Former Transsexual City Manager Turned Down for Sarasota Job

SARASOTA, FL (AP) -- Steve Stanton was fired as city manager in Largo two months ago after announcing his plans to become Susan Stanton. On Wednesday, Stanton, wearing a white skirt, pumps and makeup, applied for the top job in this more cosmopolitan tourist town, and was turned down.

The Sarasota city commissioners instead picked another one of the five candidates. Stanton was their third choice.

"I just don't think the world is ready just yet," Stanton said as she made a hasty exit from City Hall.

The commissioners had no immediate comment on the decision, which came after all five candidates for city manager were interviewed separately at an open meeting.

During the interview, the commissioners hesitated to bring up the one topic on nearly everyone's mind -- Stanton's plans to undergo sex change surgery someday soon and complete the process started when Stanton recently began living as a woman.

So Stanton brought it up.

Stanton, 48, said that having a transsexual city manager would not be as disruptive as they might think. She said that the recuperation time for a sex change operation is minimal and that, if hired, she would step back from the national spotlight.

"It's a legitimate concern and hopefully I've addressed it," Stanton, who has started hormone therapy, said in her somewhat deep voice before the vote. "I have taken the initiative to throw it out and maybe remove it from the table."

No one spoke against Stanton at Wednesday's meeting. A few police officers watched over the few citizens who sat through the job interviews.

Earlier this year, the Largo City Commission voted 5-2 to fire Stanton from the $140,000-a-year job after 14 years of generally excellent evaluations. Hundreds of people for and against transsexual rights packed the chambers, and dozens of police officers were posted to keep the peace. In the end, commissioners said it was Stanton's judgment and honesty, not the sex change, that prompted their decision.

Things were much calmer in Sarasota, about 50 miles south of Largo on Florida's southwestern coast.

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