I Get To Keep My Job!

[Guest Rayne]

I work for the government. I was still agonizing over whether or not I would get fired for transitioning. I'm going full time the beginning of January and if I needed to look for a new job, I needed to know now.

So, I sat down with the director, my union rep and my therapist and told the director that I was changing gender and I was worried about being fired.

She said, "Why would you be?" She then assured me that I'd only ever be judged on my work and she had no doubt that I'd continue to do the same quality work I've done for 3 years now. She even asked me, "What do you need from me?"

My response was, "Keep me from getting fired. I have 4 bosses below you. If you and the union rep can keep me from losing my job, I can handle the rest."

She set up a meeting with: Me, her, the union rep, my therapist and those 4 other bosses for the middle of this week. I wanted them to know before I had to place that goofy ad in the paper that I was changing my name. (legally I HAVE to...roll your eyes here).

She felt it was important to tell them all at once, that way everyone gets the same message at the same time. With her being there it silently says that since I have her support, don't mess with me. Ditto for the union rep. By the therapist being there it says that I didn't self diagnose. That I AM a patient and I'm under treatment.

On the way out of the first meeting my therpaist looked at me and said, "You did good". All along I've told her how determined I am and I just cleared a large hurdle and I did it in front of her. And I'm about to do it again this week.

Though this week is more of a curtosy so I'm not worried about it. I have the director backing me so the others wont have the power to make a move, even if they wanted to.

I just thought I'd share some good news on this front as there are SO many stories about people losing their jobs when they transition.

There were a few things in my favor going into the meeting. I wear a uniform at work and that's not going to change - so, no massive wardrobe makeover. I'm not going from a suit and tie to a blouse and a broomstick skirt the next day. I'm not going to wear makeup as I sweat at work. We all know what happens there, don't we? No nail polish either as I deal with germs a lot and I don't know if the germs can penetrate the polish. I wouldn't want to cross contaminate by taking the germs from one place to another.

I don't know if those things played a role in her backing me, but they couldn't have hurt.

Looks like I'm on track for early January.

[Guest Sofiadragon]

I'm very proud of you & also very happy w/ you keep up the good work & the good spirits.

[Guest Evan_J]

Woot. Way to go. And ty for describing who you involved and how, that might be important to someone feeling they are in a similar situation. Congrats.