Lisette Lahana, LCSW
Consultation, Psychotherapy and Training

Movies like Transamerica and Normal give us some idea of what it means to be transsexual (women) at work, but the complexity of the coming out process is difficult to show in a film. There are still few media images of what it means to be a trans man at work. Few understand that gender identity has to do with how you feel inside as a man or woman; gender identity isn't necessarily connected to what your private parts look like. Most transsexual people feel that the sex they were given at birth does not fit their internal sense of who they are. Transsexual people often spend years preparing for a "gender transition." A transition usually includes meeting with a psychotherapist and doctors, body changes, discussions with family and loved ones, social and legal changes.

Workplace Transition Interventions support and educate those coping with a coworker's gender transition.Coming out in the workplace is often the final step in a long process that can catch co-workers completely off guard. Many co-workers see a gender transition as an impulsive action, as crazy behavior, may feel angry or sorry for the transsexual co-worker. Others may want to support their transsexual co-worker but don't know how to be helpful.