A question for those who transitioned on the job

[fullcontactmuse]

For those of you two transitioned while on the job, at what stage in your transition did you inform your employer and, in hind sight, how did that go for you? Did it work for you or do you wish you would have done it earlier or later?

Thanks!

Comments

[tomglondon]

I transitioned on the job, here in the UK.

I decided to tell people about 6 months after starting hormones - there were slight physical changes already and my reasoning was that by the time everyone knew, the changes would be more obvious and maybe I'd be more likely to be seen a bloke ( body shape, stubble, etc) instead of a butch woman as I had been previously.

I first told my HR manager who asked me how they could support me.
We decided I would then tell the MD and my immediate staff members - then the line managers and finally the rest of the staff.

I emailed the line managers with information on what I was doing and some info on transgenderism - my thinking was that by time I told the rest of the company, they would have enough time to ask me questions so that if their staff had any questions, they could answer them intelligently.

I then mailed out a blanket email titled "It's a boy!" :-)

I just said what I was doing and what my new name was, and I'd appreciate it if they could try to remember to refer to me by male pronouns.

I was happy that I did it then and didn't wait any longer. The small physical changes that had occurred by the time I told everyone, were enough for me to feel confident enough to endure the potential feeling of exposure.