The fact that men and women continue to receive unequal\ntreatment at work is a point of contention among politicians, the\nmedia, and scholars. Common explanations for this disparity range\nfrom biological differences between the sexes to the conscious and\nunconscious biases that guide hiring and promotion decisions. Just\nOne of the Guys? sheds new light on this phenomenon by analyzing\nthe unique experiences of transgender men—people designated female\nat birth whose gender identity is male—on the job.

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Kristen Schilt draws on in-depth interviews and observational\ndata to show that while individual transmen have varied\nexperiences, overall their stories are a testament to systemic\ngender inequality. The reactions of coworkers and employers to\ntransmen, Schilt demonstrates, reveal the ways assumptions about\ninnate differences between men and women serve as justification for\ndiscrimination. She finds that some transmen gain acceptance—and\neven privileges—by becoming “just one of the guys,” that some are\ncoerced into working as women or marginalized for being openly\ntransgender, and that other forms of appearance-based\ndiscrimination also influence their opportunities. Showcasing the\nvoices of a frequently overlooked group, Just One of the Guys? lays\nbare the social processes that foster forms of inequality that\naffect us all.

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