Almost pre-ordained! That's what happens when the genie comes out of the bottle, especially when you throw the bottle away!

Good Luck Christie!

Eve x

Congratulations on moving forward!!!

From personal experience dressing androgynous before surgery before actually publicly announcing my gender change I had a discussion with my boss then HR about changing gender. HR when I asked about restrooms said there was no policy so i was free to use either or. Since dressing androgynously I used the men's room. Now mind you I was not wearing skirts or wearing makeup (and pretty much 99.99 percent of the time don't wear makeup to this day). I thus was fine using the men's room and told HR once I had my surgery a public statement would be given by me which included I would be using the woman's restroom.

Guess what I am saying is that my recommendation is use the restroom which fits how you are dressing rather than how you feel. If you do this most likely others will feel comfortable which should mean you will be more comfortable. If you do decide to use the woman's restroom I would recommend sending a company wide email out alerting others of your intentions so they are properly prepared.

Christie,

Similar to Karen when I dressed androgynously I used the male toilets, but if I dressed female I used the womens loos. There's an almost protocol over here that if you dress female and are reasonably convincing you use the womens.

Anyway it reminds me of my first time out dressed as female, my boobs were nothing more than mole hills at that time, so I didn't have much confidence at all. Anyway two of my full-time trans friends decided that it'd be good to take me out shopping in Birmingham city centre............. I was nervous as hell. Anyway out we went and it came to pass that I needed the loo for more than a pee, nervousness I guess. Anyway we went into the Bullring (really large new shopping mall), and I nervously went into the ladies, and darted into the first cubicle available to me, conducted my business and reached for the toilet paper.....................which wasn't there, so that's why there were queues for the other cubicles and not this one , Eve you're such a Jackass! I couldn't ask next door for some paper because my voice is not very female, and I envisaged screams of there's a man in the ladies loos, and security guards coming in to remove me...................oh shit what will I do? I then remembered that my wife had made me put two packs of paper hankies in my hand bag. Anyway you might be able to imagine my relief............and it makes an amusing story now.

Point of the above parable is to be prepared and keep paper hankies in your handbag!

Cheers,

Eve

Eve, I totally agree about carrying paper hankies, in my case I carry tissues and several pantie liners.

All great suggestions! I think the hang-up for me is figuring out how female I am presenting.  Chances are good that it's more than I think.

I met an old friend for lunch last week (we were friends since we were 3 or 4 years old), we went to a restaurant in a small town near where we grew up (so very suburban).  Each time the waitress came over she referred to us as "ladies."  What made it nicer was that I hadn't done much as far as make-up, so even with fairly minimal effort I seen to present fairly female.

Dearest Friends,

Must confess that more than once I went into a restroom cubicle only to find no toilet paper there . . . figuring out too late why it was available!  Also always carry tissues with me with this in mind.

Also heartily agree with you that dressing androgynously for a year or two before starting HRT is an important step in transitioning.  

Monica

Here is a picture I just took (after battling with my phone camera - it kept making my face red).

Anyway, this is with wig and some make-up (eye liner, mascara, blush, and lipstick). I'm curious how female people think I look in this? For example, if you saw me in a ladies room would you wonder why a man in a wig was there

In regards to the photo, if I saw you I would be drawn to your face thinking not female so walk into the ladies room with pride. 

Madame Christie,

Vous recherchez une femme charmante et tres. No worries, now just believe in yourself !

Christie,

Am a cisgender female and I feel you pass perfectly!  

Monica