r/Lethbridge • u/valowyn18 • Jul 06 '26
Question Are there any trans-friendly businesses hiring?
I lost my job (allegedly) for being trans. Of course I can’t prove anything and there nothing and there’s official on the record but the short form of the story I came out to my boss as trans a few months back and got randomly fired (ironically) on the last day of pride month. In the exit interview my former boss spent the whole time talking about how much he hates pride parades and how he doesn’t get why trans people can’t just be themselves without shoving it down everyone’s throats. I’m not going to say anything more about it because I’m still considering legal action.
To the point of this post:
I gave myself a week to feel bad about it and to get all the feelings out but now I gotta get back in the saddle and find a new job. Which brings me to the title question. At this point I’m not picky I just need a job that I know I’ll be safe.
Skills and experience I have:
- painting
-drywall
-flooring
-tile work
-finish carpentry
-landscaping
-retail management
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u/Ok-Diver-5583 Jul 06 '26
Definitly speak to a lawyer. Most* downtown businesses are pride-friendly. Home depot is a great company to work for and have some trans employees.
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u/Fluffy-Bobcat814 Jul 09 '26
Last time I checked (as someone with ADHD, have always been fired for not being normal (I struggle with time management)). I’ve gotten better at documenting EVERYTHING!! Last time, I got a severance because I finally got smart. Plus it was corporate. So the lawyers told them they cant fire me. Luckily better things have always come along.
So… last time I checked (10 years ago) as long as one person consents to the conversation being recorded (obviously you) you can record (in your pocket) a conversation without one person knowing in Alberta.
People need to get over themselves and learn to be more accepting.
I wonder what business is not pride friendly. (DONT comment especially if you’re going to pursue legal action!) We should probably start a separate list so boycotting a private business is easy.
Wishing you luck!
Structural truss, triple M are sometimes hiring I think. I’m unsure.
14
u/CamelopardalisKramer Jul 06 '26
Home Depot seems super inclusive based off the staff I've interacted with shopping there and would be up your alley.
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u/kmsiever Jul 06 '26
I know trans people who work at Home Depot, so you can try there.
I echo others’ statements to get a lawyer. You should file a human right complaint.
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u/equistrius Jul 06 '26
Home Depot is a wonderfully accepting employer. They currently have staff that are disabled, trans and a trans disabled employee as well. And those are just the ones we know of through the supports we provide.
5
u/BaronMcDuff Jul 07 '26
As someone with some pretty awful lived experience with the legal system:
Hypothetically, you should have every right to legal action. I would caution you though, that theoretical reality is very different from actual reality.
Facts are: if you have no way to corroborate or verify what your employer said and did, no witnesses or record, you are pushing a rock uphill to put it gently if you try pursue legal action.
I don't want to discourage speaking to a lawyer. I would encourage speaking to anyone willing to listen without charge and give advice. But, compassionately, as I see people encouraging you to (potentially) sue, I want to prepare you for the reality that if you hire a lawyer out of pocket to pursue this, you could lose a lot of money fighting a losing battle that causes you more emotional damage.
That said: any gov't agency that you can file a grievance with, you absolutely should.
Sorry this happened. Some people are shitty people.
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u/_6siXty6_ Jul 07 '26
Lawyer up and go after them for discrimination.
I know Walmart and Home Depot are trans friendly. Lethbridge has tons of small businesses like Stella's Diner, Cookie Crimes, The Owl, Catwalk, Theoretically Brewing, etc that always seem to be super LGBTQ friendly. There's landscaping company called Earthlings that my sister uses for her house, they seem to be inclusive. If not fussy about type of work, try any of them.
6
u/CookieCrimes Jul 07 '26
I wish I could help you out with your job search. I just wanted to comment with a few words of support. How incredibly brave of you to represent yourself authentically. There may be very little recourse against your scabby former employer, but you should take solace in the fact that your life is no longer mingled with a person with regressive and hateful attitudes. Solace doesn't help a person eat though.
9
u/YqlUrbanist Jul 06 '26
Rona (the older one, not the former Lowes) has an employee who I think is trans and he seems to get along well with the other staff. I'm not sure if they're currently hiring but I see new people fairly regularly so it might be worth a try.
