RCA Pre-employment Evaluation by Julian Pichel, M.D. of April 26, 1969

Posted by Lynn Conway on November 2, 2000

 

During the spring of 1969, I began interviewing for computer programming and design positions at many companies in the Bay Area of California. One of these places was the RCA computer research lab in Palo Alto, CA. I was very successful in the interview process, and the local people wanted very much to hire me.

 

However, when I filled out the medical questionnaire, I had to reveal my transsexual past when answering questions about surgeries, etc. At that point the hiring process stalled, and awaited a review by RCA Corporate management. Back came a request that I should go and take a "psychiatric examination" to be sure I was stable and ready for employment.

 

RCA sent me to see Julian Pichel, M.D., a very prominent psychiatrist in the Palo Alto medical community. The interview on April 26, 1969 went very well. In fact Dr. Pichel and I had quite a deep and serious exchange about a whole range of gender issues. I thought he had been quite impressed with my knowledge and insights about such matters, for I'd managed to help him see new ways of looking at certain conditions.

 

However, a week or so later, RCA called and said that their offer of employment had been withdrawn, based on the psychiatric report. I was very hurt by this. It couldn't have come at a worse time. It damaged my confidence, since I couldn't figure out what I'd done to create a bad impression in the interview.

 

A few weeks later, Jack Leer, the manager of personnel at the RCA lab sent me a letter with an note in it. He wished me well. Attached was a surreptitious copy of Dr. Pichel's report. It was a wonderful, glowing report. Dr. Pichel said without hesitation that there was nothing in my situation that would preclude employability in my field. RCA had simply chosen to ignore the report and conjured up an imaginary "bad report" in order to reject me.

 

This incident turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I was able to use Dr. Pichel's letter later to help in my obtaining employment at both Memorex and at Xerox PARC, when similar requests for information surfaced there upon filing medical questionnaires. I owe Jack Leer a real debt, wherever he is.

 

Here is a copy of Dr. Pichel's report: