It may be frightening at the outset to consider this long list of what issues and considerations you will have to face, but it is important to be realistic.  Not everything below will apply to you, and it is not an exhaustive list but most aspects will affect you.  Remember, you will have support on your journey, whether it is from family, friends, or other transgender people who have or are transitioning.  You need to face the following steps:

  • Psychiatric assessment confirming diagnosis.
  • Understanding of a lot of new information about transgender/gender identity.
  • How to obtain funding for treatment?
  • Telling all who need to know that you have gender dysphoria.
  • Beginning transition – taking the hormones and coming to terms with how they will affect you.
  • Living the ‘Real life experience’.  This is necessary prior to surgical treatment and involves living the new gender role full-time.
  • If you are in a relationship, what will happen to that relationship?
  • If you have children, will they be told, when and how?  Will you still have access?
  • Obtaining your gender recognition certificate.
  • What about your job?  Or how will it affect your trying to obtain employment?
  • Pension provision (if applicable).
  • Benefit entitlement (if applicable).
  • Possible media reporting of you and your transition.
  • Transphobic hate crime.
  • Continued counselling.
  • New clothing, purchase of binders, wigs, new footwear, artificial body parts.
  • Cosmetics, applying make-up.
  • Hair removal and speech therapy
  • Surgery  (top surgery and lower surgery)

Documents 

There are also many documents you may have to change.  Again, the list is not exhaustive!

  • Driving licence.
  • Passport.
  • Degrees and other qualifications.
  • GP and other medical service records e.g. optician, dentist.
  • Birth certificate, after grant of a gender recognition certificate
  • Tax and National Insurance records/
  • Human Resources records at work.
  • Pension records
  • Social Security Agency records.
  • Job Centre records.
  • Bank, Building Society records and cards; and Credit cards.
  • Personal and household insurance policies e.g. car insurance records
  • V5 car ownership records.
  • Mortgage or H.P. Agreements.
  • Utilities: Gas, Electricity, Mobile phone, Internet, Water, Phone
  • Rates
  • Electoral Roll

For information on how to go about changing your name and/or gender on these documents please refer to the Resources – Legal Documents section on this website.