Recently, I told my boss about the change I am going through in life. I planned a specific day to make the announcement and when the time came I told her that I never felt right living as a male and that I would be changing that. Then I handed her some papers showing that I'm seeing a psychologist and have filed to change my name.
Up until that day, I had no way to predict what would become of announcing this, as the company I work for is small and I can't seem to find their policies. I also happen to live in a "right to work" state. But I knew that, sink or swim, it was necessary to say what was going on even with the chance that I might have to update the resumé and go out and buy a newspaper afterwards.
I could not have asked for things to turn out better. My employer responded with total understanding and support. I explained that, while I'm where I'm at now, it would not be a good idea to change (because of face to face interaction with the customers) but sometime this year it's looking like I will switch to a new workplace under the same company. What really surprised me was that she said the people at the new location won't need to know a thing.
The hardest part of coming out was the waiting. Waiting for my boss to arrive, then waiting for other business to be tended to before my turn to say what I needed to say. The next hardest part was of course actually saying it, but I resolved to make myself do it because it needed to be done. Afterwards, it was a breeze.
If anything, it probably helps that since before starting work here my day to day appearance has been pretty much androgynous; at least as often as not the customers call me Ma'am, especially over the phone, and I get so happy about it when they do. I've been going by my middle name this whole time (it is gender neutral) and because of that work is less stressful than at my previous job where I went by my first name. So I have to wonder if my boss may have sensed that I was somewhere in the LGBT spectrum.
So I am looking at starting RLT soon and couldn't be more excited.
