I spoke to my manager about being trans today. He was told yesterday on my behalf and we arranged a quick meeting today, basically he was just saying that he thinks I'm brave, he'll support me in anyway possible, and the company as a whole will. He's going to find out what admin will need doing when I change my name and come out, and understands why I want it done by June when I leave the training establishment and go out to work properly.
He's agreed that it's probably a good idea for me to move out of my room (currently a shared female one) and said that logistically a single room is probably the best way forward, which I expected and don't have any problems with. I don't think he realised it would be so soon, but I mentioned that that would be great, because I'm not that comfortable in my current room, which he seemed to understand. He said that he couldn't do it immediately because of paperwork and it will make it a lot harder for him to keep the reasons quiet within the staff, but when I come back from Easter leave it should be sorted for me. I've told everyone in my room that I'm going, and it's pretty difficult for me to keep the reasoning for my moving out quiet, but I think they'll stop asking why soon. Hopefully.
We spoke about me coming out to everyone, and he can understand why I'd rather everyone knew at once so it's not getting around via rumour and hearsay. That's the difficult bit, because he doesn't want to send emails or notes to everyone because that's just going to invoke gossip. Obviously there's going to be people talking about it, but that's not the best way to do it at all. I suggested the one idea that I had of it being mentioned in a management cascade presentation (the only time the whole group of us are together at once), and he could see the sense in that, but reminded me that it will take a heck of a lot of courage to do that.
Anyone got any other suggestions? We're all apprentices so the majority of people are below 24, and it's a massive rumour mill. There's the added complication of another company training alongside of us that we don't speak to, and they'll probably have to know for bathroom purposes...
