Selection of emails from colleagues
Good luck ! To be honest, I don't really know what else to say except that I admire your courage in taking the step
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Very best wishes for completing the treatment and the far-reaching associated changes. You are brave to be pursuing it and not trying to ignore it, and I am sure there will heaps of support for your plans.
At least media exposure of this sort of issue means it isn't a total surprise to us all - I have seen a sympathetic documentary very recently.
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Thanks very much for including me in your email. I feel very honoured having only met you once. ***** may not yet have replied to you (I've hardly seen him all week he's been so busy) but he said he was both surprised and not surprised! We giggled about "Hedwig And The Angry Inch" - how ironic - and also scratched our heads about not noticing breasts! I hope you're continuing to have supportive reactions from your friends and colleagues. Will we see you in NYC in March?
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It's going to be very hard for you, good luck.
It just knocked me back. But I've recovered and wish you all the best.
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No I hadn't heard by other means but certainly I would like to wish you good luck for the future and my best wishes. Obviously it will be difficult at first but it should not make any difference to our working together and I hope this brings you future happiness.
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Whilst this is the first I've known about this, I am really pleased you have chosen to tell me. Please understand I fully support you. I know this must be difficult for you, but please count on me to support you in any way I can.
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Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate this will be a very difficult time for you and can only wish you the best of luck. It will be difficult for us too, having known you as Stu all this time, but I hope we will all be able to support you and make your transition as easy as possible.
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***** in his role as my new Manager has explained to me the changes that we can expect in regard to your personal orientation. He will be explaining it to the rest of the team at the next meeting. This is a brave move regardless of gender and one that takes a lot of character. Good luck to you and I would confidently expect you to be 'old news' very quickly.
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Thanks for the update Suzi! Its going to be very difficult for us to always remember and not put our foot in it ... so please bear with us! Its very brave of you to face up to all this and go through it. I am in total support of you. My only fear is that there are already too many of us bossy women around, and I would hate you to take too many hormones and become bossy as well....your current personality is fine by me!! All the very best..... and good luck!
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XXX now knows. Somehow he guessed that I would know. He has also told YYY. No-one has any problems - XXX was very understanding, YYY very practical. We agreed that there will be some people who will find it harder to accept - you will know that already.
I feel that enough people now know that it's likely to become public domain soon. Glad to hear the band is reforming - maybe this time I'll get to a concert. c u then, and good luck.
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Thanks for sharing Suzanne with me this afternoon.
As you say in your note, it will be strange at first and we shall make mistakes in what we call you until, as you say, you're old news!! Just wanted to let you know you have my complete and absolute support.
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This is just a brief message to say that XXX has told me your news, and I would just like to say how incredibly brave I think you are in approaching the situation like this. I wish you all the very best, and hope that your colleagues treat you with the respect you deserve. Rest assured, I won't judge the book by it's cover. Best Regards
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I've been on leave until today and the grapevine had not reached me at all. I bet that surprises you. I can't say I won't be confused because I think I will be. If I slip up and call you Stu or make any crass remarks then it's marbles going plus years of conditioning and not a problem with wishing to support you. Should I start calling you Suzi from now or will it be easier all round to wait until after the leave in April? It's easy in an email but not so clear face to face or on the phone.
On a positive note, given your age, you have managed to achieve the best of both worlds. You were male when it was easier for that gender to get jobs and move up the promotional ladder and does it mean you can now retire before 65???? Are you sure Suzi hasn't got some Quatro element in the choice....??? Good Luck
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Just to let you know that I have tried to explain Suzi to both AAA and BBB. No negative reaction, both think Suzi looks great! Maddening really!!!
BBB absolutely fine, AAA very understanding and supportive as you might expect - I guess he will be in touch with you soon.
I visited your web site yesterday - I wanted to be as informed as I could before trying to explain to others - it was helpful.
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On a much more personal note, may I offer you support and equally important the acknowledgement for the courage and struggle during those most difficult of times. You must have undertaken a tremendous effort to prepare yourself, your family and friends for the forthcoming transformation. All the best.
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It sounds like a real roller coaster for you. I am not completely surprised that Section Heads one-to-ones were "interesting" - they are quite a varied lot! Full marks to ZZZ as well - as I have got to know her a little more, I have come to appreciate many of her qualities, and her reaction fits.
I will talk to YYY, and let you know when I have done so.
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Just heard about your changes. And to think I sat next to you for a year, and the only thing you ever wanted to be was a manager!!! Good luck, hope it goes well
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As you are aware, XXX mentioned to me the other day about your news. I'd just like to say how brave I think you are being in doing this and that I wish you all the best in the future, especially the coming months. If there is anything I can do in the future to help, I hope you feel that you can talk to me. Anyway, the main thing I wanted to say was good luck. I hope everything goes as smooth as possible.
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Continued below...
Thank you for letting me know. I have no problems with this & look forward to continuing to work with you. The only one I'll have is remembering to call you Suzi, but then I have problems remembering a lot of people's names!
best regards
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I have nothing but admiration and respect for you. I'm sure there will be a few initial unhelpful reactions, but they will pass. Life is for living and we should not live with regrets, but make it as full as possible. If I can help in anyway, I will be there for you.
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Suzi (that was difficult writing that!)
Sorry I haven't responded sooner, as ***** told you I am very busy. I don't know what to say. When I first saw your web site I was so surprised yet somehow not, I almost felt embarrassed for not realising sooner. I really hope you're getting all the support you need at the moment and of course you can count on me. I'll find it difficult but compared to what you must have been through…..
We'd love to see you in March if you have time.
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I have to say I was completely gob-smacked reading your attachment - I had no idea (which sounds silly cause you obviously didn't want anyone to know before now). Not something you read every Monday morning ! Anyway I think you are really brave to be doing this, as some people would have remained hidden. I think you need to do this for you and after the initial stir, things will calm down and you can be who you are. I like you Stu and as per the quote - it doesn't matter to me whether you're Stu or Suzi it won't make any difference to me. Thank you for letting me know before your D-Day as it were, I appreciate that. I wish you good luck and courage with the changes ahead.
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On reading your mail, and the attached doc, I was in a complete state of shock. I did not know anything about your feminine side, so no rumours reached me. I had to stand back and think about it, and here are my initial thoughts :-
I am a mate of yours because we have the same love for music, and not because you are a male. So now your are changing into female gender, as far as I am concerned we are still mates. I wish you all the luck in the world, and will treat you as normally as I can. I don't come over to your office as often as before, but when I do, I always have a look to see if you are in, and will continue to.
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I have just heard your 'news'. I must admit to being surprised and, although I know you have some sort of information pack explaining the whys and wherefors, would welcome the chance to chat to you about it....if you don't mind. I also just wanted to say that I wish you 'all the best' and hope everything goes well.