Letter to Management

The following is the [Book store] legal-department-approved letter that I will read to the management staff of my job on Monday, March 10 at 8 AM.  

On Tuesday, March 25, management will begin informing staff, and this letter will be posted on the break room bulletin board, and information regarding being TG will be made available.

On Monday, March 31, 2013, I will report to work as Sophie for the first time.

And now, the letter:

..........................................................................................

To my fellow coworkers

I must share the news about a major personal decision that will affect my appearance at work.  My doctors have diagnosed me with Gender Dysphoria (GD), a medical condition in which psychological gender is not in alignment with biological sex.  I am transgendered, which means I was born into the wrong gender.

As can be imagined, this decision was not made lightly.  Since I was four years old, my mind and spirit have identified as female.  I have struggled with this all of my life, causing an emotional and mental pain with which I could no longer live. I needed to find a way to find peace in this world.   I tried for about four years prior to 2012 to live a dual-gendered existence, but it was coming at too great a psychological cost.  Make no mistake, GD can be a fatal condition, as 41% of those afflicted attempt suicide, and an alarming number succeed, including one of my closest friends.

In February 2009, I made the decision to deal with my problem head-on, and started seeing someone professionally that was experienced in these matters. After exhausting all other options, I actively began the process of transitioning from male to female in December 2012.   The process takes a number of years to complete, but the progress I have made to date has allowed me the ability to now start coming to work in my true gender: female. 

Throughout the transition, I will continue to maintain the high performance standards that our company and I have upheld.  Post transition, it is my expectation that I will continue to excel at my position and maintain the good working relationships that I currently have within the company, my fellow booksellers, and with our customers. I have discussed my transition with ***********, Regional HR director, and she has assured me of the company’s support.

I recognize that this decision might impact coworkers and our customers. As a valued employee at [Book store], I want to make sure this transition goes as smoothly as possible for the customers, company, and fellow employees.  The [Book store] commitment to professional development of a diverse workforce including gender identity as outlined in our Diversity policy provides a great foundation for communicating my successful gender transition to the rest of the company.

[Book store] HR have developed a plan to communicate my gender transition to our employees.  I am positive that we can accomplish a quick and effective transition.  It is imperative that we unify our message and information to assure the staff that we have a plan of action and that all involved are committed to a successful transition. Office gossip or inappropriate discussions about my personal situation, as it is medical in nature, will serve to greatly undermine plans that have been developed, waste staff time and energy, and affect the performance on the floor.  

I understand that there will be an adjustment period for everyone, but I would appreciate when you see me calling me by chosen name of Sophie, and then using the proper pronouns like “she” and “her” in conversation. Ongoing, I am working on raising the pitch of my voice through professional voice therapy. 

Please feel free to follow-up with me.  I am an open book and willing to answer any and all appropriate questions you may have.  I’ll close by saying, that I have waited 43 years for this day and never thought it would happen, but it is finally happening, and I feel like my life is finally just beginning.  I hope you understand, and I appreciate your help.

Thank you in advance

Sincerely,

**********

AKA Sophie ********

Ready for Work!