So I've been self-employed in town for awhile now, and I enjoy what I do. But I think I'm getting into a gray area with clients and I'm not sure how to proceed. I tutor individuals in town in a few subjects, and I have a number of longer-term clients spread out across some very different demographics. I tutor people who are as young as 12, up through people in their 30's (maybe 40's? I haven't really asked). Because of the nature of what I do, it has just turned out that probably 75% of my clients are high school students, and almost half of them go to private schools in town, including some Christian schools. I have always kept my personal religious feelings out of work completely (I'm an atheist), but I know the religious feelings of some of my students and their parents.
I have been on hormones for just over two months now, and I'm seeing my endocrinologist at the end of the month when she is supposed to up my dose. So far, of course, my changes are not perceptible to other people, but I know that is going to change soon. How in the world do I go through this transition while in my current job, or do I just need to bite the bullet and find a position on campus until I graduate next year? I don't wish to lose to any students because I really do enjoy what I do, and I rely on this job for all of my income (with the exception of some financial aid grants and scholarships). Should I come out to their parents before I start to live full time or do I just keep dressing as a guy for as long as possible before they start asking me questions? I don't really want to hide who I am anymore (although I don't exactly go running through the streets shouting that I am on hormones). I just have zero good ideas on how to go through a graceful transition while in my current job. I'm fairly certain that some of my clients will leave, and I am prepared for that, but I really don't want to lose everyone I have worked so hard with.
Since I feel invested in how the students do, I would be willing to give them all contact info for other good tutors that I know, so that they can transfer from me to someone else, but I really need help on good ideas for how to keep students, and/or how and when to tell my students (or their parents what I am doing).
I know not everyone is completely comfortable with transgender people, and I feel like I should probably tell the parents first so that they can address their children on the subject, but I've never come out to relative strangers before (I know the students much better than I know their parents) and I do not relish the though. I would hope everyone would stay with me because of their students grade improvements, but I know this is wishful thinking.
At the very least, do you think that I could ever regain more clients while undergoing this process?
Help!
I do apologize if this topic has been posted before. I did do a search for it, but I didn't see a topic that seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.
