Acceptance??

[Tiffanie]

First off, I am very lucky.  I am a supervisor in a small bus yard of a large company.  Most everyone who works here has known me for 10 years or more ... some of them 25 years.  Just about everyone is very supportive and actually treat me better than before the transition.

The women in the yard include me in their "girl talk" sessions.  Even if it's biological woman talk they still talk around me ... a few even ask questions about how the hormones effect me.  It really makes me feel like I'm one of the girls. 

Is this normal, or am I lucky?

[suzifrommd]

Is this normal, or am I lucky?

Both.

Some people "get it". Some people just naturally can see a trans person as a member of their identified gender, never misgender them, and internalize their gender.

Also, if you're a supervisor, you're accorded a certain amount of respect because of your position.

It may even be that they feel they "know" you now. For me, before my transition, I was really hard to get to know because there was a huge piece of myself that was hidden, even from myself. Now people know my whole self and I'm far more comfortable.

Enjoy.

[Mariah]

I agree with Suzi it's both. Even knowing my past some people treat as just another one of them now. Regardless they feel comfortable doing so which is a wonderful thing. Congrats.
Hugs
Mariah

[Ms Grace]

If people respect you before transition there's a good chance they will after transition. The workplace is a strange environment - populated with people you'd probably never meet or associate with and yet here you all are. Some are awesome, some are difficult and a few are outright jerks, if you don't have jerks then you have a good workplace. I tried to be respectful of all my colleagues at my previous job, I never realised it came with the effect of them respecting me. When I transitioned they were all on board.

[LizMarie]

It's both "normal" in that most people will usually accept us and treat us as we expect to be treated and it's "lucky" in that you didn't have a loud, obstinate bigot on staff. One such person can poison an environment. I'm fortunate as the oil and gas services company for which I work has a zero tolerance policy towards harassment and that includes gender identity (as well as race, sex, sexual orientation, or ethnicity), and they enforce it that way too.

The majority of people are learning about us and want to treat us well. It's the small, loud, ugly minority that tries to make our lives into living hells.

[Tiffanie]

Thanks everyone 

I knew there would be some that were supportive, but having the vast majority was surprising ... and to so easily be allowed into the girl talk sessions just made iy clear that they weren't just being nice - they really accept me.

The very few jerks I knew would be jerks.  I could already have had them fired by my company's anti-harassment policy, but I am torturing them with no reaction to their "accidental" misgendering and other comments (not hostile or threatening).  I am letting their coworkers verbally beat them uo for not being nice to me. 

Funny side note.  Before I came out About 1/4 of the women wore makeup and made themselves more presentable.  Since I started wearig makeup to work we are up to 2/3 of the ladies weraing makeup daily.

[iKate]

Most people at work who know accept. There is one guy who knows who now is very curt with me. My boss is cool with it and pledges his help.

The women? Well the one on my team was clapping because, "yay! we are going to have another lady on the team!" She regularly engages in girl talk with me but mostly mommy talk. Another routinely gives me her shoulder to cry on and gives me hugs when I need it. My boss's assistant and dept coordinator wished me all the best and said if I needed anything just ask.

I'm pretty sure I will have no problems or close to no problems.

[Stevie]

Funny side note.  Before I came out About 1/4 of the women wore makeup and made themselves more presentable.  Since I started wearig makeup to work we are up to 2/3 of the ladies weraing makeup daily.

  I noticed the same thing.