Sex Change...

[Stewie]

For the third time in my career we were informed on Friday that a stellar male engineer has decided to live his life as a woman. I've worked with him on several projects and I didn't see this coming. He has a BS and MS from MIT. Smart guy, now girl.

My company (9000+ employees) handled this really well. The issue went to the top of corporate HR and when all was said and done everything went smoothly. It was "site specific" and we were asked to attend a meeting. Managers explained that the newly-named "Ally" was starting treatments to become a woman.

I'm old, it's 2014, and Ally is a smart girl. Good for her!

[Stewie]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

Welcome to 2014, guys.

I know, it takes some getting used to, but it happens, and it will happen more and more as time goes on. I now have four friends who are transgendered, whether in identification or physically: three male-to-female, and one female who now identifies male.

It's never not a surprise when you hear the news. Once they make the decision (which is a huge decision, opening themselves up to all sorts of discrimination and scorn), you should call them by the gender term they want ('she', in Ally's case), and yes, they use the bathroom they want. It's tough to get used to, but it gets easier once you get used to it.

And no, giving them a hug won't make you gay. No, they're not aliens or untouchables, and this is already going to be a lot harder on them than it is on you, so they don't need your shit. In my experience, the best thing you can do is to treat them just the same as you always did; since in Stewie's case, that's a work relationship, it shouldn't be any trouble at all. It's unsettling and kind of weird at first, but the only time it should be really long-term tough is if you're one of those people who sees people solely in terms of sex, in which case the problem is you.

My big concern would be if a teenager were to do it, as a phase, because even without the surgery, it would be practically impossible to undo if they later grow out of it. So far, everyone I know who has done it has been late-20's or older, so there's that.

Oh, also, I've noticed that transgendered people often tend to choose new-sounding, exotic, and vaguely Celtic sounding names like Caelyn and Aisling as their new monikers, and they're always a big pain in the ass to spell. Such is life.

This response is perfect. It's how my company handled it from the start. Ally went to corporate to start the process and they did a great job.

She's known as Ally Cooper now, but officially she's Alice Cooper. The Alice Cooper name goes way back to her heritage. Just a coincidence.

[bevischief]

Before and after pics would help us relate. Just saying.

[bevischief]

Not judging.

[planetdoc]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

My big concern would be if a teenager were to do it, as a phase, because even without the surgery, it would be practically impossible to undo if they later grow out of it.

an unempancipated minor would not be able to have sex change surgery without the consent of their guardian. The points you bring up are real valid concerns, and the reason that hormonal/surgical treatments are frowned upon for still developing/pubescent pts.

On the flip side these interventions are done for pts who are trying to match their phenotype with their genotype (such as hypogonadism).

[Fat Elvis]

I think we've had a couple of transgendered people on CP over the years, haven't we?

[Otter]

Tits of GTFO!!!

[a pp roach]

did you expect more maturity on a subject like this from this board?

[blaise]

Really, the place where it's the biggest hassle is for prisons. You have people who identify as a woman, have some sex change procedures started, but have a penis. And the opposite , also.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

So ,if a man was to tell his boss he was really a woman and needed to start using the women's restroom, that would work ????

Great idea!

[confused]

I think we need to let em' all live by themselves on an isolated island away from industrialized society.

[Deberg_1990]

Been thinking about getting one myself. How much does it cost? Will my insurance cover it? is it reversible?
Posted via Mobile Device

[TimBone]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Been thinking about getting one myself. How much does it cost? Will my insurance cover it? is it reversible?
Posted via Mobile Device

That's a lovably boring response.

[Sassy Squatch]

Can she have babies now? Don't really know how that surgery works.

[Pablo]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Can she have babies now? Don't really know how that surgery works.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by Stewie

WHAT??? I don't think this is true.

I mean that he's turned into a shrieking drama queen.