A new school in 2 weeks

[harlee]

Wooooohoooo! No more dresses, no more tying up my short enough hair as it is, no more LOOKING LIKE A GIRL Im pretty sure Im going for an interview with the school principle in a couple of days. I really want to, but am not sure if I should bring up the issue of wanting to be called by a more "male name"  My birth name is Jasmine, so it cant really be shortened. Maybe I could get him to put my name down as Jay instead of Harlee? I plan to use Harlee when Im out of school, but if I use Jay while in school, if something does accidentally get mixed up, I wont get asked why I was called Jasmine by the teacher just then, when "my name is Harlee"...it could get complicated Aaah but then again, this girl who knows me as Harlee is planning to go there next year hmm.  I have also heard there is a GLBT group of kids in the school, but I highly doubt any of them are apart of the T category

Do you think I should just tell the principle I have a preferred name? I will know a few people who are already going there, so this could be fun explaining stuff  but thats about it. I think I should talk to my mum and dad about it. I just feel so embarrassed about talking about my feelings and opinions tho 

[Farm Boy]

I'm not sure, as I haven't any experience in this area...  But teachers usually ask if you have a preferred name, and you could tell them what you'd like to be called then. 

Also, Jasmine can be shortened to Jazz if you think Harlee would raise questions in school.

[Shang]

I second Farm Boy on this.  Some teachers will write down notes as to call who what and, the ones I've met, have no issue calling females by male names.

Too bad you won't be going to the school I'll be teaching at 'cause I'd have no issue calling you by your preferred name.

[karson]

they have to call you w/e you want to be called ts law.
just put it on your regestration and no one will know your birth name

[Vancha]

Well, Jas and Jasper are similar to Jasmine, but... You know, everyone would think you were a sparkly vampire from Twilight.   

[rexgsd]

hm i was actually wondering about this too for when i go to college. i wonder if it would just be easier to use the male version of my name so it's easier.

congrats on the new school though, btw

[Shang]

hm i was actually wondering about this too for when i go to college. i wonder if it would just be easier to use the male version of my name so it's easier.

In college, most teachers really seem to be willing to use the name that the person prefers.  At least in my college they do.

[Vancha]

In all seriousness, if you just told them the name you prefer to be called, they should oblige you completely.  No worries.  Harlee is a rather androgynous name at least to me, so you should have no trouble at all.

[LordKAT]

they have to call you w/e you want to be called ts law.
just put it on your regestration and no one will know your birth name

You have to register with a legal name. You can put a nickname in parenthesis however and request to be called that. You can't make teachers follow that tho usually they will.

[VampyreAri]

You have to register with a legal name. You can put a nickname in parenthesis however and request to be called that. You can't make teachers follow that tho usually they will.

And if a teacher messes up, just say your parents are hippies and named you for the plant. But really, teachers will almost always make a note to call you whatever it is you ask to be called. I've seen teachers actually cross out names in the roster and write in the student's preferred name. G'luck!

[tekla]

"J" works, you could spell it 'Jay' if you wish, but in this modern texting/DJ initials deal, why not just go with "J"?

[Teknoir]

I don't know about private schools, but as far as I know public schools won't have a problem with you being "known as" by another name.

I went to an AU public high school, and was known only by a name that wasn't my legal name.

All my reports, school certificate, etc were all in that name. I did leave in 2001 though - times may have changed.

I know they shouldn't have an issue with you using a preferred name (a name to call you that isn't the one on your official school records - a different situation to the above).


If it's a public school you're moving to, I'd let them know about your gender issue. They might further accommodate you by allowing you to be known as male (male uniform, maybe change in staff loo for PE, etc), male name and pronouns, and any other accommodations they can think of.

In a public school (like in all government institutions - including government jobs as I can personally attest to), they have an obligation to be politically correct and treat all students equally. That includes the trans ones .


If it's a private school you're moving to, then I have no idea. Most of them are religious. You might get away with an androgynous "known as" name.