Community Conversation => Transitioning => Coming out of the closet => Topic started by: findingreason on May 09, 2011, 10:07:30 PM Return to Full Version
Title: Coming out at work
Post by: findingreason on May 09, 2011, 10:07:30 PM
Post by: findingreason on May 09, 2011, 10:07:30 PM
So....that'll be on the horizon I think, not too far away either. I've got good news though :), I have been able to successfully scope out that at least one assistant manager will be accepting of it, as I managed to slip gender identity in there inadvertently (the story behind is pretty long but just giving the basic info I found out) and discovered she is open to it and finds it to be no big deal. We're talking a lot recently and becoming friends too, and I think she may be the first person I can tell...not sure yet. I have a strong suspicion that she will definitely be an ally in this whole process, and I may see if she can keep it under wraps possibly...not sure how well that will work, but I'm debating when to tell her. Thoughts? (from people that have dealt with work and coming out)
Title: Re: Coming out at work
Post by: Janet_Girl on May 09, 2011, 10:22:05 PM
Post by: Janet_Girl on May 09, 2011, 10:22:05 PM
What you might want to do is to look into the company policy on diversity and orientation. And maybe have a private talk with this manager.
Title: Re: Coming out at work
Post by: Ann Onymous on May 09, 2011, 10:23:09 PM
Post by: Ann Onymous on May 09, 2011, 10:23:09 PM
Much has to do with what sort of work you do and how many people are in your line of supervision, either up or down.
I transitioned in a profile position with a large State agency in the early-mid 90's. At the time, I was aware of only one other person in a similar position with another agency. I prepared a memo that went out to unit personnel in the region as well as the Director and Executive Director of the agency, plus copies to the Board comprised of persons appointed by the Governor who had, among other areas of responsibility, oversight of our agency. In retrospect, I wish I had numbered those in some discrete manner because at least two of them found their way to the media.
Prior to the broad distribution of the letter, I had discussed the matter with the agency HR Director and General Counsel to determine how the agency intended to interpret a couple of key policies and to also take care of getting a new ID made up.
In the letter, I gave a one-page synopsis that identified the medical condition, the changes that would be taking place and that I would be taking a period of time away from the office (I burned a month of vacation time to create the break between old identity and new identity). I also made it known that I was open to discussion about questions people might have but that the window for such discussions was limited in nature...
I transitioned in a profile position with a large State agency in the early-mid 90's. At the time, I was aware of only one other person in a similar position with another agency. I prepared a memo that went out to unit personnel in the region as well as the Director and Executive Director of the agency, plus copies to the Board comprised of persons appointed by the Governor who had, among other areas of responsibility, oversight of our agency. In retrospect, I wish I had numbered those in some discrete manner because at least two of them found their way to the media.
Prior to the broad distribution of the letter, I had discussed the matter with the agency HR Director and General Counsel to determine how the agency intended to interpret a couple of key policies and to also take care of getting a new ID made up.
In the letter, I gave a one-page synopsis that identified the medical condition, the changes that would be taking place and that I would be taking a period of time away from the office (I burned a month of vacation time to create the break between old identity and new identity). I also made it known that I was open to discussion about questions people might have but that the window for such discussions was limited in nature...
Title: Re: Coming out at work
Post by: findingreason on May 09, 2011, 10:43:22 PM
Post by: findingreason on May 09, 2011, 10:43:22 PM
Well, the good news is it's a retail job and I don't pull in a lot of income from it...so in that respect it's not a "lot" to lose, but at the same time it pays a chunk of my bills so it is indeed important. The company policy itself only has protections for sexual orientation from my research, and that the main saving grace is I am working with a pretty liberal crew that is rather laid back about things. If something did happen, I have enough backup to last for a while without being in the hole just yet too.