I'm sitting here at work on my lunch break and I just fired off the last of my "letters" and I'm thinking who else needs to know and I'm drawing a blank....
I thought maybe this is it.... and the verdict and how I did it....
I think this post is really for my own little diary, but if it helps another trans sister or brother then even better. I have posted before that I am here today having done what I thought was going to be the hardest thing in my life, yet it wasn't... not even close!
THANK YOU
I owe the biggest gratitude to the men and women before me that have paved the way, educated the masses and have made people stop and think. I thank every trans person that faced ridicule, harassment and put themselves in harms way to be who they were and set in motion the way society is turning.
The process of coming out to the world has been nothing short of amazingly positive. I work and live in Ohio and for a large company. I work at a location that has about 400 people and know of at least 5 (FIVE!) other brothers and sisters that work here and are open about it. This alone has me questioning the low statistics. I was worried so much that I was an anxious emotional wreck the first 10 people I talked to. I invited them over, had dinner or took them out. It took 2-4 hours of talking and it was an emotional rollercoaster. Almost every one of them thought I was dying or had cancer... I had to think of a better way. So what I did was I wrote a letter (2 actually) and single page that I meant for co-workers and a 4 pager single spaced with pictures on the 4th page of me (Looking like any other normal woman) I created a PDF and I printed about 50 copies...On nice paper in full color and I hand delivered, or invited people over to hand this to them after the dinner or whatever I told them to come over for) My other friends and relatives I mailed them to (Leaving a copy of my FB and email address if they wanted to reach out to me) It took them about 4-5 minutes to read but I also put my heart and soul into it. For the folks in person, I would be there to answer any questions, but bar none, there were a LOT less tears and emotion and each one was 100% positive. Every person I mailed to and emailed to reached out with congratulations and support. I only had 5 people after my 30 day coming out period that have not contacted me back. The same deal with the co-workers, except I ended up giving them both my long and sort letter and telling them that after 4 years of working there, I considered them friends and would like to give them both letters. I now have twice as many facebook friends and they ALL are closer to me.
So for those who are worrying themselves to death, I just want to tell you that it may not all be that bad. Sure you may have some non-supportive people, but I was shocked!
If anyone would like to read a copy of my letters, PM me I would not mind sharing at all
