Did you just start introducing yourself by your male name?  What did you do at work?  Did you totally come out first or just start dressing male?  My situation is a bit more complicated because of kids so I haven't come out but I have started to dress male, I'm binding and packing and using my lower toned voice (natural).  I haven't changed my name yet, I'm not on T, etc.

What is considered real life experience or full-timing?  Obviously I'm new at this.

I did notice that I absolutely LOVE my new clothes and even want to start wearing TIES to work!!  LOL (what can I say, I'm a gay male  )

Jay

I'd recommend approaching management with your intentions and work with them to figure out the best way to "come out" to your coworkers.

Fulltime is when you're living as you mean to, 24/7, no going back, no resorting to your birth name just to avoid awkward situations, etc. You don't have to legally change your name or be on T yet IMHO, but you DO have to make every effort possible to live and identify as Jay in every possible situation. No hiding.

~Kate~

In my own mind - 'living' as male equals passing. I've been trying for eons, male dress, presentation, going by male name, etc,
but I don't pass so...

Yeah IMO living as a dude entails passing. You can't live as your real gender if you don't pass most of the time.

When I transitioned and began living as a man, I dropped out of school, started binding, packing, lowering my voice, and using rogaine on my face. I rebelled against my then transphobic manager at Arbys by refusing to wear my legal name on my name tag (lol I don't recommend this but it didn't matter in the end) and eventually got fired/left and never came back for unrelated reasons. This was good though, because I later got a job at Burger King where they accept me as any other man there. I couldn't have lived full time as a guy if it weren't for having some male characteristics already...by male characteristics I mean huge feet, male body language, etc. I never bonded with girls at school but didn't bond with males either, so I was pretty androgynous in personality...it only took some subtle physical changes to affirm that I was a male (haircut, clothes from the men's department) I also couldn't have transitioned at all if I'd stayed in public school. Often to have a successful transition it's required to start over, luckily for me there wasn't much to leave behind and everything to gain. I wasn't happy with my life until I transitioned. There wasn't much of a life for me to leave behind when I left school and started over. I don't regret it a bit. I'm not on T, can't change my name for another 4 months...but I'm living full time as a man. It can be done...it's how most of us start out actually. But it takes guts.

Looking back I realize I acted headstrong and stubborn at times..but it paid off. I wouldn't advise screwing yourself out of a job in transitioning as I did..in my case it just turned out for the better.

QuoteI also couldn't have transitioned at all if I'd stayed in public school. Often to have a successful transition it's required to start over

Too true.  I remember when I was so excited to go to hs, because I thought I could pass as male since I looked and acted male, used a male name (nobody uses my real name because it is VERY difficult to pronounce and spell, so people are grateful for the reprieve), and never had to change for gym (too many injuries).  It was great for the half hour administative duties period (when they hand out all the papers such as for free lunch and the student hand book), but then 1st class of the day, my latin teacher goes on to take attendance and addressing people using everyone's title (Ms. or Mr.) followed by their last name.  Oh the mortification I felt when after my name was called, two other children said quite loudly "Hey, I thought you were a guy."  Public schools suck.  Although as a side note, I did manage to get my year book pic done with me in male garb.  My principal will probably wet his pants when he sees it come June >  I will post it if I can find it or when I get my year book, whichever comes first.

I'm not on T so I probably look more androgynous than 100% male. I know I need a new haircut though the other night in the mirror I kind of looked like Johnny Depp only without the facial hair, LOL.

Jay

^At least you looked like a guy though :-D

You can look 100% male w/o T...it's just difficult. But people don't take a second glance at me anymore and I'm not on T yet, I just use rogaine on my face heh. You have to assert your inner male personality too when you transition...I think that's one thing that scared the ->-bleeped-<- out of everybody I knew, that I quit repressing myself. Even if you look androgynous, you can live as a guy, see how it goes in public first and how you're read. The first step imo is binding...because if they see no facial hair, no adam's apple etc...they could still think you're just a young dude if your chest is flat...if they see breasts, that's an almost guaranteed "sorry m'am" 

Does Rogaine really work?

Yeah, it did for me. Grew sideburns like a charm, the rest of my face not so much, a bit on my upper lip and some on the sides...it comes in like peach fuzz but I dye it with Just For Men's moustache and beard color..works pretty well, I mean, w/o facial hair at all I'd be read as 15 or 16 but now I pass for my real age. It takes a few months to start seeing results but it was well worth it.

NICE I got to go get me some rogaine!

Quote from: sneakersjay on April 14, 2008, 11:27:09 PM
I'm not on T so I probably look more androgynous than 100% male. I know I need a new haircut though the other night in the mirror I kind of looked like Johnny Depp only without the facial hair, LOL.

Jay

Jealous

Posted on: 16 April 2008, 08:59:34

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Quote from: zombiesarepeaceful on April 15, 2008, 04:56:27 PM
Yeah, it did for me. Grew sideburns like a charm, the rest of my face not so much, a bit on my upper lip and some on the sides...it comes in like peach fuzz but I dye it with Just For Men's moustache and beard color..works pretty well, I mean, w/o facial hair at all I'd be read as 15 or 16 but now I pass for my real age. It takes a few months to start seeing results but it was well worth it.

Hey zombie are you actually on T then?

Quote from: Jay on April 16, 2008, 03:02:10 AM
Hey zombie are you actually on T then?

No. I'm just using rogaine on my face until I can get on T..soon hopefully, I got referred to an endo but who knows how long it'll take to actually get seen.

I just kind of told everyone at my college who I talked to or who asked to call me Ray and told them that I was using male pronouns.  Most of my clothes weren't "girly" anyways, but I did wear some pants that were from the womens' department for a few more weeks and I actually didn't switch to boxers for a few weeks due to money issues.  Told my friends back at home and my family a few days after I started coming out at school.  So I kind of "came out" pretty quickly but more slowly got into the habit of dressing completely male and I've noticed that as I've become more comfortable with myself I've been getting more and more involved with more typically masculine activities/behaving more masculine.  I think it's because it's easier to be yourself as you get more comfortable and whatnot; before I was out as trans I tried to avoid doing certain things because I didn't want to draw attention to myself, but now I can do what I want... if I even worded that in a way that makes sense.

Jay, if you don't mind me asking, what age range are your kids?