Home — For any job seeker, the hiring process can be challenging. For transgender individuals, there’s an extra level of stress about whether they will be accepted for their gender identity.
Quill Maylan began making the transition four months ago. Since then, they’ve been on the hunt for a career.
Maylan is looking for a business that will give them a safe place to work and grow while their body undergoes the physical changes that come with starting hormone therapy.
Maylan claimed they’ve previously experienced discrimination at work, as has been the case for some members of the LGBTQ+ community in America.
Where do Maylan and other LGBTQ+ people look for employment after all? At queer-friendly career fairs like those held by 864 Pride and the Upstate LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce.
The career fair isn’t just about finding jobs, it’s about affirming the value and talent of the area’s LGBTQ+ community, Tyler Prescott, the chamber’s president and CEO, said in an emailed statement.
“LGBTQ+ people live and work here, and they deserve to be able to love their jobs,” Prescott said. “We’re pleased to be helping to create a more inclusive future for all.”
A wide range of companies were represented at the March 13 event, from small, non-profit organizations like BMW to global corporations like The Phoenix Center. They gathered in Prisma Health’s Welcome Center, next to The Commons in Unity Park.
The room was filled with conversation and the sputtering noise of shots being made in the outermost part. The Queer Wellness Center provided attendees with two racks of professional clothing and a sprinkling of shoes in the topmost corner, all of which were provided for free.
Participants of the second annual LGBTQ+ career fair were given a professional closet at The Queer Wellness Center.
It’s important to attend events like these, according to Stewart Massey, who represented them on behalf of TD Bank, so potential employees can be assured that the firm is welcoming to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or religion.
“We want everyone to feel encouraged, where they can be their true self,” Massey said.
Some companies, like Pendleton Place, have a strong relationship with LGBTQ+ youth and need their employees to represent that.
Pendleton Place is an emergency house for youth aged 12 to 21 experiencing homelessness.
TD Bank presented at the next quarterly LGBTQ+ career fair on March at Unity Park’s Prisma Health Welcome Center on October 13, 2013.
Keeley Farmer, the group’s home program executive, said it’s one of the single group homes in the state that provides care to non-binary and transgender youths in South Carolina.
Many cases of homelessness in Pendleton Place have resulted from a young adult’s acceptance of being gay or transgender and their families not supporting or affirming their identities.
In order to fill these positions, the organization is currently hiring enthusiastic and sincere individuals for its various programs.
At the conclusion of the event, Prescott claimed that at least two businesses had confirmed that they would employ attendees.
“If even one person gets a job, I’ll consider this a success,” Prescott said.
