The Plan
Hello all,
Time for another update on this journey. Noting that I am getting plenty of views and heading nicely to 9000 hits. Wonder if I'll hit the big 10k by year end. We will see. I'll have to keep it sufficiently interesting to ensure I do.
So when I last left you I had yet to go back to work since the big night out. To be honest and entirely consistent with this whole journey, little was said and little was asked! Starting to get used to this now. Indeed people are openly wondering when I will eventually get round to turning up at work as Amanda. I'll give a loose indicator below but just a quick update on events since.
As part of coming out at work it is a necessity that the higher echelons of work know. I had been tipped off that the very top had been advised and I received an invite to meet the senior partner in the firm when she next visited our office. Now ive come across a few heads of firms / companies over the years. Most are in the rarefied air of head offices that they loose the personal touch and ability to relate. Well whilst I went into the meeting with trepidation, I need not have worried. She was excellent. Understanding, sympathetic and willing to listen. The firm has a very good reputation for diversity and inclusivity This clearly is a top down approach and I really felt any last concerns or worries have gone.
One of the key factors that helped me was the knowledge that the firm was developing a trans policy. I have given my feedback on the same and now will be going round the offices in the UK helping promotion of this. I start this week with my office which wont be too difficult as they all know already but as others dont, then this is really the last step professionally to being out. In light of this I will be in the next few weeks changing my LinkedIn profile and announcing my status on there.
So this post is called the plan so what may you ask is it. Well the divorce is finally fully agreed and am just waiting for the sale of the house to check out. That should be a couple of weeks and Im well progressed in the search for my new house.
I reckon that will be either just before or just after Christmas. Thereafter a short period of 4-6 weeks in my new digs tops just getting to know the area and set up my house. After that I will be ready to start attending work as Amanda. I think at the latest mid to end of February?
That will start the process of the formal change. Name change in work, professionally with regulatory bodies but importantly ID i.e. drivers license and passport. Shortly thereafter I will move to deed poll change and then GIC referral. The latter I know will take years so I'll be looking at bridging hormones privately. I will be also investing in home IPL to start shifting the easy hair that needs removing and I'll be looking at electrolysis for the facial hair although I can manage a shave a day at the moment. One of the first things in 2019 will be ear piercing and an eyebrow shape.
So that's the plan. My male self will soon be a thing of the past as will its wardrobe. Going to have another clear out this week so I'm just down to the bare essentials. That's mainly because my female wardrobe will be ready this week. I am just awaiting a few final pieces from E-bay and Next and then i'll be there. I have seen a work suit and will be buying that this week. Yes its the minimum and once I get settled in my new house, I can start padding it out to something more substantial. Perhaps jumpers and accessories are a little sparse but that can be sorted.
I also intend to socializing as Amanda and see where that takes me. I have physical and emotional needs which I have had to put aside but I will start putting them first.
So thats the plan. Plans have to be flexible but the key is the house. Once I get my own place I can really accelerate my plans.
As always please feel free to ask anything and provide comments.
Take care
Amanda GH
xx
Time for another update on this journey. Noting that I am getting plenty of views and heading nicely to 9000 hits. Wonder if I'll hit the big 10k by year end. We will see. I'll have to keep it sufficiently interesting to ensure I do.
So when I last left you I had yet to go back to work since the big night out. To be honest and entirely consistent with this whole journey, little was said and little was asked! Starting to get used to this now. Indeed people are openly wondering when I will eventually get round to turning up at work as Amanda. I'll give a loose indicator below but just a quick update on events since.
As part of coming out at work it is a necessity that the higher echelons of work know. I had been tipped off that the very top had been advised and I received an invite to meet the senior partner in the firm when she next visited our office. Now ive come across a few heads of firms / companies over the years. Most are in the rarefied air of head offices that they loose the personal touch and ability to relate. Well whilst I went into the meeting with trepidation, I need not have worried. She was excellent. Understanding, sympathetic and willing to listen. The firm has a very good reputation for diversity and inclusivity This clearly is a top down approach and I really felt any last concerns or worries have gone.
One of the key factors that helped me was the knowledge that the firm was developing a trans policy. I have given my feedback on the same and now will be going round the offices in the UK helping promotion of this. I start this week with my office which wont be too difficult as they all know already but as others dont, then this is really the last step professionally to being out. In light of this I will be in the next few weeks changing my LinkedIn profile and announcing my status on there.
So this post is called the plan so what may you ask is it. Well the divorce is finally fully agreed and am just waiting for the sale of the house to check out. That should be a couple of weeks and Im well progressed in the search for my new house.
I reckon that will be either just before or just after Christmas. Thereafter a short period of 4-6 weeks in my new digs tops just getting to know the area and set up my house. After that I will be ready to start attending work as Amanda. I think at the latest mid to end of February?
That will start the process of the formal change. Name change in work, professionally with regulatory bodies but importantly ID i.e. drivers license and passport. Shortly thereafter I will move to deed poll change and then GIC referral. The latter I know will take years so I'll be looking at bridging hormones privately. I will be also investing in home IPL to start shifting the easy hair that needs removing and I'll be looking at electrolysis for the facial hair although I can manage a shave a day at the moment. One of the first things in 2019 will be ear piercing and an eyebrow shape.
So that's the plan. My male self will soon be a thing of the past as will its wardrobe. Going to have another clear out this week so I'm just down to the bare essentials. That's mainly because my female wardrobe will be ready this week. I am just awaiting a few final pieces from E-bay and Next and then i'll be there. I have seen a work suit and will be buying that this week. Yes its the minimum and once I get settled in my new house, I can start padding it out to something more substantial. Perhaps jumpers and accessories are a little sparse but that can be sorted.
I also intend to socializing as Amanda and see where that takes me. I have physical and emotional needs which I have had to put aside but I will start putting them first.
So thats the plan. Plans have to be flexible but the key is the house. Once I get my own place I can really accelerate my plans.
As always please feel free to ask anything and provide comments.
Take care
Amanda GH
xx
Sounds like a good sensible plan to me , great night out btw.
ReplyDeleteYes, I can see that moving into a new place will be a milestone. It will help from the practical point of view but possibly as much as a symbolic moment - new life and all that. I can't find the right English here but you know what I mean!
ReplyDelete