Well, I did it today. Expanded by 100% the universe of people that formerly knew me as [Guy name] and now know me as [Guy name]/Erica.

I posted a semi-agonized thread here a few months ago, where I asked whether I should self-identify as transgendered at my office. Our firm prides itself on its commitment to diversity, and expressly solicited self-identification for all GLBTs. Voluntary self-identification is disclosed only to our Diversity Partner. I thought about it for a fair while (and thank those of you who expressed opinions on this subject), and ultimately decided that I would self-identify. I had a long talk with our Diversity Partner today and explained my particular form of gender expression.

She was initially totally shocked (not in a bad way, and not at all unexpected) but quickly expressed real happiness that I had come out of the closet at least this far. The cynic in me understands that she has boxes to check and reports to fill, and now she has (AFAIK) the only self-identified transgender partner in an AmLaw 100 firm. Even so... We talked at some length about how the firm would and would not identify me as transgendered for statistical reporting purposes. I wanted to be sure that the firm (first) and the legal community (second) understood that "we are here" and we need to be counted; at the same time I wanted to work through the obvious privacy concerns. She was totally understanding and we worked out a solid disclosure framework. I also told her I would be happy to be a second-reader / second opinion on any transgender policies or communications, or if she ever needed a "sounding board" on transgender issues. She has already taken me up on the offer.

I don't want to make this a bigger deal than it is. This is not some great heroic act, and I know it. That said, I'm happy to have taken at least a small step toward ensuring that the legal community knows that transgenderism is not a conceptual abstraction, but rather a fact of life in the profession.

Best part was when she (Div. Part.) told me she had been drafting up some guidelines for addressing transexualism in our workplace, only to be told by the partner who serves as our Firm's General Counsel that these would never be necessary (i.e., were a waste of time). I took a perverse delight in informing her she could now inform him that he was UTTERLY mistaken. And she took a perverse delight in assuring me that she would do so as soon as she left my office.

I'm feeling pretty good about it.

Erica