Top Law Schools

Does anybody have any advice or thoughts about what is appropriate to wear to OCI as a gender-nonconforming law student?

I know it's a conservative profession, but so many of the firms tout their diversity efforts, even with "LGBT" people. Does that just mean cis-presenting gays/lesbians? What can trans law students wear to interviews?

.

Anecdote: I work at a very conservative firm with a business formal dress code. One of the associates on my team is a woman who wears tailored men's-style suits and collared shirts. She self-identifies as a cis-gendered woman who dates women, but she definitely dresses in a way that does not conform to the norms for her gender. And although I'm sure some of the older partners think it's weird, no one really cares because she's good at her job.

Although I'm sure one or two places will look unfavorably on a trans person, I think it's important to be honest about who you are when you present yourself in an interview, and there are definitely ways to look professional while not conforming to gender norms.

I imagine you'd be fine in a suit either way.

1L so don't really know what I'm talking about: but I think you're probably better off wearing something you feel like yourself in, than coming across awkward and uncomfortable.

You should just conform to one gender or the other, and wear conservative clothes for the gender. If you meet with a conservative partner they're going to hold it against you. It might be unintentional, but they will. They might not cross you off because of it, but if they are thinking about it and not thinking about your conversation you are dead in the water. Everything you do will either benefits you or hurts you - nature of the beast. When you work there you really just need a few people to like you, but in this process you need a large group to uniformly agree on you.

No advice, but I am cheering you on any way you proceed!

I'm a 0L but I'm confused on why some people are telling you to conform to one gender just so you can get a job. If it were me, I would rather dress that way I identify (within all boundaries of professionalism of course). if a bigoted hiring partner crosses me off because of it, well then I guess I'm happy knowing I won't be working with someone who has problems with the way I identify? Idk.

You want your personality and story to stand out in a positive way, but that's about all you want to stand out.

Feeling comfortable and confident in your attire should be the priority, but, for the purposes of OCI, it is probably wise to also err on the side of understated and conservative.

Dress the way you want! Why would you want to work at a place that did not accept you/discriminated against trans people?

.

just wear normal fucking clothes

One of my friends at my firm is a cis-gendered lesbian and wears men's business attire to work. At least here, nobody cares.

eagle2a wrote:just wear normal fucking clothes

no need to be an asshole about it.

blerggggg wrote:I'm a 0L but I'm confused on why some people are telling you to conform to one gender just so you can get a job. If it were me, I would rather dress that way I identify (within all boundaries of professionalism of course). if a bigoted hiring partner crosses me off because of it, well then I guess I'm happy knowing I won't be working with someone who has problems with the way I identify? Idk.

I'm assuming the reason why some people told OP to conform to a gender was because they probably think that getting a job is more important than being yourself and possibly being unemployed.

DF Thread