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Pamela · 02-14-2014, 05:41 PM

I both agree and disagee. Trucking in general is areally rough occupation. It's more of a lifestyle than an actual job. I think I once did a thread on this subject.

Yes, there are jobs and most employers don't really care as long as you can drive well and safely. Which I can. Howeber, it's also hard in that we don't get home much to see our doctors as often as hey would like, prescription refills are problematic at best and my fellow truckers can sometimes be a tad transphobic, resulting in assaults, name-calling and even truck sabotage. No, I haven't been assaulted or sabotaged, but I *have* been called names.

Some employers will even go so far as to say that they are afraid of upsetting customers and refusing to dispatch us, or so I have heard from my sisters out here, although I have yet to have this problem.

But on th eplus side, I can say that I get lots of time to sing aloud and practice my voice lessons. Girly time is unusual, so I have to skip my monthly pampering session at the spa, my mani/pedi and a few other pleaasures. But, overall, if you need a job and you can get a CDL, this will suffice at least until you are ready for surgery. You can save a lot of money if you don't maintain a residence.

Other popular jobs for us might be nurse/CNA/EMT, office worker, warehouse worker. Really, we can do anything that is required of us. We're just like everyone else, gender aside. Finding and keeping employment, on the other hand, can be an issue. We are vastly un- and under-employed due to transphobia/bias. This is why I always support ENDA, even though we keep being left off at the very end. That legislation has been introduced fifteen times and shot down or lost in committee fifteen times, at both state and federal levels. NY almost passed it this past season. Almost.

Read this for more history on ENDA.

I like my job, but I must say it's not for everyone. Neither is transitioning. As we say among ourselves, "Transition ain't for sissies!" The life I lead is difficult and frustrating. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But there are rewarding moments here and there too.

I have personally saved two beautiful lives by simply listening. That's worth the price of admission right there. I am working on two more. I consider this to be my mission in life and one day I would love to go to college and earn a psych degree so I can better help my brothers and sisters.

I will also say that the EEOC has been consistently interpreting Title VII to include gender protections and has won several cases, establishing that as precedent. But it's not the same as explicit law.

One of the reasons ENDA gets denied is that the Congresscritters claim that Title VII already covers discrimination. However, case law up until recently has shown that it does NOT cover us because we aren't directly mentioned. So there will likely be a need for Congress to pass ENDA just to make it clear that we are not to be discriminated against too. And possibly even a US Supreme Court decision in our favor just to cement the deal.

In the meantime, I am doing everything I can to help the cause. Part of the discrimination is simply misinformation. Take, for example, the recent law in CA that allows TG childred to use the restrooms/locker rooms that correspond to their true gender, rather than their biological gender.

Reactionary right wingers opposed to this have been hysterically predicting that boys would be invading the girls' bathrooms and assaulting them left and right, although this has NEVER happened and likely will not, unless some boy is influenced by his bigot parents or others in his life to do so.

The truth of the matter is, the only way a biologic male gets to use female facilities is if they are truly TG, complete with a note from a trained doctor or therapist who is treating the child that such actions are indeed appropriate. No switching back and forth allowed.

And that's just a part of what we face daily. This is why I am hot on educating and outreach to the straight community. If they knew the truth, it's likely that we would find much more support.

[gets off soapbox]

02-14-2014, 05:41 PM	#105
Pamela Deplorable Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 767	I both agree and disagee. Trucking in general is areally rough occupation. It's more of a lifestyle than an actual job. I think I once did a thread on this subject. Yes, there are jobs and most employers don't really care as long as you can drive well and safely. Which I can. Howeber, it's also hard in that we don't get home much to see our doctors as often as hey would like, prescription refills are problematic at best and my fellow truckers can sometimes be a tad transphobic, resulting in assaults, name-calling and even truck sabotage. No, I haven't been assaulted or sabotaged, but I have been called names. Some employers will even go so far as to say that they are afraid of upsetting customers and refusing to dispatch us, or so I have heard from my sisters out here, although I have yet to have this problem. But on th eplus side, I can say that I get lots of time to sing aloud and practice my voice lessons. Girly time is unusual, so I have to skip my monthly pampering session at the spa, my mani/pedi and a few other pleaasures. But, overall, if you need a job and you can get a CDL, this will suffice at least until you are ready for surgery. You can save a lot of money if you don't maintain a residence. Other popular jobs for us might be nurse/CNA/EMT, office worker, warehouse worker. Really, we can do anything that is required of us. We're just like everyone else, gender aside. Finding and keeping employment, on the other hand, can be an issue. We are vastly un- and under-employed due to transphobia/bias. This is why I always support ENDA, even though we keep being left off at the very end. That legislation has been introduced fifteen times and shot down or lost in committee fifteen times, at both state and federal levels. NY almost passed it this past season. Almost. Read this for more history on ENDA. I like my job, but I must say it's not for everyone. Neither is transitioning. As we say among ourselves, "Transition ain't for sissies!" The life I lead is difficult and frustrating. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. But there are rewarding moments here and there too. I have personally saved two beautiful lives by simply listening. That's worth the price of admission right there. I am working on two more. I consider this to be my mission in life and one day I would love to go to college and earn a psych degree so I can better help my brothers and sisters. I will also say that the EEOC has been consistently interpreting Title VII to include gender protections and has won several cases, establishing that as precedent. But it's not the same as explicit law. One of the reasons ENDA gets denied is that the Congresscritters claim that Title VII already covers discrimination. However, case law up until recently has shown that it does NOT cover us because we aren't directly mentioned. So there will likely be a need for Congress to pass ENDA just to make it clear that we are not to be discriminated against too. And possibly even a US Supreme Court decision in our favor just to cement the deal. In the meantime, I am doing everything I can to help the cause. Part of the discrimination is simply misinformation. Take, for example, the recent law in CA that allows TG childred to use the restrooms/locker rooms that correspond to their true gender, rather than their biological gender. Reactionary right wingers opposed to this have been hysterically predicting that boys would be invading the girls' bathrooms and assaulting them left and right, although this has NEVER happened and likely will not, unless some boy is influenced by his bigot parents or others in his life to do so. The truth of the matter is, the only way a biologic male gets to use female facilities is if they are truly TG, complete with a note from a trained doctor or therapist who is treating the child that such actions are indeed appropriate. No switching back and forth allowed. And that's just a part of what we face daily. This is why I am hot on educating and outreach to the straight community. If they knew the truth, it's likely that we would find much more support. [gets off soapbox]