My Story Part 174: The First Time

(Switch Day!)

View from my desk

We all have started off on a new job and know how nerve wracking and rewarding it can be, but now imagine what it would be like if you started off your new job as a woman for the first time.

In 2007 I got laid off, transitioned, changed all my legal documents including grad school and in the following year I started my internship at a women’s rights organization.

Talk about stress!

Remember those little quizzes in women’s magazines about life stresses; 20 points for a divorce, 10 points for being laid off, etc. Well I always thought we should a 100 points for transitioning and that year I hit jackpot!

So that morning I got ready to go to work… I actually wore a dress! And for those that know me that’s amazing.

The first hurdle was getting by building security. The building housed the YWCA and other non-profits and they had a separate entrance than the YWCA besides the YWCA offices, there was NARAL and CWEALF (Where I was interning).

“Hi! I am the new intern at CWEALF.” and all he said was “Second floor to your right.”

And so began my internship.

I know that crossdessers dream of going to work as a woman but really it isn’t all that exciting, you are concentrating on your work, not your clothes.

My desk overlooked the Capitol and swiveling around in my chair I could look out and see the Capitol dome and one of my duties was to go down to the Capitol to pickup the mail and to drop-off the mail. (Yes, the legislature does have its own mail room and I also wrote a weekly newsletter that was sent to every legislator.), so I got to know the Legislative Office Building (LOB) pretty well.

Lobby Day

Another thing that I did as an intern was to organize a Lobby Day (Here I am helping trans people find their legislators).

Testifying on a trans bill 

There are no dress codes for the LOB; jeans, a tee shirt, and sneakers are perfectly fine but being from the old school I prefer business dress so I always wore slacks, a blouse, and flats. I feel that as a representative of a non-profit that I should present a positive profile.

After graduation I found myself giving testimony at public hearings. I also

Press conference at the LOB

have been part of press conferences, a couple of times the press conferences we held at the LOB in hearing chambers with different legislators including the US senators and congressmen. 

I am on a legislative committee and also the governor’s council on hate crimes so I have to look my best when I attend those meetings. Most of the other meetings that I attend are at various state agencies such as the Department of Aging and Disability Services.

With Dress Barn out of business and the wig store closed I have to find a new clothing source for plus size clothes. While for shoes I go to Footprints on the Berlin Turnpike, they care large size shoes and the staff will measure your foot. I have bought everything from ankle boots to sneakers to mid heel dress pumps.

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Switch day is usually either Saturday or Sunday when the motels or cottages usually end their week, those days are usually mobbed with people either coming to the Cape or leaving the Cape. For me it is the day I come or leave the Cape.