I have decided that the title of my previous thread, Transitioning at work in three weeks, no longer applies. I am now two weeks into working at my office as a woman. As you all know from my previous post, I work in an office setting. Two months earlier, I asked to meet with both my immediate manager and superintendent and ensured that they were fully aware of my intention to transition at work. I also disclosed my transgender status and desire to transition at work to every one of my fifteen or so colleagues on a one on one basis. In other words, there were no surprises for anyone in my office when last week I came to work presenting as Sara. There is a tremendous amount of paper work that goes with changing your identity. That first day I was kept busy with everything involved in changing ID passes, email accounts, computer network drives, etc. to my new name. It was good that it was such a busy day because honestly, even though I knew that everyone in my office was supportive and on my side, my blood pressure was undoubtedly in outer space based on how nervous I was that day. The entire first week really was one where I felt very anxious and stressed, all self imposed as everyone around me treated me with a tremendous amounts of respect, kindness, and acceptance. This week something changed. I was always a glass half empty kind of a person. No matter what good things happened in my life, I always had to experience it as a male. I was never able to be truly happy. This week as the anxiety receeded, I was overwhelmed by a sense of happiness. Here I was at work being my true self. Everyone was addressing me as Sara. When I saw myself in a mirror or a reflection on a window I no longer saw the person I had hated being all my life. Even though I am still a long ways from ultimately being the woman that I need to be for the first time in my memory, I'm beginning to find true happiness.
Again, congratulations.
paula
Rachel Smith May 2017
