% Employment

Generally, it's best to check whether it's safe first. Check your
employer's policies and attitudes. It is illegal (in the UK, and most
European countries) for your employer to discriminate against you based
on your gender identity/expression, but discrimination does still take
place.

This is a sensitive topic. If you rely too much on your job, and losing
it would be catastrophic (e.g. not easily being able to find another
job) then you should definitely be more careful.

A more common strategy that some people take is to *test the waters*
first, so to speak. This could mean being subtle with appearance
changes, or gently discussing gender topics with colleagues and bosses,
to see how well the topics are received. At the end of the day, it's up
to you whether you do it or how you go about it. Some people change
their jobs after they transition.

If you're in the UK, then your employer is bound by several
anti-discrimination laws, most notably *Equalities Act 2010*. This page
has some useful information on it, containing guidelines that your
employer is duty bound to follow. It might be beneficial to show it to
them, after you come out:
<https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/503663/Workplace_Guide_CSEP_revised_Final_V1_.pdf>

We really don't want to provide any specific advice, because
everyone's situation is different.

Checklist for coming out at the workplace
=========================================

This page contains some useful information:
<http://www.tgender.net/taw/tggl/checklist.html>

This page lists some of the very real consequences that can result from
coming out as trans in your workplace (depending on your workplace):
<http://www.hrc.org/resources/coming-out-in-the-workplace-as-transgender>

