What you have to realize is that being trans isn’t a choice, and our gender identity has historically been highly suppressed, so a lot of us end up living as our assigned gender for a large portion of our lives before realizing who we are and starting our transition. I didn’t realize who I was till I was 33, but some people don’t realize until their 50s, 60s, 70s, etc. So we are socialized as our assigned gender, and all that that entails. Many trans women end up in science, engineering, and technology roles because many of us are neurodivergent and neurodivergent people tend to be drawn to these fields. The gender based discrimination against women in these fields means trans men living as women pre transition are disinsentivized from these roles. I work in aerospace and it’s a major sausage fest. Since we often don’t transition until later in life you end up with a bunch of trans women in traditionally male dominated STEM positions and trans men in traditionally female dominated positions.
In general though all trans people suffer worse outcomes in the work place, whether they’re trans women, men, or nonbinary. The outcomes are partially related to how “passing” they are, but also yes misogyny and misandry have their impact depending on where a particular trans person finds themself. As a trans woman in a historically highly misogynistic industry (which I love for the technical aspects) it’s just something I’m going to have to deal with. It fucking sucks and I wish things were different, like I also want more women around at work like holy fuck it doesn’t have to be all white dudes, but like I said before being trans isn’t really a choice. I am trans, and I can either transition and deal with the consequences for a chance at being finally happy in my skin or I can kill myself. That sounds really dark and maybe a bit dramatic but for a lot of trans people that’s the reality.
I’ll also say it was a lot easier to get a job in the tech industry back when I looked like a man. After I transitioned, I had no choice but to switch careers.
(obvious statement : I guess their gender identity must matter a lot to them)
You’re reminding me of something my late grandmother, who was born before the Great Depression, had to say about gay people 20-30 years ago that I found pretty profound. Especially for her generation.
“I don’t know why all these angry people claim that being gay is a choice. People are so mean to them, and some of them get beaten half to death or worse. Why would anyone choose that?”
She followed that up with consternation that they had to go and choose the word “gay” as their label. “It used to just mean happy, why couldn’t they pick a different word!” Which I always found to be such a quaint gripe; she felt like a word she loved was appropriated from her. Man I miss that sweet woman.
AMAB people are more likely to be diagnosed with autism, by a significant amount. It’s something like 4:1. However, AFAB people with autism are significantly less likely to get diagnosed, due to this little thing called misogyny. Still, significantly more AMABs than AFABs have autism, it’s supposedly close to 3:1. So, trans women are more likely to end up with autism, autistics are more likely to end up talking about how their linux is the best linux on this tiny social media platform.
Lemmy is full of tech nerds. AMAB people are encouraged to go into tech, AFAB people are sexually harassed if they go into tech.
This whole thing is confusing. So the AFAB people transition , but in the same fields that AFAB people at birth usually go to, but transition to male.
AMAB people go into toxic male dominated fields where women are harrassed, and then transition to female, and have things get worse for them?
(obvious statement : I guess their gender identity must matter a lot to them)
But then, the transmen aren’t in the male dominated spaces… but they’re male?
What you have to realize is that being trans isn’t a choice, and our gender identity has historically been highly suppressed, so a lot of us end up living as our assigned gender for a large portion of our lives before realizing who we are and starting our transition. I didn’t realize who I was till I was 33, but some people don’t realize until their 50s, 60s, 70s, etc. So we are socialized as our assigned gender, and all that that entails. Many trans women end up in science, engineering, and technology roles because many of us are neurodivergent and neurodivergent people tend to be drawn to these fields. The gender based discrimination against women in these fields means trans men living as women pre transition are disinsentivized from these roles. I work in aerospace and it’s a major sausage fest. Since we often don’t transition until later in life you end up with a bunch of trans women in traditionally male dominated STEM positions and trans men in traditionally female dominated positions.
In general though all trans people suffer worse outcomes in the work place, whether they’re trans women, men, or nonbinary. The outcomes are partially related to how “passing” they are, but also yes misogyny and misandry have their impact depending on where a particular trans person finds themself. As a trans woman in a historically highly misogynistic industry (which I love for the technical aspects) it’s just something I’m going to have to deal with. It fucking sucks and I wish things were different, like I also want more women around at work like holy fuck it doesn’t have to be all white dudes, but like I said before being trans isn’t really a choice. I am trans, and I can either transition and deal with the consequences for a chance at being finally happy in my skin or I can kill myself. That sounds really dark and maybe a bit dramatic but for a lot of trans people that’s the reality.
I’ll also say it was a lot easier to get a job in the tech industry back when I looked like a man. After I transitioned, I had no choice but to switch careers.
You’re reminding me of something my late grandmother, who was born before the Great Depression, had to say about gay people 20-30 years ago that I found pretty profound. Especially for her generation.
“I don’t know why all these angry people claim that being gay is a choice. People are so mean to them, and some of them get beaten half to death or worse. Why would anyone choose that?”
She followed that up with consternation that they had to go and choose the word “gay” as their label. “It used to just mean happy, why couldn’t they pick a different word!” Which I always found to be such a quaint gripe; she felt like a word she loved was appropriated from her. Man I miss that sweet woman.
My hypothesis is that tech skews ND, and trans people also skew ND. It doesn’t explain the gender imbalance though, at least not by itself.
AMAB people are more likely to be diagnosed with autism, by a significant amount. It’s something like 4:1. However, AFAB people with autism are significantly less likely to get diagnosed, due to this little thing called misogyny. Still, significantly more AMABs than AFABs have autism, it’s supposedly close to 3:1. So, trans women are more likely to end up with autism, autistics are more likely to end up talking about how their linux is the best linux on this tiny social media platform.
Interesting. Yeah that makes sense considering the “masculine” bullshit associated with the tech space. Thanks for your reply.