Marti Abernathey

Reading google alerts, i found this post at secretcorners.net. Kimberly Haizlip said:

“I could understand if the women were unskilled that it might be difficult for them to find employment, but why are companies turning away highly skilled trans-women? It can’t be solely based on the fact that they transitioned from one sex to another. From a bottom-line point of view, it just doesn’t make sense to turn away highly skilled candidates that could improve the profit margin. After all, that is what the story is about, making money.”

If that were true, there would be no discrimination in the workplace. Sex, race, or otherwise, there would be no discrimination.

“Too many trans-persons think the magic bullet is going to be a slew of anti-discrimination legislation and that when they are passed all the trans-people are going to be working at decent paying jobs. I hate to burst the bubble, but I doubt if some law is going to make a lot of difference. The UK has anti-discrimination laws in place, but a google will show you that discrimination is still happening. It probably isn’t happening anywhere near the pace it is in the US, but it is happening.”

Who thinks it’s the magic bullet? It’s not the total answer, but it IS a start. It’s a foundation. African Americans aren’t discriminated against as much, and as openly as they once were. The reason? The Civil Rights Act of 1964. It didn’t end discrimination, but it did make it harder to fire somone because of their race, and that caused it to be less acceptable.

“The biggest thing that can be done to help trans-people gain decent paying jobs is to change the mindset of the employers. We need to convince corporations that trans-people are a good investment. The bottom-line approach again. Forget the “it’s the right thing to do.”

This is a circular argument that’s built on a false premise. I’ve been denied 16 job transfers and I was qualified for every one. Some of the positions I was OVER QUALIFIED for, but I didn’t get the job! What are you going to do, go to the employers and say ” DON’T DO THAT!” Good luck with that. If you don’t have any legislation backing you up, you don’t have any leverage.

Corporations use to think that hiring Blacks for any job except menial labour was not good for business. It is hard to think that corporations really thought the colour of one’s skin determined what jobs they were suited to perform, but it did exist.

And the reason that changed was the EEOC and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This argues against your point. It wasn’t because someone went to these companies and said “hire blacks because it’s the right thing to do!”

I really wish the big Trans icons would focus their energies on the corporations. I have actually argued this point with a few of the icons to no avail. It isn’t as glamourous as jetting off to conventions and Washington, DC. Going door to door to show corporations that it is good for business to hire trans-persons is not going to place them in the lime light.

My don’t we have a huge ego! It couldn’t be that she’s wrong, oh no…. If we just go to these companies, they’ll have an epiphany, and treat trans people with respect and dignity. Most of us don’t “JET” anywhere, but drive.

I have heard these Trans icons actually turn down positions in companies if they couldn’t have the time to attend all the conventions and conferences. They hid it behind the excuse of needing to be there for the community. In reality, they can’t bear the thought of giving up being in the centre of attention.

She heard this where? Sounds like she heard it third person. That’s called a rumor.

If they really want to be the centre of my attention, they will stop wasting all of the money throw at the airlines, the hotels, the conventions and conferences, and will use that money to start working toward getting jobs for the trans-community. That is the real effort we need. I would love to open the newspaper one morning and read of a transgender job fair.

If she knew her ass from a whole in the ground, she’d know that there are already transgender job fairs in San Francisco. She’d know that many of us do advocate with corporations.

I have one thing to say to Kim. Stop trying to tell the community what to do and get off your ass and do it yourself. Want a job fair? SPONSOR ONE. Want to advocate to employers? DO IT TOMORROW!

Until your action follows your words, you have absolutely ZERO credibility with me.