And as others have said, definitely talk a lawyer. It sounds like your former boss is both a bigot and a moron if he spent the whole exit interview basically incriminating himself.
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u/WoodenSn1per Jul 06 '26
That is my boyfriend, and yes he is trans. He has had no issues with other employees (besides the rare dead name when first transitioning)
I’m not sure if Rona is hiring right now but I’d definitely keep an eye out.
15
u/Dangerous-Ad-1826 Jul 06 '26
I'm luke, I'd be the person there talking about, yes I am trans and yes Rona is an awesome place to work!
5
u/YqlUrbanist Jul 07 '26
Yep, you're the person I was thinking of. I'm really glad to hear it's actually a good work environment, because obviously lots of nastiness can happen when customers can't see it.
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u/piratesmashy Jul 07 '26
If you want to stay in construction try reaching out to Westco. The HR manager is pretty great and they do hire inclusively. Plus it could support a career in the trades. I can't speak to the trans work experience specifically but worth a shot.
Triple M has a solid HR team, trades pathways, and is organized by the Carpenter's Union which is trans friendly. Having a union back you up has its benefits.
3
u/GroupBrilliant6799 Jul 07 '26
Now is the time of year to do landscaping. However, you should really think about trade school in the fall.
5
u/jade_mermaid_ Jul 06 '26
I would guess you have legal grounds for discrimination and wrongful termination. But I'm not a lawyer. I think if you had one, you would be able to win something.
I'm sorry he did this to you.
4
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u/ghreyboots Jul 06 '26
Look at hiring agencies, if you haven't already. They usually have decent options if you are skilled in manual labour and have recent experience.
2
u/Flawless696969 Jul 08 '26
Structural truss in macleod is always looking for people. If you got a heart beat they'll take ya
1
u/Comprehensive_Eye184 Jul 08 '26
The mayor of Fort Macleod is the owner of that business. He’s not someone I would consider LGTBQIA friendly
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u/s_northgrave Jul 10 '26
You sound very handy. What about working for yourself at least until something presents itself?
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u/WL19 Jul 06 '26
Always smart to go on reddit and admit you have no proof of misdeeds when you're considering taking legal action.
3
u/YqlUrbanist Jul 06 '26
How exactly do you think this would affect a potential legal action? Are you imaging he goes in, says he has concrete proof but it's super duper secret and he won't share it, and then the opposing lawyer says "OBJECTION, LOOK AT THIS REDDIT POST!".
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u/WL19 Jul 06 '26
It's not that hard for you to figure out if you stop sniffing glue for five minutes.
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Jul 06 '26
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u/thegreenfaeries Jul 07 '26
This is comically naïve
I with this was the world we lived in. I really do. We are working towards it.
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Jul 07 '26
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u/YqlUrbanist Jul 07 '26
I like how in the same post where you say nobody cares if you're trans, you suggest that if you hire one you risk the whole ship going down. You literally disproved your own claim in the space of 2 messages.
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Jul 07 '26
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u/Juggernaught038 Jul 07 '26
You're not addressing the absurdly naive idea that trans individuals have the same job opportunity in this province as everyone else. You're only argument is a single specific scenario that, while has probably happened more than once, is nowhere near the norm you're trying to deny.
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Jul 07 '26
[deleted]
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u/YqlUrbanist Jul 07 '26
Yeah... if 10 separate trans people accused you of hatred and discrimination, the problem isn't the trans people.
4
u/Juggernaught038 Jul 07 '26
Better to start with your personal experience. As someone whose hired and worked alongside members of the trans community and found roughly the same ratio of negative experiences as hiring anyone in the general population, I'm concerned about your extremely lopsided data set.
I acknowledge your experience, but those numbers are wild when compared to mine. I suppose more info and experiences would have to be taken into account.
Sadly the hate rhetoric built up in the backwards, bigoted minority of our province makes it hard to trust those accounts.
Edit; As a point of contention against you, in the span of a few comments you went from saying you've worked with some and were a fan of a couple, to literally 10/10 you've ever worked with have been this wildly specific situation.
Your story is weak.
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u/LEMFEvents Jul 06 '26
You should definitely talk to a lawyer, that's insane for any boss to say. Hope you find some meaningful work!