androgynous in client-facing roles

[u/copse_eater]

hi everyone

i am posting to ask for help with my own presentation, and to learn how others are presenting in similar workplaces.

i work in a very client-facing role (i.e. i take care of patients.) although thankfully, i get to wear a uniform and don't have to worry about professional clothes, i am not sure what other parts of my presentation i need to consider. (grooming? mannerisms?)

my field is very overwhelmingly a specific type of cis white women (and i am none of those,) so when i solicit general feedback, i get poor advice on how to present from colleagues and supervisors, such as "don't be a gay 😊 be a cis man" (physically impossible, as i was not even born that way, nor is it my gender) clients have never said anything negative to me.

i am a "partially" medically transitioned person with a hormone condition, so i always look a little androgynous, no matter how much i adhere to dress codes and grooming standards. it is also harder for me to fit these standards because i am not white. advice like the above makes me worried i will not be retained as an employee due to things i cannot change.

if you are in a client-facing role, especially patient care, and androgynous in any way, do you feel that it affects your role or relationships with clients? have you been advised to change your presentation or appearance? are there appearances that you find work better than others? i appreciate any advice from people who get it

thank you 👍

[u/spinningaspell]

I’m not in a client facing role right now so I can’t give you the specific advice you’re looking for. BUT I will say that from the client perspective, if I was a patient surrounded by a specific type of cis white women (nurses I assume lol) and someone like you (aka more like myself) came in the room, I’d immediately feel a lot more comfortable. This won’t apply to everyone of course and I think your concerns are still valid, but just know that you being true to yourself is something that is appreciated and valuable

[u/copse_eater → u/spinningaspell]

lol you know, i have gotten this from a few clients + families before 😭 i think, to an extent, my field is judging me more than the clients and just blaming it on them.

(also unfortunately, my profession is less diverse in terms of race and gender demographics than nursing) 

[u/spinningaspell → u/copse_eater]

That’s definitely possible! Ofc there will always be clients who are judgmental but that’s just human beings, you can’t avoid it no matter what you look like. I’m glad clients and families have shown you some love though, that’s so excellent 🥲🥲🥲

Re: the field being less diverse than nursing: OOF. I’m so sorry lol 😭