What exactly is "full-time" ?

[Nigella]

At my GID clinic they take the RLT from when you made your legal name change and the doc's and dated to prove it. Also the doc's of bank account, drivers licence, passport, etc, etc for other supporting evidence. Plus if you are working, payslips in your legal name change.

Stardust

[Teknoir]

That's what I thought. Awesome. Sorted.

Thank you kindly, ladies .

[K8]

holy crap.  my therapist just asked me.

Me too.

- Kate

[Teknoir]

Could that be a difference between a clinic and a private therapist perhaps?

Either way, I think it pays to have the paperwork ready for the most by-the-book, no execeptions scenario .

[K8]

Could that be a difference between a clinic and a private therapist perhaps?

In my case I'm pretty sure it was because I had a long relationship with her.  I saw her for three years as my spouse was dying, then another two while I worked through my grief, and then another year of working though my gender issues.

My physician was the same.  I had dealt with him for years, especially intensely while my spouse was dying.  When I asked him for hormones he said OK - no letter, just my asking.

In my experience, people who know you will treat you as the person they know.  People who don't know you will ask for some assurance that what you want is legitimate.  I deal with people the same way.

- Kate

[Pippa]

Full time is presenting in your chosen gender openly to the world all the time and not retreating back into your registered birth gender.   By all I mean friends, family, employers, the authorities and everyone else you come across in your day to day life.

[K8]

I think that employment/school/volunteer work includes everyone.  I am retired.  I am not going to get a job and probably won't go back to school, but I do a lot of volunteer work.  I read the requirement to mean you are out and about in the world.  You are not hiding in your house for a year.  Employment/school/volunteer work means you are demonstrably interacting with others.  Somewhere I read that "transitioning in your head doesn't count".  At first I thought that was a silly thing to say, but I think it needs to be said. 

I have had to out myself numerous times with various authorities because I am a woman who is legally male.  It has never been a problem for me.  I can see how it might be problematic depending on where you live, though.  My heart goes out to those who are transitioning there.

- Kate

[The None Blonde]

In a perfect, utopian world, I agree the 12 month requirement for full-time is reasonable. But when we are actively living that phase in the real world, we face discrimination at any moment from our employers and co-workers because they all know, we are out to all of them. The risk the professional system makes us take is huge and there seems to be nothing we can do about it. We face potential job loss at any moment. If you are the sole provider for yourself or family it is a cruel requirement. I worry about it every day, having 10 months to go because my legal name change wasn't finalized until 11/25/09, though I was living fulltime before that.

I want to have my surgery now, I have transitioned legally already and have the means and therapist support. The requirement is wrong. The medical community should help us to transition as quickly as possible. I am not a man in a dress who will regret losing his part, I want that thing gone.

To answer the question, the SOC states the definition of fulltime pretty clear, legal name change, identification documentation and employment, school or volunteer work. It doesn't appear to take into account those in retirement or unemployed, though I imagine activities that are relevant to people in those situations would apply.

To be honest, surgery isnt going to stop the discrimination that you recive... perhaps in a legal manner yes, but what do you intend to do to someone on th street that calls you a guy? flash your new vagina at them and say 'hey jerk im a woman see!?' ?

[Al James]

I haven't seen anyone medical yet apart from my GP but have legally changed my name and title got a new passport that tells the world i'm male my dl has the right gender code on it, bank accounts are in male name  mortgage company has been notified all my utility companies have been made aware and are sending out new paperwork BUT my mum still calls me by my female name cos she's 69 and although she approves of what i'm doing she can't remember that after nearly forty years her daughter is now her son. At work my boss knows but still calls me She until i start treatment. People i introduce to now get the male me  but the people who know me at work even tho they all call me alex now know me as female cos i've been there for 10 years. so am i full time or not

[spacial]

BUT my mum still calls me by my female name cos she's 69 and although she approves of what i'm doing she can't remember that after nearly forty years her daughter is now her son.

Bless her!! 

[K8]

so am i full time or not

Alex, I'm not the one to judge, but I would say that if you present yourself as male 24/7 you are full time.  This includes name, clothing, actions, which bathroom you use, and on and on. 

If you present yourself at work as male, then that counts regardless of how the people you know still see you.  It is an adjustment period for them, too.  After about six months I mentioned to a friend that I don't see myself as *him* any more.  She said that she didn't either.  It takes time for those who go through this process with you - friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, etc.

And my mother called me by my childhood name until she died at age 83.  It is wonderful that your mother accepts you as her child.  What she calls you isn't that important.

- Kate

[Al James]

Alex, I'm not the one to judge, but I would say that if you present yourself as male 24/7 you are full time.  This includes name, clothing, actions, which bathroom you use, and on and on. 

If you present yourself at work as male, then that counts regardless of how the people you know still see you.  It is an adjustment period for them, too.  After about six months I mentioned to a friend that I don't see myself as *him* any more.  She said that she didn't either.  It takes time for those who go through this process with you - friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, etc.

And my mother called me by my childhood name until she died at age 83.  It is wonderful that your mother accepts you as her child.  What she calls you isn't that important.

- Kate

Thank you for this x Alex

[Starscrash]

I'd have to agree with the people who say that full time presentation is full time experience.  Legal documents can be iffy; I don't know how rare it is, but I know that my state (Ohio) will not grant a change in legal gender for any reason other than mislabeling at birth.
I'll also say that I strongly disagree with the middle of the night comment.  Some people are always going to pass easier than others, and I'm sure there are some individuals that are never going to be able to present as their true gender without some work. 

[melimelo]

Full time is every single minute of your life lived in your intended gender. When you start to formalize the thing, there will always be some point which will cause problems with some people. In my case, it's the name change. I'm not a US citizen, but I've lived in California for the last 5 years and have no intention of leaving. Furthermore, due to some legal procedure pending (divorce), I'm postponing the actual name change by at least 6 months. And after that, it's gonna be one big adventure to visit the different agencies in the right order, on both side of the borders. But except for the name, and of course the plumbing, I'm living 100% as female. And so glad of it.

Cheers,