Transitioning while working at IT MSP?
Wondering if anyone has experience with working at a job in IT that you work with customers and transitioning as a transwoman. I'm in California, so we have a large LGBTQ+ visibility in my area. I work for a small MSP, which I've been with going on 5 years. We only have a couple other part timer techs, so I'm the right hand "man" or Spock of the company.
I'm assuming much of it will be decided on how clients react to my transitioning, we work with mostly small businesses in town. Not like transitioning is going to affect my technical skills and my boss has confidence in my abilities at this point and my social ability with clients. Part of the job is being personable while fixing their technical problems. Of course the social aspect is where problems could arise.
Anyone in this field or similar field of having to work face to face with multiple clients in the field and have been able to transition while on the job without losing their job? And I'm sure they are out there, but at least I have not seen very many woman in IT in my area. I did recently work with someone working as an installer for a local ISP that was obviously transitioning (in male mode, but had obvious small breasts, grown out hair). Being a small MSP, we have to work with other companies IT people a lot and at least in person there hasn't been any cis woman that have been the field tech to fix issues with specialized hardware/software. Any woman on the phone as techs have been tier 1, once we escalate to tier 2 or above it has been all males from what I remember.
So its very possible that it could be tough going trying work in IT as a transwoman. Not sure what I would do if I couldn't get work doing what I am passionate about. I started doing IT work in high school, got a BS in an Engineering field. Then went back to IT as it was what I enjoy doing, found most lower level engineering jobs are office jobs that I would be bored of doing within months. To do anything exciting in engineering (R and D), I found that I would need at least a masters or even a PhD. Getting a BS was tough enough for me, never been the A student, tests suck, but lab classes I always aced.
Posted Jun 4, 2019, 3:26 PM UTC