I'm posting this because it seems like progress of sorts and in the next year I'm looking forward to a lot more!

I've now been growing my hair out for about 2 years. It started off very short so I just left it for a while before finally going to a salon. First time there I explained I was growing it because sometimes I'd dress in a feminine way so wanted something versatile. We discussed options and settled on a bob which is what I've been trying for since.

It wasn't always plain sailing as I got used to long hair and blow drying and straightening but the stylist was lovely and didn't bat an eye if I went in presenting as male or female. She left after a while though to have a baby and I started with a new stylist. As I've been presenting more and more in the run up to going fulltime the new stylist has only ever seen me as female. My hair now is a full bob that is between chin and shoulder length. I want another couple of inches of length at least but I'm really happy with it. I wanted long hair when growing up but wasn't allowed so there's that but also the fact it's taken the time it has. I'm also making big changes to my body and that will take years too but that's ok. Actually I wish it would all happen over night but the fact it's changing and I can see the difference is what's making me happy.

Anyway back to the haircut. I realised a few months ago that the new stylist had started to charge me for a ladies cut. That didn't bother me too much because that's what I've been getting. It is 5 pounds extra though. What I did the next time was to get my name changed on their system. I hadn't picked my new name when I started going so it's something I was meaning to do. Anyway they now know me as Emma and as female. There's an extra 5 pounds a go in it for them but there's also something for me. My hair is starting to look as I have always wanted and it's one more place where I'm a woman. That makes me happy too.

Cool! Only an extra 5 pounds though? In Australia they usually charge waaaay more than that for a woman's style and cut.

For a long time I was charged woman's rates when getting a hair cut, and the equivalent of a 5 pound difference in prices seems roughly right in Mid-Atlantic USA.

Emma congrats on the new haircut and system name change.

Thank you both!

I should say the price difference was for the salon. A gents cut in a barbers is much cheaper than a gents cut where I go now. The stylist has been trying to convince me to get highlights too though which I will try so it might get a lot more expensive.

In any case my experience with this so far has been really positive. There was no problem at all in getting a ladies style and I've found managing a bob while still presenting at work as male hasn't been too hard. I'm lucky that my hair is a little wavy since that helps to hide the length because the work dress code is smart casual. As I'm still growing it that will get harder but I plan to have a talk with the HR department before then.