Time for a short update on my mtf transition.
The process for transsexuals in Sweden follows an evaluation process within the national healthcare system. This process takes at least six months and ends in a diagnosis. The benefit of following the official process is that many parts of transgender care is actually free, including HRT, laser hair removal, vocal training, breast augmentation and SRS. FFS is the only important part that is not covered. The drawback is that the waiting list to be formally processed is quite long.
I've known for over a year that I am TS, at which time I put myself on the waiting list to be processed. I've been in therapy from May-Jan to have someone to talk to when my dysphoria has been especially bad. Finally, in January this year, I was admitted to the formal evaluation process. It involves meetings with a psychiatrist, a therapist, and a psychologist with several tests and discussions. I'm now half way through that process, with good prospects of being formally diagnosed as a transsexual this summer. It is the diagnosis that will give me free HRT under the supervision of an endocrinologist.
To cope with my dysphoria, I have already started private voice training since January and also laser hair removal in my face and on my arms since January. Luckliy, I have dark hair and light skin, so I see good progress.
My coming out process has progressed very well. My wife and three kids (age 12, 12 and 7) are all with me, and we will remain a family through this process. We live polyamourously, which helps a lot, especially for my wife. My parents and cousins are also supportive.
Most of my friends are within the "rainbow" open-minded community, and are also with me.
The final arena for my coming out process is my work, which is a big process in itself. My work is quite high profile as a CEO of an insurance company within a larger conglomerate. I finally came out to my boss, a woman slighly older than me, last week. I had prepared a two page memo with a detailed description of my transsexual status, my transition timeline and my thoughts on the communication planning. I have suggested that I will come out as Caroline at work in October this fall, at which time I will be Caroline 24/7 with also my name legally changed. I will probably be 3-5 months into HRT at that time. I also whowed my boss nice pictures of myself as Caroline.
The meeting with my boss went very well. We discussed for 1,5 hours and she was very supportive. At the end of the meeting, she gave me a hug and promised to be fully supportive. Such a relief! On Monday, she has scheduled a meeting with the Group HR Director and the Group Communications Director to involve them as well. It feels so exciting!
I know that there will be quite some media exposure at the time of my transition in October, as I will be the first CEO in the Swedish business community to actually come out as a tranegender and make a full transition. I have already one reporter from a leading business magazine who, together with a photographer, is trailing me in my transition process. I will be on the front page in October along with a long article about the transitioning process. The idea of the article is to try to lessen the "stigma" associated with being transgender and having a career.
I'm more than happy to learn about other TS that have experienced media exposure.
Attached are the following pictures
1. Myself as Caroline (which happens several time per week), which is also the picture I showed my boss
2. The moments just before the coming-out meeting with my boss
3. Frpm the photo shoot of my formal "before"-picture professionally taken by the photograher from the business magazine. This picture will be matched with a similar picture after my transition in October to demonstrate the difference.
