Testimonials for TGFACT

Facilitating, Assisting, Counselling and Training in support of gender transition at work

Testimonials and Letters of Support

We endeavour to ensure that our clients rights to privacy are respected, and therefore the testimonials given have been made anonymous to protect identity.

The following are genuine reports and letters showing appreciation for our service. Our sincere thanks to contributors.

Response from a City Council:

I would like to thank you for your help in coordinating L’s disclosure of gender re-assignment and for your participation on the day.

We found the range of written materials you provided beforehand very useful in drafting letters and briefing papers to give the particular emphasis we wanted.

Your advice on how to structure the disclosure meetings was absolutely essential – we needed very practical suggestions on who should say what, and when, and what we should expect.

I was not initially sure that going into the medical background and history of treatment at the meetings would be relevant. However, on the day, staff obviously responded well to this approach and it set the context for the aspects we wanted to highlight – that gender-reassignment is a difficult process that no-one would enter into by choice, that it is about gender (not sex or sexuality) and that we expected respect for L’s brave decision.

On a personal basis, both S and myself were reassured by your presence throughout and grateful to be able to hand over a large part of our meetings to you.

Response from Area Manager, Government Office:

Thank you very much for the guidance and support you have provided over the last couple of weeks during M's disclosure process.

I have received excellent feedback in respect of all the sessions that you have run, from RMT through to all the workshops in the Area. Everyone has appreciated the very straight forward and clear way in which you have put matters across and the manner in which you have handled all sorts of different questions!

I have been delighted by the support that M has received in the Area and hope that the reaction from colleagues will help M deal with what is undoubtedly a very draining time for her.

We will ensure that M's return to work and the months to follow are monitored.

With thanks once again
H.

Employers Report - Mail Service:

Introduction by SOM using proper pronouns i.e. she/her

The Brief
Comprehensive, simply worded, factual explanation of condition and issues that will be raised. (Gender identity disorder).

Humour worked well.

Absolute clarity of what is involved - Repeated several times to reinforce message.

Moved from biology lesson to emotional issues.

(One person present with disruptive tendencies. Maybe has some real issues to be resolved).

Open question about loo's. (Although naïve broke down barriers, laddish laughter.) Needed to be done I think?

(Seriousness of X's intent demonstrated by risks involved in process. To reinforce this is not an easy (kinky) option).

Additional session to deal with any issues specific to female staff i.e. toilet facilities. Two female staff had concerns. One of whom needed a 1-2-1 session with ACM to talk through her concerns. (No known issues since)

	Space created for people to come to terms with their issues - couple of days leave for employee
	Mop up briefing sessions for those who attended were done as soon as people came to work by ACM

Summary

Overall the briefing was a success. This can be judged by the behaviour in the office since the event. To date there have not been any incidents of unacceptable behaviour and X has had the support of several of the female staff.

Lessons learned

From a communication perspective this is an excellent example of how we should deal with sensitive issues. Confidentiality was a major factor in that success. There will undoubtedly be another case where we need to communicate an issue like this so the lessons learned are important.

Attendee's Perspective:

As a witness to somebody's formal coming out to not one but three seperate groups of colleagues, I would entirely endorse the methods used by Tina Livingstone. At the time of these formal transitional seminars I was in fact a PhD student studying at university and I can say without a doubt that Tina was as competent, if not more competent than many a lecturer I've encountered, a true professional.

Tina is also a great coach when it comes to the trans-employee for it is the behaviour of the employee in question and their colleagues and their employers that need to be harmonised not just the latter two. With the help of Tina, J has shown herself to be a competent professional employee in the eyes of those she works with. I have been witness to how she has flourished within her position and have been privvy to the praise lavished upon her by both colleagues and employers. With the help of Tina to coach both herself and those she works with her transition at work has been in my opinion the smoothest it could ever have been and without going into detail, J has 1000+ people that she either deals with as clients or works with. It's no mean feat.

Employee Testamonial (18 months transitioned) City Council and major National Union

I brought in with HR Tina Livingstone to do the formal transition part, taking the stress off both myself and the employer. She covers all aspects in her talk to staff you would work with. She laid the path for a virtually stressless transition. Given that I deal with hundred of employee's, I would highly recommend that HR talk to her. It will safeguard the employer as well as yourself for the future.

