Megan & Kaz Meet David: Result ... Success!

by David Wallace, Options Employment

(The Gender Centre advise that this article may not be current and as such certain content, including but not limited to persons, contact details and dates may not apply. Where legal authority or medical related matters are cited, responsibility lies with the reader to obtain the most current relevant legal authority and/or medical publication.)

Kaz and Megan couldn't be more different as people or in terms of their lived experiences as trannies. But the one thing they have in common is their attitude to life and in particular how they live it. The word uncompromising comes to mind.

One could argue that because both have recently landed regular permanent jobs they could afford to be. However I was left with the impression after speaking to both of them about their experience of looking for work that it was their uncompromising attitude and qualities of persistence and determination in the face of often quite overwhelming odds that got them their jobs.

One other thing they had in common was they both chose to access Options Employment Service partly because they had heard that we had had experience of working with transgender clients and partly because Options had an office close to where they lived and wanted to work.

Kaz had moved from Melbourne late last year. Since arriving in Sydney, having been offered a job in August, she had applied for 968 jobs. That in itself says something about her determination! When I asked her why she had not given up, she simply said that for 3 years she had believed that somewhere out there was a job with her name on it and she was not going to give up until she found it. Of course there were times when she felt like giving up, but once she had decided to access Options in Intensive Assistance in April, she said that from then on she got the extra help and boost to her confidence and motivation that she needed to keep going.

With a new resume, practical help on how to handle job interviews and constant encouragement from her Intensive Assistance Consultant, she realised herself that it wouldn't be long before she got herself a job ... and she was right. After four months she was offered a full time permanent administration job with a lighting company in Alexandria.

She says that the benefits of having a regular and stable job cannot be emphasised enough. It is not just about the money. It is the boost to her self-confidence and self-esteem that are immeasurable. The job is also offering her a further opportunity for further training, invaluable work experience and a springboard to the career she has always wanted. She has only ever received positive feedback from her employer and certainly hasn't encountered any form of discrimination or harassment at work.

Megan's search for work has taken a very different route as she only made the decision to transition this year. Around the same time, she left her job as a driver and started a full time make-up course. After completing the course and having been unemployed for three months, she chose Options to be her Job Search Training provider. She was prepared at this stage to do any type of work. Her aim was simply to be able to get back in the workforce, to gain work experience and establish her new identity. After a very short period of looking for work, she got herself a permanent casual kitchen hand position at a cafe in Darlinghurst. Again it was her determination and positive attitude that got her the job. She had had her share of knock backs and "thanks, but no thanks" interviews but having worked in various jobs and having done the course, she knew she had some skills, knowledge and experience that would stand her in good stead.

Above all like Kaz, she believed that somewhere out there was a job with her name on it and again there was! Now she says she is even more determined to enjoy her life and not be worried about what anyone thinks or says.

Megan and Kaz both believe that finding permanent employment has made a huge difference to their lives. They readily acknowledge that whilst their jobs are 'ordinary', the effect on how they view themselves and their capabilities has been extraordinary. They also now believe that by holding down ordinary jobs in ordinary workplaces, they are able to really influence and change for the better the way their employers and work colleagues view and treat the transgender community as a whole and any change for the better has to be a good thing for all of us - now and in the future.

Polare is published in Australia by The Gender Centre Inc. which is funded by the Department of Community Services under the S.A.A.P. Program and supported by the N.S.W. Health Department through the AIDS and Infectious Diseases Branch. Polare provides a forum for discussion and debate on gender issues. Advertisers are advised that all advertising is their responsibility under the Trade Practices Act. Unsolicited contributions are welcome, though no guarantee is made by the Editor that they will be published, nor any discussion entered into. The editor reserves the right to edit such contributions without notification. Any submission which appears in Polare may be published on our internet site. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, The Gender Centre Inc.I, the Department of Community Services or the N.S.W. Department of Health.