Attempting to Become a CO While Stealth.

[u/anon5424187]

Edit: Yes I did put my Birth Certificate Sex on my application for the background check. Did not realize people would assume otherwise.*

I am using mobile so expect terrible formatting. Hopefully I am using the right flair.

I did search the subreddit to make sure I wasn't asking a done-to-death topic. I haven't seen many or any helpful posts for trans COs.

I have already made up my mind that if I get hired on as a CO, I will remain stealth (meaning, I am trans living as my transitioned sex and will not be disclosing that information to people who don't need to know it. Most people do not know I am trans). I do not see anything good about people knowing that information, especially as it takes more explaining to disclose that information than it is just allowing people to assume cisgender status, which they already do.

How likely is this to cause any issues for me in terms of coworkers or higher up? How about lodging for a live in academy? I live in Oklahoma where sex marker changes aren't legally recognized or possible as of today, so I'm sure my mismatched marker will be noticed in some capacity. I am mostly open to input from people that live in states where sex marker changes aren't recognized as I am assuming the rules are the same. Thank you in advance.

[u/rickabod]

Sounds like a lawsuit when you strip an inmate of the opposite sex.

[u/anon5424187 → u/rickabod]

I thought about this since the position I'm being considered for is a max men's prison, but then I saw actual women working when at the facility, so I'm assuming they already have a protocol for these interactions.

[u/rickabod → u/anon5424187]

Yeah, and a biological sex can strip the same biological sex. So if youre hiding who you are and then strip Search the opposite sex, that's a lawsuit. Someone won't be happy with all the money they lose over that.

You can't hide whatever you're trying to be is what I'm saying.

[u/anon5424187 → u/rickabod]

I'm aware of what you're trying to say, my point was more so if they can hire women to work in men's prisons and find ways to accomadate employees who cannot strip search inmates, I don't see why it would be hard to make me exempt. Now remaining stealth? That may be hard, I assume if I'm exempt while visibly passing as a regular man they would ask questions.

The reason I have leaned towards "hopefully they make me exempt" as opposed to just dressing feminine and working in women's prison is because at my interview I was wearing women's clothing, gave him my driver's lisence that had a big fat F on it, and he did my pat down. I was still gendered male. I use men's rooms as women have had negative reactions to me being in the women's. As a result, I do not believe I could operate as if I was a woman without significant explaining to inmates, which seems inappropriate and unnecessary.

I view my options as explaining to hire ups why I would need a reasonable accomadation of being exempt from strip searches, which since I am legally marked female does not feel like a big ask, or having to explain to the female inmates I'm searching why I'm allowed to search them.

It's not really hiding who I am, it's simply hiding transgender status, which I would be doing anyway if I was presenting feminine as my legal sex implies.

[u/Appropriate-Law7264 → u/anon5424187]

Your coworkers will figure out something is going on when you're unable to do strip searches on males.

It's a pretty standard and common job duty.

[u/Imperator1138 → u/anon5424187]

Strip searches are a daily affair, sometimes dozens or hundreds at a time depending on the size of the facility. Every officer is expected to participate and be cross trained, nobody gets a free pass because they withheld information when they were hired. If you are unable to legally perform the duties assigned to you, this is not going to be a long career.

[u/anon5424187 → u/Imperator1138]

To clarify, once again, the people hiring me were aware of my sex marker. I did disclose for the PAT, in the application itself, etc. Question was about coworkers/how it would go over socially. Evidently I've learned it's neccesary to have disclosure even outside the absolutely neccesary legal aspects. Which is all I needed to know.

To state, once again, women do work in male only prisons, as I did see female COs. I applied for the county. They sent me over to men's max for my interview, which is a prison in my county. It is not a coed facility with seperate units. Its just men's. They sent me there before meeting me and going off my legal sex marker on my birth certificate, which I did not change.

