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Description

Reed had been out of work for months after the last company he worked in went out of business. He was an experienced marketing manager, something he thought would have translated into getting a new job easily after the company went under. He'd entered unemployment with utmost confidence, sure that he would have a new job in a matter of days. But now, seven months later, is confidence was sapped. He felt like giving up and just applying at some shitty fast food job or something. Anything would be better than sitting around doing nothing, getting rejected from job after job. Most of the time he didn't even make it to the interview stage, and beyond that it seemed that openings for marketing managers were few and far between in his city. He was ready to give up until one day a news article gave him an idea.

Reed lived in a very progessive city and after reading about how far out of the way a lot of companies in the city were going to be accomodating to trans people, he thought that maybe that was his ticket to get hired again. How hard could it be to pretend to be trans and get a job? He could just dress up for work or something and then be a normal guy outside of work. Nobody in his regular life would even have to know. And once he was making money again he could look for something else and not have to worry about pretending to be trans anymore. He would have to tell his sister though. She was the only one he trusted to help him without being weird about it.

"So wait a minute," Laura, Reed's sister said, when he brought the plan to her. "You want to take advantage of a marginalized identity just to get a job?"

"Listen, I know it sounds...problematic or something, but it's only until I can get my foot back in the door. Then I'll go back to being me and forget about this whole thing."

Laura looked skeptical. "It still feels like a pretty bad thing to do. Don't you think trans people are having a hard enough time?"

"What do you want me to do, Laura? I'm not gonna be homeless. Look, I'll donate some of the money I make to trans charities or something, okay?"

After a little more convincing, Laura agreed to help Reed, but he was going to have to put in most of the effort. Laura didn't really approve of the idea so she was going to contribute as little as possible.

A few weeks later he turned up to his first interview as Renee. There was no way he was going to wear a skirt or heels or some kind of super girly thing, so he opted for a pnat suit. He did as little work on his hair as he could, but he had let it get long after being depressingly out of ajob for so long. He definitely didn't look hot or well put together, but that wasn't his goal anyway. He only needed to do enough to convince a hiriing manager that he was transitioning.

"Renee! Oh it's so nice to meet you! I'm Vanessa, the manager here." The manager was a bubbly woman in her 40's dressed smartly, putting Reed to shame.

Maybe I should have put a little more work into this, he thought, shaking the manager's well manicured and moisturized hands. Reed winced internally. His hands were not nearly so taken care of. He was only now realizing certain things might give him away. Or not. He didn't really know what people expected of trans people.

"I can't tell you how excited we all were when we saw your resume," Vanessa said. "Someone with your qualifications and who is just beginning her transition? Well, we're feeling kind of blessed right now."

"Oh, how come my transition matters?"

"Well, for one, we have way too many guys in this office and not enough women, if you ask me. So it'll be nice having another lady in the office. And for two, well, we really pride ourselves on diversity here, but we don't have any transgender people working here. The right person with the right qualifications hasn't walked through that door yet. Until you."

Reed felt suddenly overwhelmed. Something about this situation felt really wrong now, but he couldn't put his finger on why. It just felt like things were going all wrong suddenly, like he'd already lost control of the situation.

"So don't worry, this interview is just a formality. We've already decided to hire you, since you're exactly what we're looking for."

Reed sighed with relief. He got a job! He must have just been imagining that feeling before. He was back in his element, and the end of his time as a fake trans woman was already closing.

"So, let me show you to your desk and the other girls you'll be working with." Vanessa practically squealed in delight. "Oh, I think this is going to be soooo good for you."

Reed smiled. "Desk? I don't get an office?"

Vanessa laughed. "Do secretaries normally get their own offices?"

"Secretary? But I applied for the marketing manager position."

"Yes, but I'm the marketing manager and I need a secretary. I'm sorry, I thought I made that clear when I called for the interview. You'll have all the room for advancement and you could end up with something even better than marketing manager. Unless you'd rather try your luck elsewhere?"

Suddenly, Vanessa was very intimidating. Redd just smiled and shook his head. "No, no, thank you for this. I was just confused."

Vanessa lost the dominant demeanor immediately and lit up with a huge smile. "Great! Then follow me!"

