  Diversity is an essential aspect of software development because technology
influences almost every aspect of modern society, and if the software industry
lacks diversity, software products might unintentionally constrain groups of
individuals instead of promoting an equalitarian experience to all. In this
study, we investigate the perspectives of transgender software professionals
about a career in software engineering as one of the aspects of diversity in
the software industry. Our findings demonstrate that, on the one hand, trans
people choose careers in software engineering for two primary reasons: a) even
though software development environments are not exempt from discrimination,
the software industry is safer than other industries for transgenders; b) trans
people occasionally have to deal with gender dysphoria, anxiety, and fear of
judgment, and the work flexibility offered by software companies allow them to
cope with these issues more efficiently.