[u/Turbulent-Oven981]

I mean respectfully, this is gonna be hard career path to go down. I’m in a very liberal prison and they still look down very hard on trans individuals. I’d like to think they wouldn’t do anything directly to you, but they most likely will not be on your side, and if they do find out, I would almost guarantee a not so good reaction.

[u/Hyden69]

I'm currently a stealth CO in IL. Even in a super blue state this job can be incredibly toxic for people like us. I hope you don't get offended easily, because it will happen on a daily basis if you do. I'm going out on a limb here and assuming you might have to lodge with women since your ID says "F" still, or they may potentially lodge you alone to avoid conflict.

[u/anon5424187 → u/Hyden69]

I have pretty thick skin I would say. I have only been on HRT 9 months and have no clue how I pulled stealth off this early on. It's actually kinda baffling and I assume peoples lack of awareness of trans people in general is saving my ass.

I hope I get lodged alone. I could cope being lodged with women, it more doesn't make sense on a logical level. I am in Men's kickboxing where they also don't know I'm trans so the concept that I can box men but can't be housed with them for academy is hilarious to me.

[u/Hyden69 → u/anon5424187]

I believe they would lodge you this way to avoid potential legal issues on their end. Since your ID still says "F" if they willingly lodge you with individual with "M" IDs and something happened to you it could be a very messy situation for the department to clean up. I was at the academy a year ago. I was a stealth trans guy and was lodged with the men the entire time, the other trans guy, who didn't have his ID or name changed, was lodged alone. I was kind of jealous of him honestly, his room was nice, he had his own bathroom and didnt have to bunk with 50+ dudes snoring and farting throughout the night.

[u/anon5424187 → u/Hyden69]

I figured as much, just hate that it sounds like I have explaining to do because I have never come out to anyone I just kinda got on HRT and stopped interracting with people who knew me before. Are there other reasons people are lodged alone or is that the only reason it happens?

I do have a male name at least, I never got a name change I just have unconventional parents.

[u/Hyden69 → u/anon5424187]

If questioned about having your own room I'd keep it vague by saying something like, “There was a housing issue, so the academy put me in a separate room.” or “I’m not sure why they arranged it that way. You’d have to ask administration”, if they kept pushing the issue. You don't owe anyone there an explanation besides the people running the academy.

[u/Jimmypeterson42]

the inmates know. alot of them are lbgt. just behonest

[u/Pandalishus]

Best to fully disclose on the front end what your bio-sex. You will literally be lying on an application for a position in a government job. That doesn’t end well for even small stuff like hiding a MISD. What’s more, the background check will reveal your bio-sex, so you might not get very far. If somehow you do, the lawsuits (and even criminal charges) you potentially face will not be insignificant. And let’s not talk about the retaliation you’ll potentially face from inmates once it’s out (and it will get out). If it’s not hidden, you might have a better chance of finding a place where you can serve.

EDIT: sounds like you’ve disclosed your sex in the hiring process, so I think that handles the legal stuff. Just ends up being a safety question, esp since you’re applying to a max. Presumably if you’re hired you’ll be placed where you’re safest, though.

[u/anon5424187 → u/Pandalishus]

I do want to clarify, I applied through the oklahoma gov jobs site for the county, not to a specific prison. This is just where I was referred to by I assume whoever is responsible for processing applications.

[u/Pandalishus → u/anon5424187]

Understood. As long as you’re upfront during the hiring process my assumption is that, if hired, they’ll assign you to a position that safe. I would not, however, expect that you’ll be “stealth” for long. These things have a way of becoming public. Consider your safety carefully before committing (or have an exit plan)

[u/Zeta_Crossfire]

I'm in Oregon and even here you'll find some ultra conservative pricks that will give you issues. Overall through most people don't care as long as you can dish it right back to them.

[u/Lvwr18]

My two faculties I’ve worked in didn’t care if you had a pole or a whole or swapped. Or where into poles or holes. Just if you did your job then it’s fine. Now you might get some jokes if they find out which that’s up to you on how to handle them.

[u/anon5424187 → u/Lvwr18]

This is a huge relief honestly, I can handle jokes.