Description

Reed had been out of work for months after the last company he worked in went out of business. He was an experienced marketing manager, something he thought would have translated into getting a new job easily after the company went under. He'd entered unemployment with utmost confidence, sure that he would have a new job in a matter of days. But now, seven months later, is confidence was sapped. He felt like giving up and just applying at some shitty fast food job or something. Anything would be better than sitting around doing nothing, getting rejected from job after job. Most of the time he didn't even make it to the interview stage, and beyond that it seemed that openings for marketing managers were few and far between in his city. He was ready to give up until one day a news article gave him an idea.

Reed lived in a very progessive city and after reading about how far out of the way a lot of companies in the city were going to be accomodating to trans people, he thought that maybe that was his ticket to get hired again. How hard could it be to pretend to be trans and get a job? He could just dress up for work or something and then be a normal guy outside of work. Nobody in his regular life would even have to know. And once he was making money again he could look for something else and not have to worry about pretending to be trans anymore. He would have to tell his sister though. She was the only one he trusted to help him without being weird about it.

"So wait a minute," Laura, Reed's sister said, when he brought the plan to her. "You want to take advantage of a marginalized identity just to get a job?"

"Listen, I know it sounds...problematic or something, but it's only until I can get my foot back in the door. Then I'll go back to being me and forget about this whole thing."

Laura looked skeptical. "It still feels like a pretty bad thing to do. Don't you think trans people are having a hard enough time?"

"What do you want me to do, Laura? I'm not gonna be homeless. Look, I'll donate some of the money I make to trans charities or something, okay?"

After a little more convincing, Laura agreed to help Reed, but he was going to have to put in most of the effort. Laura didn't really approve of the idea so she was going to contribute as little as possible.

A few weeks later he turned up to his first interview as Renee. There was no way he was going to wear a skirt or heels or some kind of super girly thing, so he opted for a pnat suit. He did as little work on his hair as he could, but he had let it get long after being depressingly out of ajob for so long. He definitely didn't look hot or well put together, but that wasn't his goal anyway. He only needed to do enough to convince a hiriing manager that he was transitioning.

"Renee! Oh it's so nice to meet you! I'm Vanessa, the manager here." The manager was a bubbly woman in her 40's dressed smartly, putting Reed to shame.

Maybe I should have put a little more work into this, he thought, shaking the manager's well manicured and moisturized hands. Reed winced internally. His hands were not nearly so taken care of. He was only now realizing certain things might give him away. Or not. He didn't really know what people expected of trans people.

"I can't tell you how excited we all were when we saw your resume," Vanessa said. "Someone with your qualifications and who is just beginning her transition? Well, we're feeling kind of blessed right now."

"Oh, how come my transition matters?"

"Well, for one, we have way too many guys in this office and not enough women, if you ask me. So it'll be nice having another lady in the office. And for two, well, we really pride ourselves on diversity here, but we don't have any transgender people working here. The right person with the right qualifications hasn't walked through that door yet. Until you."

Reed felt suddenly overwhelmed. Something about this situation felt really wrong now, but he couldn't put his finger on why. It just felt like things were going all wrong suddenly, like he'd already lost control of the situation.

"So don't worry, this interview is just a formality. We've already decided to hire you, since you're exactly what we're looking for."

Reed sighed with relief. He got a job! He must have just been imagining that feeling before. He was back in his element, and the end of his time as a fake trans woman was already closing.

"So, let me show you to your desk and the other girls you'll be working with." Vanessa practically squealed in delight. "Oh, I think this is going to be soooo good for you."

Reed smiled. "Desk? I don't get an office?"

Vanessa laughed. "Do secretaries normally get their own offices?"

"Secretary? But I applied for the marketing manager position."

"Yes, but I'm the marketing manager and I need a secretary. I'm sorry, I thought I made that clear when I called for the interview. You'll have all the room for advancement and you could end up with something even better than marketing manager. Unless you'd rather try your luck elsewhere?"

Suddenly, Vanessa was very intimidating. Redd just smiled and shook his head. "No, no, thank you for this. I was just confused."

Vanessa lost the dominant demeanor immediately and lit up with a huge smile. "Great! Then follow me!"