdressers, genderqueer, drag kings/queens etc.

Those words are powerful, they ensure that everyone is protected equally and fairly.

[Nicole Erin]

OK here is my story -
Last week I was laid off. In a company of about 250 employees, 95 of us were laid off. 40%
I worked for a distributor of over-priced luxury products and people just aren't buying
Everyone I worked with, at least on my shift, knew I was CD, in fact on Halloween they met Erin in person.

I don't know WHAT criteria they used to lay off cause there were good empoyees, troublemakers, new people, long timers, young, old, GLBT, straight, Mexican, Indian, American, male, female, pee-ons, bosses, beautiful people, ugly people... TOTAL mix
In the group of about 15 or 20 I was in, I did notice there was me and 3 other family. My FTM brother, a gay man, a lesbian, and me, the MTF CD.

I didn't dress totally en femme at work, but it was not quite "manly"

You know the economy SUCKS right now so layoffs are going to happen.

[RobynP]

In California one cannot be fired for being a CD... However, I won't out myself just to be "protected" because there are a zillion other ways to downsize without breaking any laws...

Robyn P.

[LisaElizabeth]

I like reading all the comments!!!
I am an employer. That said..... No we are not hiring at this time!!!! (Economy is not allowing that!!)
I can tell you that our Florida friend did not get fired for being a Crossdresser. That is against federal law! regardless of your local state statutes, it is illegal to fire someone based solely on their clothing. Now as has also been mentioned, there are a LOT of other reasons to let an employee go. But firing someone usually means there is something else going on. In my case we have written policies that indicate what are 'firing' reasons. Here the most egregious is embezzlement, but it can also be for less drastic reasons. Most are there to insure that my business continues to run smoothly and ethically.
So-o-o there has to be more to this story than just wearing a ladies blouse to work....
Lisa Elizabeth

[JoAnne Wheeler]

Was your employer aware that you were a CDer is a really good question .

If you were doing your job satisfactory and the "only" thing being used against you was that you were a CDer, you may have grounds for legal action.

Love,

JoAnne Wheeler

[Karren H]

Right now I don't know how you would take the piss poor economy out of the equation to be able to tell if crossdressers were being fired more than the average worker.. But it could happen.. if it was part of a larger staff reduction or were you the only one? What were you told?