I am not surprised at all but you did the right thing and are in short trail-blazing the path for others. I lived with this for a long time when living as a female with my bank accounts in my male name. Of course after a year on hormone replacement treatment I simply could not hide it anymore and went to the bank manager, told him about me.

After telling the bank manager I got even better service i.e. when I came in for anything and he was there or his assistant (a female) would call me over to their desk asking how they could help. Once my name officially changed the congratulated me and took care of changing all accounts to my new female name.

Many are under the assumption that one must wait until after gender reassignment surgery to change their name and gender on documents but with the right therapist (like mine) they can write a letter stating it is okay for you to change name and gender. I did this one month prior to surgery which was her recommendation so that travelling would be easier. As it was nobody question me but was grateful that my ticket had a female name on it. So if ready, consider looking into changing your name and gender.

Ya know... here's something that some of these ignorant, inconsiderate people should consider --

I worked with a guy who's LEGAL name was an obviously female name.  His mother did not read or write very well, and she spelled the name she wanted to give her son the best she could.  Just turned out that her misspelling was not only a real name, that name was spelled correctly, and it was a name for a girl.

On the flip side of that coin, I met a woman who's father had wanted a boy so bad, that she ended up bestowed with the name her father had chosen for his son before she was born.  Apparently, his word was rule and her mum had no say in the matter even though the much wanted son ended up being a girl.

I have no idea how often these things happen, but it's proof that we are not the only ones that don't always have the gendered name that people expect us to have.  Unless there is reason to believe there is illegal activity occurring, people need to learn how to respect people, and stop taking it upon themselves to try "educate" a person about his/her name.

Anywhoooooooooo, years ago, I ran across something online where a lawyer somewhere had pretty much destroyed the traditional stand by courts to deny a person a change to a name that did not match their gender - I wished I had saved it.  But no matter, to the best of my knowledge, no court can any longer deny a person a change to the name of their choice as long as the reason is not for any illegal purpose.

Warren has recently legally changed his name and he has not begun any medical transition.  You might want to check out three of his blogs about his name change (if you haven't already seen them).  Perhaps he will even share with you the steps he took.  Process may be a little different where you live, but the information might still be helpful.

Frustrated but hopeful
Chaos has Swallowed me whole
MISSION SUCCESSFUL!!!

The ignorant people who slag off trans people are just sheep, lazy, mindless and flock together because everyone else does, and are incapable of thinking for themselves, perhaps the only thoughts in their heads are it's always been this way and so it must be right, and anyway everyone else thinks the same.  

They need to wake up and realise that the world is changing..............fast in civilised countries.

Process for name / title, and acquired gender in the UK is anyone can have as many names as they want, that being said it doesn't satisfy many organisations, a statement of name change is a free document in the web but again doesn't satisfy all, the easiest sure way of doing it is to get a UK Deed Poll Service Deed of Change of Name and Title (Deed Poll). Acquired Gender Change can then happen with a doctors letter (stating that you are undergoing gender identity dysphoria treatment and are likely to remain as female for the foreseeable future), and certified copy or original Deed Poll, appropriate fees, and forms filled in be sent to Passport Office and Driving Licence centre for new documents, They will come back stating that you are female.