If I don't change my name, how do I present at my job?

[Bird]

I'm facing a complicated situation.

I'm trying to have my name legally changed, but there is a possibility I won't be able to do it now due to family issues.

In that case, I would only be able to manage this after graduation.I am a medicine student, so this means that I would have to work as a doctor, with a male name and a male gender id. "Doctor", in portuguese, is a noun with both female and male variations as well. Given that it would be illegal for me to present myself in any other way than with the name that is in my ID, since I'm a doc there is no such thing as social name or asking for my superiors to allow me: it is illegal for doctors to use any name than the one they have at their job. So I would have to use my male name. My first job will most likely be at basic health care, in public health.

It is not a overly masculine name, but let us not forget I am tg right?

Does this situation means I would have to go to work with a male presentation?
Is it possible I would be able to pull of a female presentation, merely with the justification that my parents gave me an odd name for a girl?

[Zarania]

well i'd say : my parents thought i'd be a boy, so they gave me that name and they didn't want to change, but everyone in school/friends (w/e..) called me "insert female name you like here"

[Laura26]

Are you able to explain what family issue could be blocking you from legally changing your name?

[Bird]

It wouldn't change the situation if I did.

[Naturally Blonde]

Are you able to explain what family issue could be blocking you from legally changing your name?

I agree with Laura, no one can help you until we know the full story of 'why' a family issue is blocking your name change. Changing your name legally is such an easy thing to do and I did it all in an afternoon nine years ago!

[Bird]

Here in Brazil you have to open a judicial process which will take months to be complete, you have to play a lot of money for lawyers as well. I am doing the name change as pre-op, because I will have to work to become post-op and pay for surgery. It is the stone age here, regarding legal rights for us. I paid for the legal stuff and have the process ready, I merely need to open it.

The issue is they are agains't anything regarding my transition and I don't have support from them. There is really not much any of you girls can do to help me with them, but I thought I could find help regarding work presentation.

[Naturally Blonde]

Here in Brazil you have to open a judicial process which will take months to be complete, you have to play a lot of money for lawyers as well. I am doing the name change as pre-op, because I will have to work to become post-op and pay for surgery. It is the stone age here, regarding legal rights for us. I paid for the legal stuff and have the process ready, I merely need to open it.

The issue is they are agains't anything regarding my transition and I don't have support from them. There is really not much any of you girls can do to help me with them, but I thought I could find help regarding work presentation.

In the U.K we have to change our name and details and live as female for at least two years before we are ever considered for any surgery. I thought Brazil was out front with gender issues as there are so many transsexuals in Brazil.

Many of us in the U.K and U.S don't have the support from our families and we often transition without their support, so there is nothing unusual about your situation.

[Bird]

It is quite backwards around here actually.

The question still stands though. I'm unsure of my work presentation. I spoke with a few doctors, and they told me I should go and try to present as a female, despite having a male name. It would be more important to be sure of myself than anything else.

[Laura26]

You're doing the right thing - i.e. getting further clarity over what's technically illegal in Brazil and then seeing where things are more flexible.  I'd like to think that your employer would offer you some further options.  Like I mean you're being entirely sincere with all of this and it's clear that you're not attempting to defraud anyone with your name, so people are likely to be sympathetic and I'd hope that they'd let it slide.  But it does sound as if the legislation is pretty awful there so keep doing what you are, and ask for clarifications from people who can speak with authority on the matter.

I imagine things would be ok if you presented female but had to keep a male name.  The people who know you would most likely use your female name out of respect for you.  Then you'd have to deal with some awkwardness with new people I guess, so yes it's worth seeing if you can avoid that if at all possible.

[Bird]

Thanks for the answers girls.

I am worried about this mostly because I remember having troubles passing as a male when i was about 4-5 months into HRT. I had more patients calling me a she than a he, even if I was actively trying to be a he. When I graduate I will be nearly two years into threatment, and I believe it will be worse.

Also, I simply don't feel well at all with a male presentation!! It is the reason i am transitioning. I believe it would be easier for me to pull of a woman with a masculine name, than a very feminine guy thing. Not only because of GID, but because of how my appearance has changed. I sit here thinking though, of course I will try to be very discret, no nail polish or large earrings, but I should use female overalls and female shoe, as well as makeup, and see how it goes from there.