Negotiating feminism post transition

[sissy-bloke.livejournal.com]

Some context: I'm not exactly "post" transition, as it's still a work in progress, but I get read as male close to 100% of the time. I grew up in a very feminist family, and spent many years living as a masculine woman and that history forms a big part of my identity. As someone now living as male, I'm having a little trouble with some of the intricacies. 

Do I get to call myself a feminist? I hope I am, and I try to be one, but as a man, do I have the right to decide if I get to use that label?

If a woman says something is misogynistic, a man doesn't get to disagree, but what about the opposite? What if I think something is misogynistic, and my female friends disagree?

As an example, the poster for the alien movie "Paul" has him wearing a T-shirt that reads "Only girls phone home" and that bugged the crap out of me, because I felt it says girl=wimp, but my wife and female best friend said "I get what you're saying, but eh, it doesn't bug me."

SRS and outing yourself to your insurance...

[jess-on-toast.livejournal.com]

So I know that it's probably a one-in-a-million chance that my health insurance will actually cover SRS (it's an Aetna HMO).  However, I want to at least check and see if they'll cover it before I resign myself to shelling out a buttload of money out-of-pocket.

What I worry about is them finding out about the tran and then doing something like denying the coverage of my hormones.  My endo has me diagnosed as having "premature ovarian failure," which he says is fine because my ovaries failed before I was born.  All of my information says I am female (social security, driver's license, birth certificate).  I've had my current job, and thus insurance, for about two and a half years now.

So, does anyone know if I would be at risk for getting booted off of my meds if I out myself to insurance and ask about SRS coverage?  I've already tried *not* outing myself and contacting Aetna, but they won't give me any useful information.

Any information anyone can spare on the subject would be greatly appreciated!

Binder stuffs!

[anakhe.livejournal.com]

 HEY GUYS! Guess what! I has a binder :3 I is a happy muffin. I ordered it from Underworks. Ordered it last Tuesday (the 14th), and it got in the mail yesterday (Tuesday). I got the extra-small 997 black binder and Have started to get to putting it on by myself. I put it on, and used a couple of techniques that I saw on youtube.At first I just tried to put it on like a shirt. Didn't work. I tried to put it on over my legs. Wouldn't fit over hips. I put my arms through, then my head and had my close friend help me out with putting it on. Was able to put it on, had to adjust my moobs to the side and my friend took a picture of me and I was FLAT. I mean, the way I'm compressed makes me look like I have formidable pectorals. 
It's comfortable! Last two days I've been wearing black (it's been about 25-30 degrees Celsius lately), and It's not too hot. People tend to have fears that binders are too hot. Then again, it's usually bigger guys who have to layer. I can simply wear one layer. I haven't been able to pass since I got the binder, though, simply because I decided to wear some of my old girl clothes (desperately need to do laundry). And so, of course, my flubbies sort of hang out. I hope that once I'm back in guy clothes I'll be able to pass waaay better.  Right, was mentioning the female clothes. I've lost a lot of wait. I mean, I'm not fat or large or anything, but I've started to lose the femmy fat (soon those flubbies will be gone!) and my thighs are starting to get smaller. I've been quite active lately.
So, yes, if you're wondering, the binder isn't too hot (I have the black version, too). I can breathe! When I use tensor bandage, I couldn't move in certain ways because it would hurt quite a lot. I can move quite freely. I wasn't expecting the binder to feel like, well, mesh. It's interesting. 
Hrmm, the only complaints I have with the binder is it rolls. I'm trying to keep my flubbies compressed so I have it going quite low. But once I can hide in looser clothing, I think I'll either cut it under the ribs area or roll it up. And then there's the fact that it's really hard to get on. This morning I was somehow able to manage to get it on. Hrmm, it sort of cuts into the backs of my armspits. I sort of want to cut away at the arm holes a bit. And I think my last complaint is that it sort of compresses my clavicles.

 

Onto miscellaneous things. I'm going to be making my mum get health care for us, and if she doesn't, I will be going to to get it myself and say that I'm an independent minor. And then I'll be able to get a reference letter to Warnake, the only TG Gatekeeper in Edmonton. According to two of my MTF friends told me that he was treating a 15 year old. So hopefully I'll be able to get to talk to him. (One of said friends is getting her surgery next March 13th, she's incredibly happy about it ^^) Anyway, I've found out that I have the range of a Tenor which excites me because it means I'm able to do things by ear (I've been learning music for the past year and a half), and that I can have a deep voice pre-T.

So, I guess this should conclude my post.

Surgery Disclosure

[kasumi-astra.livejournal.com]

I've recently been for a job interview with a company that I really like. I think they quite like me too. At what point should I disclose my need for six weeks worth of leave for SRS?

First, some background. In the past, I've disclosed my trans identity at interview, and asked about equal opportunities. This was because I was less confident about passing and because I was at an earlier point in my career. In my most recent job, I did not disclose at all; I did not feel a need to and felt confident in my chances of being employed. Now I am thinking about moving on again, and my referral to SRS is due. I'm not anticipating a date to be sent to me in the next three months, and I think it's likely that my date for surgery won't be until early 2012.

*I* know the surgery is coming, but I feel that because I don't have a date, it is inappropriate to declare the need for leave at the interview or the offer stage. Indeed, until I have the referral, the surgery isn't happening period - but I know it's practically certain.

Also, my SRS referral has already been delayed by six months while gamete storage and fertility treatment is concluded. It is taking longer than expected to restore fertility, and at the very least this process is expected to continue for another ten weeks. It is possible that my referral will be further delayed until I have the definitive date for SRS. This, I believe, would be the *right* point to disclose the need for leave, professionally.

My worst fear is that when my date comes through, the point at which I have to declare need for leave (my preference is when I actually get the referral) comes very quickly after the commencement of my employment and jeopardises my relationship with my new employer. I feel that declaring too early will risk my prospects of employment, and also misrepresent the surgery as something I would be otherwise "concealing". I fear that waiting too late will lead to the belief that I had "concealed" something important at interview.

Feedback would be most welcome. Thanks :-)