Tag Archives: GenderRoleReversal

Defeated

Kelly walked out of interview defeated. For the first time in a long time, he was unsure of himself. He didn’t get it. It was the 25th century. You’d think in this day and age gender wouldn’t be an issue, but there he was getting laughed out of and interview, because he was a man. Yes, men were blamed for causing world war 3 and nearly bringing an end to world, but that was over two centuries ago. Men have come so far since then. Kelly worked hard to get to where he was. Working as a stripper to put himself through college. He was just as able as any woman in his field perhaps even better than most, but he couldn’t even get all the way through an interview without it ending because of his gender. He would always get comments like, “Wouldn’t you rather start a family and make a home rather than work?” or “I just don’t think you are qualified to fill a position like this, but we do have a secretarial position open”. This last interviewer’s comment got to him though, “Are you kidding me? Look how you’re dressed. You’d just be a distraction to the women here at our company.” The interviewer even had the nerve to laugh in his face. Was his outfit really that provocative? It wasn’t his fault that this was the norm in men’s professional attire. This was Kelly’s tenth interview this month, and he just didn’t know what to do anymore. He didn’t dare go back to the club. Not after the big send off the other strippers gave him when he got his degree. This last interviewer did offer him a job as her personal secretary as Kelly was leaving. Perhaps that was the best he could hope for.

Role Model

It felt like the world had changed overnight. Well, it was more like a decade or so, but I was unfortunate enough to have been just out of high school when the big social changes started. I was too young to be considered and old fashioned man, but not quite young enough to easily transition into what was to become the modern man. In the world today, there are so many expectations as to what a man should wear, how a man should style his hair, and even what a man’s body should look like. The pressure is insane. I probably would have buckled under the pressure if it wasn’t for my infant son, not to mention the second one I have on the way. If it wasn’t for them, I probably would have become one of the outcast, forever shunned by society, but instead I buckled down. I did the hormone therapy, I got the surgeries, and now I get up everyday and put on my makeup, do my hair, and keep up with the latest fashion trends. All with a smile and my head held high. I’m still not sure I agree with how things are for men these days, but that’s the world I live in, and I need to make damn sure I set a good example for my sons to follow.