Of all the areas of my life I've thought that coming out at work would be the least problematic. The company I work for has a good diversity policy and I knew even before coming out that I would be fully protected.

I already told my manager in private, and also my manager's boss because I needed her help in getting a new ID card sorted out. The plan was to tell the rest of the department later in the week when I got the notarised copies of my deed poll sent back.

Well. When I arrived in work on Tuesday, my manager took me aside and told me that her boss had told all the other level 6 managers already, and one of them was starting to gossip about it. So could I do the coming out thing today and then it would be public knowledge.

So I did. The intention was to have a departmental meeting and tell everyone at once. What I hadn't bargained on was it being impossible to get everyone off the phones at the same time, so it had to be done in shifts. So I got to make my announcement 4 times.

I made it really brief and to the point - basically just told them that I'd changed my name to Lewis, and was now officially a "Mr", and briefly of my intentions regarding reassignment, and asked them to start using my new name and male pronouns.

The reaction was almost total support. Some people even applauded. There are one or two who aren't speaking to me (mainly the people who never did anyway) - but the ones who matter are being really supportive and there are even some surprisess - people who I expected to be difficult about it are also being supportive.

By the fourth "meeting" I was getting a bit overwhelmed and slightly teary. But it was good tears. I'm just amazed at how much support I'm getting, not just at work but everywhere, and how accepting people in general have been about it.

I'm annoyed about my manager's boss telling people too soon though.

Today I'll be wearing a binder at work for the first time. 

I'm happy for you this went all so well. Nonetheless I think it's a little... wrong of the managers to out you to their fellow managers, since it's your decision. So you were forced a little.

That sounds really quite positive. I really am so pleased for you.

Don't you just hate it when people won't get off the phone?

That went really well, congrats 

Congrats.

My work posted a paper notice amidst 1000 other paper notices, and nobody read it.  A friendly coworker with some managerial authority made everybody read it.  It got better from there.


Good luck!


Jay

Awesome to hear a positive outcome, sorry about the one manager though, that wasn't right at all.

Amassing how coming out at work happens.  Despite our careful planning, it just seems be a "poof" moment and it is done. 

Congratulations Lewis.

I was VERY annoyed at the senior manager for outing me too early, and my manager is livid about it. Both of them were off today so I couldn't speak to either of them about it. I'll see what's said tomorrow when they're back in.

But it all went well anyway. I'm really chuffed about it, overall.

Congrats, Lewis - I'm so happy for you!  I hope mine goes as well...

Well done Lewis, even though the timeline got accelerated. My manager and I planned for months. Once we told the owner he was completely supportive (and not surprised) but he decided that the company should be told soon so that we could move forward. Most everyone seems supportive, applauding as well. One person seems unsure but, like you, he's someone I consider unimportant anyway. Now, to get everyone to use the proper pronouns.