I'm doing 34 things
The space on the form for “What is the reason for changing your name?” is so small: one box with three lines. I could fill pages. I could also tidily sum it up with “Because I can / Because I want to”, but I don’t want to write something pithy and risk them thinking I’m not taking it seriously enough. I started writing down my reasons in a list so I could pick the best “official” one for the government form. But when I had them stacked up one after the other like that, I didn’t like the idea of picking just one. I also remembered I’d always intended to attach a letter and at this point I’m thinking that’s what I’ll do, writing “Please see attached sheet” in the reasons box. It’s nothing unreasonably long, but why is really important to me, and I think it’s also important that this official document actually reflects the full truth.
The more I live with my new name in my head, the more I think I’m making the right decision. The more I think I’m making the right decision, the less I care about the consequences if others disagree with that decision. I cannot live my life for other people, and ultimately whether or not people choose to be a part of my life is as much up to them as it is up to me. I’ll give people time, but I’m getting increasingly confident about just going ahead and making the change without fearing the consequences. It’s been a lifetime coming!
