Megan Leyman

The whole transitioning process that I have been going through since 2019, has been an interesting one. It can be scary at times. 

But what happens when you are an adult and are working? How has the whole work situation changed since I’ve become Megan? 

Well, I thought I would dedicate this post all to it, I will talk about previous and current employment, but I will hold off saying the company I am working for even though I am not going to say anything bad about them. 

I confess even though I am currently 33, I didn’t get my first job until I was 23, up to the age of 20 I had a paper route in the mornings for the spare money for things while I was in college. 

It was only after college, I realised that I should have looked for a job years ago, but hey everyone has their regrets, right?  

Cut to around 3 years after being on the dole/jobseeker’s allowance and some time in a local charity shop for retail experience, I got my first job working for a concession in Debenhams selling suitcases! 

I was nervous at first but while I was there for five years, I learnt how to deal with customers and be more open with myself. As I wasn’t a proper Debenhams employee, I didn’t have a uniform so I wore eccentric shirts that would stand out and I loved them. As a I had a good flow of money for once from this part time job, I did try crossdressing again as I wasn’t sure of myself and that kind of leaked into work as I wore nail polish occasional to match my flashy shirts. 

I motto/saying I found out this time was “People don’t care what do you do, unless you give them a reason to” and I learnt that the hard way when I came in wearing some makeup and I kept on going on about, that much that one of the female collogues who I got along with took me aside to berate me about women aren’t just about makeup etc. and she was right.  

So, during the time there, I was convinced that I wanted to see someone professional about it, so first I went to the doctor about it whom after talking to her for a while, was sure I had Gender Dysphoria, so I was referred to Gender Services.  

If you read my blog post about my speech training so far, you know I waited over 5 years to be seen and the wait for Gender Services took around that, I think 6 years? 

I left Debenhams in late 2017 around Christmas time for some full-time work, I won’t go into the history of the jobs I had between there and my current job but all I can say was it was eventful few months from a manager who hated my guts from the start who didn’t hide it to a dream job that I didn’t last long in. 

It was towards late 2018 that I got a job in one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets in my area. Thankfully due to my previous years in a retail experience it helped me get a good role, around Christmas time I finally heard back from Gender Services for an appointment. 

So really, I was at my current job for about a year as Matthew before speaking to my manager about my history and what I wanted to do. I wanted to go on a trip to Japan with one of my best friends as Matthew and when I come back, I will change my name and start my transition. 

I went to Japan in November 2019 and when I came back, I sent my deed poll to change my name legal from Matthew to Megan, as mentioned previously I never consulted my family beforehand and did it on my own accord and I will always regret that but what is done, is done. 

Work was very understanding to be honest; I can’t say anything bad I really can’t. They helped me get a new locker in the women’s changing rooms and I confess I was nervous at first at that and I decided to wear false inserts in my bra to help with the new appearance (which I still do now). I think it took a while for everyone to get used to this change, but they are ok with me now, I haven’t had any issues with any fellow work colleagues. Of course, at first, they took a while to call me Megan instead of Matthew but that was to be expected and I told them it was ok if they made the mistake, it would obviously take time. 

^ Me on a night out with work last year^

This has made me wonder, what would have happened if I saw the doctors about my gender identity years before I did, what would have happened if I started my transition at Debenhams instead of where I am now? 

Maybe I would have been a bit slimmer and possibly have had surgery by the time you are reading this, I like to think I wouldn’t have been as accepted then as I am now but could be wrong as there was only person in Debenhams who was trans, and they were going the opposite way to me and they didn’t seem to have any issue. 

We can always ponder on what could have happened but without a time machine, it will always be a thought. 

With that, I think that is it for this post, if you got any questions please ask them down below 😊 

Megan