Hey everyone,
I made my first post in this subforum more than a year ago, and since then I have gradually come out to more people, and went sort-of full time but without changing my name months ago. Most people I see regularly have therefore figured something is happening, but I have also avoided many friends, acquaintances and extended family.
However now I have finally changed my legal name, the application was approved on Monday. So a few hours from now, I will announce on Facebook that I have changed my name and ask people to use female pronouns when referring to me. My wonderful parents have already visited all my uncles and aunts (there are quite a few of them) and told them what's happening, and incredibly (I'm from my country's Bible Belt) they all took it well, more or less. Now I just hope my social circles who don't already know are going to be okay with the news.
So while I'm getting quite nervous now as the time to do this approaches, I also feel that it's going to be an enormous relief to get this off my shoulders, and not least to be able to tell people to not misgender me anymore. I've invited a few friends to help me through the evening; we'll drink champagne and celebrate once the news is out.
I have to eat my dinner and start getting ready - I will come back and give an update once things have settled
Edit: Oh, and the food I'm eating was ordered on the door, with my real name, for the first time
I love this already.
