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A Tran's Bay Bike Shop on Treasure Island
Finding employment can be a rat race for anyone, but throwing transsexual on the top of your resume can sometimes guarantee job rejection.
A Tran's Bay Bike Shop owner, Tammy Powers, is a transsexual woman with a mind made for mechanics. However, no one would hire her.
Powers' resume was not the issue. She consistently received calls from companies requesting an interview, so being recognized as a promising candidate wasn't the problem.
“My resume is second to none,” Powers said in an interview with 429Magazine. "[But] I would show up for interviews and people's jaws would drop. People would say 'I didn't know a transsexual was applying for this position.'” Then they would dismiss her, shoeing her away by explaining that the position had been filled.
This routine set the precedent for her continued job search, and Powers eventually became jobless and homeless. “I was living on the streets before I got my own money to start my own shop,” Powers admitted.
Powers is breaking ground on many fronts. A transsexual woman and a Fuji authorized dealer, Powers owns her own bike shop, not to mention the only bike shop, on Treasure Island.
The shop, located on the Treasure Island waterfront, provides a perfect venue for bikers to buy, tune-up, or rent a bike. As a former automotive mechanic, Powers is more than capable of providing a tune-up, a complete bicycle service, or a simple pair of smooth wheels for those who want to rent for a day of island exploration.
Located on 1 Avenue of the Palms, A Tran's Bay Bike Shop opened in February and is still in its soft opening stage.
Power's explained that her gender identity has set the tone for the aesthetic appeal of the shop.
“My business is prettier now, I have more of a woman's touch, I am more aware of what people are seeing aesthetically." She continued, “I painted my work bench pink!"
A grand opening is scheduled for May.
429Magazine
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