A Different World

[Guest Julie T]

To everyone, especially those who responded so sweetly to my topic about my three o'clock depression last night.

Donna Jean and I did attend the job fair I mentioned in that same post, and we had mixed results. I will allow Dee Jay to tell her tale about the job fair, as it was not what we expected, exactly. But is anything exactly like a person thinks it will be?

One event in particular stood out for me, an encounter with a recruiter that took a very interesting twist. I was speaking with this apparently well connected lady, one who seemed to know about all the possibilities within the technical college she represented? So she asked me my interests, which of course is the construction industry. We talked about that for a bit until she discovered I have many years experience, and in fact that I am a registered architect.

She wants me to talk to students in the IT department, because, as she pointed out, I would be such a good role model for the women in those classes.

I will most probably do this? But the ethical considerations are going to be very complicated. I prefer to stay stealth? How exactly do I do that and not be untruthful? so this going to take some thought.

She also suggested I might be a candidate as an auxiliary instructor.

We transsexual people live very complicated lives, I think!

Julie

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[Guest Donna Jean]

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As Julie said.....I was there, too...........

This is distressing to me...being unemployed...

I have basically worked constantly since 1973 in only 3 jobs....

I'm having a hard time finding work since I moved to New Orleans and I didn't think I would....

It's either because of the current job market, I'm over qualified, I'm within 6 months of being able to retire or that I'm a woman.....

Who knows?

Donna Jean

[Carolyn Marie]

I'm sorry that you both had an unproductive day at the job fair. I can't know for sure, but Dee Jay, I would guess that its a combination of the economy and your age, more than anything else. This is based in part on my S/O's own struggles to find work in the last 12 months. This remains a horrible economy, and jobs, especially those in or related to construction, are really non-existent.

I will most probably do this? But the ethical considerations are going to be very complicated. I prefer to stay stealth? How exactly do I do that and not be untruthful? so this going to take some thought.

Julie, I'm not quite sure I understand your dilemma. If you are just going to talk to the students, and you aren't signing employment forms, why would you need to tell them anything other than your name? I see no reason to out yourself. I taught a college class in the early spring regarding government and economic development. It was before I transitioned. The professor who invited me asked if I would return to guest lecture again. I plan to do so, but the only person I plan to mention my changed status to is the professor, who of course knew me as 'him." If a student should ask, I would be truthful, but I doubt anyone will ask. So I encourage you to do it. Sounds like fun.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Julie T]

I'm sorry that you both had an unproductive day at the job fair. I can't know for sure, but Dee Jay, I would guess that its a combination of the economy and your age, more than anything else. This is based in part on my S/O's own struggles to find work in the last 12 months. This remains a horrible economy, and jobs, especially those in or related to construction, are really non-existent.

Julie, I'm not quite sure I understand your dilemma. If you are just going to talk to the students, and you aren't signing employment forms, why would you need to tell them anything other than your name? I see no reason to out yourself. I taught a college class in the early spring regarding government and economic development. It was before I transitioned. The professor who invited me asked if I would return to guest lecture again. I plan to do so, but the only person I plan to mention my changed status to is the professor, who of course knew me as 'him." If a student should ask, I would be truthful, but I doubt anyone will ask. So I encourage you to do it. Sounds like fun.

Carolyn Marie

Carolyn

You are perfectly correct saying the best presentation is to be honest. I want to be seen as me when I speak to a classroom, but I was invited to show as a woman, I succeeded in the construction industry. I was playacting male my entire career, so wouldn't that be a conflict?

Perhaps not if I do this? I feel the best approach is to just describe what the construction industry is like without focusing heavily on gender at all. Today's large construction projects have many women employed now, and not just in the job shack. I will give some examples, and that will probably help encourage our new generation, both genders.

You are such a dear.

Julie

[Guest angie]

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This is distressing to me...being unemployed...

I'm having a hard time finding work since I moved to New Orleans and I didn't think I would....

It's either because of the current job market, I'm over qualified, I'm within 6 months of being able to retire or that I'm a woman.....

Who knows?

Donna Jean

Me thinks it is an age thing,then being a trans is tough to find work,and living in a city new to you. I know it's playing with your mind though,and how depressing that can be when

all you are wishing for is a stable income again.I even though I am on SSDI disability would like to reenter the job market once more.But who is going to hire a 55 year young trans woman,who has cancer,and a history of mental issues that required hospitalization twice?

Not many I bet.

Ang

[JJ]

Donna Jean you have such spirit and accomplish anything you set out to do-you'll find a job yet. This economy and your age make it difficult but with your personality it is inevitable that someone will see your true worth.

Hugs

JJ

[Guest Donna Jean]

I would guess that its a combination of the economy and your age, more than anything else.

Carolyn Marie

Heyyyy....what's wrong with my age?

lol...thanks for the encouragement, Hon......I'm optimistic (can I say that?) that something will break loose soon....

If not....there is all that money that I stashed away in Argentina when I worked for the Government...

HUGGS

Dee Jay

[Drea]

You are perfectly correct saying the best presentation is to be honest. I want to be seen as me when I speak to a classroom, but I was invited to show as a woman, I succeeded in the construction industry. I was playacting male my entire career, so wouldn't that be a conflict?

I hadn't understood the concern in your original post. I understand now. To be a role model for women, you would be presenting yourself as having overcome the challenges as a woman yet you faced the challenges living in a male role.

I appreciate your recognition of the difficulty. I am reminded of someone I knew long ago who re-wrote her online biography from a female perspective include her experiece as air crew during combat in WWII. She seemed to be willing to shamelessly lay claim to be a woman in combat.

While in some ways our internal identities may mean we really are women in such roles, our outward presentation at the time does not make what we achieved remarkable.

I really can't offer any advice. You also would face the challenge of answering questions about how it felt to work in the field as a woman.

I personally have avoided such situations because I do feel my birth gender did give me advantages and I have too much respect for women who didn't yet have achieved the same or more.

[JJ]

Julie,

It certainly seems there would be a moral dilemma as Drea pointed out in addressing this class as a woman architect. That is in fact what you are but not your work experience and the type of field you were in was one that, in my observation, was one that was particularly difficult for women to enter or succeed if they did enter at the time you did. It would in essence be laying claim to something that never happened and I know that you would never want to do that.

I'm not sure how you could instruct the class and remain stealth. perhaps others will be able to come up with ways I haven't .

Johnny