An email from a supervisor just came out to the department. Trackable info has been marked out.
Subject: Introducing Celest *****
Hi All,
I want to let you know of a change and an announcement from one of our team members. Many of you know Michael *****, either by name or actual association. For those that don't, he sits near the L3s across from Elaine.
He's made an important change in his life that I'll let him introduce that to you in his own words.
To Everyone,
I wanted to inform you of an important step I am taking in my life in a hope to reduce any confusion that you might have. This is not easy to explain, but I am going to do my best to try. I hope that no matter what your reaction is, you will take the time to listen.
Right now, I am in the process of transitioning from male to female. I have been diagnosed with a condition called Gender Dysphoria. What this means is that my gender does not align with my genetic sex. This is not an acquired condition; rather it is an intrinsic part, a lifelong aspect of my being. There is no easy way to explain to you the basis for this condition or decision. I have spent a good part of my life struggling with this conflict between my body and my mind.
Imagine for a second here what that would be like. Imagine you, a boy or girl, in the opposite body, and unable to do anything about it. You see the world as a guy or a girl, but have to live as your genetic sex, pushed along by societal current, tradition, and bare survival instinct into positions and identities that are increasingly uncomfortable to you, unpalatable to you. Everything about your existence is laced with lies, and it feels like there's nothing that you can do about it.
But as it turns out, there is something that can be done about it. I've always known it was a possibility, but until now I've been too terrified to make it a reality. It took time, it took lots of time, for me to build up the courage to admit to myself that it would be a mistake to continue living as a male, and to understand that any apprehensions that I had about doing anything to solve my problems were very much outweighed by the problems themselves, and the implications that they would have on my well- being for the rest of my life.
So I'm doing something about it, and I'm transitioning from male to female. It's the only cure for my condition, and I am more than happy to take it on.
The reason that I'm telling you about this "transition" now is that I have recently started the process of transitioning medically. I've also reached a point where it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to keep this change personal. Very soon, I will be legally changing my name to Celest ****. Since I am changing my name from Michael to Celest, starting today, I ask that you please refer to me as such. I also ask that you begin to refer to me with the correct pronouns of "she" rather than "he". I won't get upset if you make genuine mistakes, as I'm quite aware of how difficult this can be, but I'd appreciate your every effort.
Overall, you can expect things to remain pretty much the same as they are now besides the new name and gender. I really enjoy working at *******, and I'm committed to doing a great job and being a part of a wonderful team. I'll try my best to minimize any disruptions caused by my transition on my work and to the team. I want you to know that it is not my intention to embarrass or upset anyone here at *******, although I am realistic enough to know that everyone will not readily accept me. I ask merely that you recognize the fact that this decision has been reached after years of unhappiness. I hope to receive your support, and if you can supply it, your continuation of your friendship. If you see me around the building, please continue to say hello. If you want to provide additional support you may send me a friendly e-mail.
For those of you who may be genuinely curious about what I'm doing, I'll make myself (continued...)