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Notes -
I'm a trans woman and I agree. Coming out is going to be weird, and you're going to have an awkward period there no matter what. A lot of advice stresses that HRT is less than 50% of passing anyway (well, going MtF. Might be more FtM with beard and voice breaking and the ability to wear jeans without getting weird looks). A legal name change does seem a bit excessive though.
If you're hoping to transition without any awkwardness, inconvenience, or disruption to your life, the Standards of Care were hardly the biggest issue.
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