That was 18months ago, and I have had not one problem with any employee or members I represent for my union. Only understanding and support.

One guy I work with after I came back to work said later "I would have had a big problem with you changing gender, but after listening to Tina's talk I now understand what you must have gone through"

Employee Testamonial - Civil Service

I don't know whether people, who are TS, think it a curse, or not to be born with this condition. I used to think it a curse, but now that I have come to terms with it and living full time as a woman, I only regret the hurt that I have caused my wife and children but mostly that it has taken me 50 years to do something about it.

My most significant "find" was to discover Tina Livingstone. Tina has brought her very significant skills to the forefront in that she has become my friend and shown the Management of the very large government body, who are my employers, the way forward. Because, believe me, they hadn't handled a case of a TS disclosing at work before. Tina was able to check that they had the right policies in force and that they were up todate. I am thinking particularly of the Sex Discrimination Act, anti Harassment at work and anti bullying policies etc..

Having got the paperwork sorted out she then set about helping me with my disclosure letters and with my little "speech" that I gave at 8 out of the 9 presentations.

After I gave my speech, Tina recommended that I left the room so that the people there didn't feel embarrassed and were free to ask Tina any questions they felt relevant. Tina then gave a presentation that lasted about 2 hours. The only interested person who didn't see her presentation was myself. I have heard lots of praise from managers and staff alike on the quality of her presentation and the manner in which it was presented.

I think Tina opened the door to my managers and myself and showed us the way through. I have been very fortunate in the reactions of people at work. If there you are thinking of coming out at work give Tina ring or email her at tina@tgfact.co.uk you will certainly have nothing to lose and could have a lot to gain.

My managers and I have nothing but praise for praise her.

Employee Testamonial - Engineering Industry

I work for a large European corporate Engineering organisation in the West Midlands that employs around 1000 people on a 52 acre site, the main activities are Engineering Design and Assembly of Railway Vehicles. My job role includes supporting and developing the Computer Aided Design systems.

At a meeting arranged by myself with Human Resources Department (HR) I informed the company that I was receiving treatment for Male to Female Transsexualism. I proposed that I would be transitioning towards the end of September the same year.

It is usually the case, as I found, that the employer would have no detailed knowledge of this condition or previous experience of dealing with Transsexual (TS) issues.

Any Transsexual him/her self who has shown commitment to remain working for their company by making such a personal disclosure will have many worries and concerns relating to the reaction of the managers and colleagues.

Initial transition plans were drafted between HR and myself over the following months, with a target of creating a working environment free from discrimination and harassment. Since the main source of prejudice stems from ignorance of the condition, a part of the official announcement of professional support by the company, training and awareness sessions were given to the Engineering managers and my 'work group' colleagues.

HR invited Tina Livingstone to discuss and finalise our draft Transition plans, two weeks before announcement day. From a company perspective, it also provided an important first opportunity to discuss Transsexual issues with Tina, as an independent non-Transsexual source with experience of Transition of Transsexuals in the workplace across a wide range of employers. At all times the fact that it was my transition was respected, my involvement and agreement about the nature of disclosure being sought at every stage.

	My immediate colleagues and line managers were given the announcement on a one-to-one basis by myself supported by HR.
	The Engineering managers were the first group to be briefed in the following format, introduction by HR, announcement given by myself, Tina's presentation, followed by information pack (company Notice and Open Letter). This is where my involvement ended, shortly after I went home to return to work in my new Gender role following a weeks leave.
	The Engineering functional managers were the next group to be informed which followed a similar format but with the announcement given by HR.
	The Engineering/functional managers return to their place of work to make the announcement to my Work-Group colleagues giving them a copy of the information pack.
	Later Tina gave a presentation to my Work-group colleagues throughout the day; small groups were invited at any one-time to minimise any disruption to the workplace.

Now that I am three months into my Real Life Test, I can state that my transition has been a success, free from discrimination and harassment. The use of single sex facilities (Ladies toilets) has not presented a problem. Some of my colleagues have informed me that I present myself as a happier and much more confident person.

The training and awareness sessions given by Tina gave a detailed account of the TS condition, treatment and the transition process, with the opportunity for my colleagues to discuss their concerns. The feed back that I received from my colleagues was that the training sessions were well received, professionally presented and very informative. That they had not realised that a TS person has no choice but to embark upon this process and is really about quality of life for the individual.