<p>Hello, I am a transgender student majoring in social work.. this is my first year of college this fall. Legally I am Steven but as I am transitioning from MTF (Male to Female) I prefer to be called Stevii (yes double "i"). My question is whether it is appropriate to introduce myself as my preferred name to professors and other students.. Can I hand in my assignments without running into any problems with my preferred name on it? Being called Stevii makes me feel validated in my own skin, so it would be a bummer to go into college with a name that doesn't match my identity. Thanks, I'd like a few opinions!</p>
<p>Preferred name for introductions, absolutely. For assignments, I’d use your legal name unless you are in a small class and explain to your instructor that you’d rather use your other name and see if that’s ok.</p>
<p>Also, it might save a lot of problems if you just legally change your name before college.</p>
<p>Thanks, I will definitely introduce myself using my preferred name, that is obvious. And I suppose for assignments I could leave my professor a little note explaining to him or her my situation… </p>
<p>Also I’m not so sure if I’m ready to legally change my name yet. I’m starting HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) 3 days before classes begin and I honestly feel like I’m still juggling around with my gender identity. A legal name change will probably come a lot later in the future…</p>
<p>^ ditto everything Romanigypsyeyes said. I would suggest that to friends and people you meet you introduce yourself as Stevii. Also in most the large lectures you professors will most likely not know you my your name anyway so but your legal name on all of your assignments and exams to avoid confusion.</p>
<p>Thank you! Your right, I don’t want any mixups when it comes to my work that would just be a hotmess.</p>
<p>Don’t leave your prof a note. Either go talk to him/her or use your legal name.</p>
<p>Also, I’m very surprised that you’re starting hormone therapy before you’re even ready to change your name. Everyone I know who has gone through this has legally changed their names and lived as the opposite gender for quite some time before going through the medical procedures. </p>
<p>Either way, good luck!</p>
<p>As an immigrant, I have the same problem. I just use my “English” name and eventually people associate my Korean name with me as well. It helps since I am the only one in school with my last name.</p>
<p>I would actually recommend using your preferred name for everything, simply explaining to the professor if you have to. When you turn in assignments and the like, they’ll easily be able to identify you, if you’re using the same last name, since Stevii is identifiable with Steven. If a Jonathan Smith turned in an exam that said Jon Smith, I doubt anyone would complain, since it’s easily identifiable as the same person. Professors from small classes will know, and professors from large classes usually just use last name to organize exams and papers and the like.</p>
<p>All of my professors asked us at the beginning of the term what we preferred to go by. For some reason, my middle name was often used on the roll. I’ve never actually gone by that, so I always had to correct my professor with my first name, but it was never an issue.</p>
<p>In my large 200 person class, it was finding our name on a sheet an selecting the number beside it.</p>
<p>Quite a large amount of people don’t go by their legal names, so it shouldn’t be an issue. In a small class, just say you prefer to go by Stevii. In a larger class where you’re not really communicating individually with the professor, just turn in things with the name Steven.</p>
<p>Have you thought about contacting your school to see if you can have Stevii put on the registrar’s list? I know a lot of schools ask for a Legal Name and then a Preferred Name and then end up using the preferred name on rosters.</p>
<p>I think a good rule to use is if your name can easily be connected to your face in a certain scenario (small classes, meeting people, signing up for clubs, etc), use Stevii. In a scenario where you could get lost in the shuffle (large classes, school-wide things, something you have to fill out a scantron for, etc), use Steven. </p>
<p>I do think that people tend to ask you what name you prefer in most situations though. My name is often shortened to something else, so everyone (professors, TAs, other students) always asks me what nickname I might prefer, though I just like being called my actual name, nothing shortened. </p>
<p>If there is an LGBT center on your campus, I am sure there are other transgender students who could give you better advice for your specific school, as well as help and support in other areas.</p>
<p>If you want to explain your situation to professors in smaller classes, that’s your choice, but you don’t have to. Most will respect your preferences if you just ask them to please call you Stevii instead because that’s the name you go by. If they forget, politely remind them.</p>
<p>I go by a shorter version of my first name simply because I don’t like the full version. If I’m in a smaller class, I always correct my professor when they call my name on roll the first day. Most of them immediately write down the shortened version beside my name for future reference, and all of them eventually use it since I write it on all my papers and all my friends in class use it. Occasionally people like administrators will use my full name but I just cringe a little and forget about it. It’s not a big deal to me, but your situation is a little bit different. Once you feel more comfortable with your gender identity, I’d suggest a legal change. It is your name, after all.</p>