This is a little niche, but does anyone else feel like some of the language the cis use about coming out/transitioning is super capitalistic, like you transition to become a better worker? The idea of “Being Your Authentic Self” feels next door to “Bring Your Whole Self To Work.”

I say this because I KNOW I tie my worst dysphoria days with the idea of unproductivity. This idea of transition as an unveiling of A More Truthful Person feels like “transition because you shouldn’t have a part of your identity that your boss doesn’t know about”

Which is of course not me saying “don’t transition because it’s what the bourgeoisie want!!” but that I think this idea of the closet as something that was holding you back from your full potential is at best a bit twee and at worst a really harmful idea for bosses to have

I’ve had bosses that were enthusiastic about me revealing my secret trans self, but then frustrated about how often I had to go to the doctor when I was starting HRT. Or frustrated that I was still being misgendered. Or frustrated that I still get periods and need a sanitary bin.

I think just like grieving, transition isn’t allotted enough time by employers. It’s this idea you should show up in drag makeup with a fanfare one day, and then become twice as useful and productive as usual. Maybe, as a bonus, less prone to advocacy about your treatment there.

So I guess my point is that, if you have days like me where you’re so dysphoric that you can’t get off the bathroom floor, don’t beat yourself up about how it’s limiting you from your “True Potential!” Being trans isn’t ABOUT becoming a good worker even if that’s what we’re told.

I think “be your true self! Don’t lie about who you are!” additionally sucks as language because it builds into the idea that before we come out, we’ve been willfully keeping a nasty little secret—rather than forcibly repressing ourselves due to being born into a hostile world.

The other thing is that this narrative is also the one used by queer affirming churches—that until you’re “honest about yourself” you‘re not bringing your whole self to serve god. If that doesn’t sit right with you in a church context then it shouldn’t sit right with you at work!