You were so excited when you finally got accepted for that new job.
You had been job hunting for far too long and it was beginning to have a serious effect on your mental health, not to mention your finances.
And this job was a dream! You'd be doing exciting work, it paid very well and the perks were really good.
But as you scanned through the offer letter, you noticed something unusual...
"...All employees will be required to wear attire befitting a woman in a professional office environment..."
You weren't sure if it was an error or you were misunderstanding. So you sent an email, looking for clarification and sure enough you got one back confirming it.
"All employees regardless of gender will be required to dress in a manner typically expected of women in office environments
We take the way our employees present themselves very seriously at our company and failure to meet these standards will be met with disciplinary action, up to and including termination of contract"
You couldn't believe it, the idea of having to wear a skirt and heels was preposterous, how could that possibly be company policy? In your frustration you began to write a strongly worded response, but then you remembered how long you'd been looking, how much you needed this job. So, realising you had no choice, you signed and sent back the contract.
So you asked a friend for help, and she took great pleasure in helping you pick out your new wardrobe, insisting on shorter pencil skirts and tighter blouses.
You suspected that she was enjoying herself a little too much as she made you model the 5th outfit for her, and you were certain the stilettos she had you in were not practical but you needed her help and you needed this job, so you kept your protests to a minimum.
Even when you got to makeup and she insisted on a full face with contour, highlighter and a shade of lipstick that was far from natural, you kept your mouth shut and let her make you pretty. And once she was done you learned to do it yourself.
And when your first day arrived, you were able to take a small pride in how well you'd met the challenge.
That was, of course, until you saw other employees in trousers, slacks, loafers and even suits. You couldn't believe it! But it was too late to turn back so you pushed on.
Your manager met you with open arms and a warm smile, she gushed about your outfit and expressed how glad she was you were embracing the company culture. She went on to explain that while femminine attire is required the company does like to encourage "a mix of butches and femmes" as she put it and she was just thrilled that you'd be joining as a "fellow femme".
Once again you were dumbfounded, a woman's cut suit and basic makeup would have sufficed but you had spent close to the last of your savings on your new wardrobe and certainly would have to wait till your first paycheck to get any more clothes now.
And all that time your manager was happily taking you under her wing, complementing your outfits and giving you makeup tips, your friend kept sending you links to outfits she thought you'd look cute in and before long you were dressing femme even outside of work and going on dates with a handsome butch in your department with a husky voice and piercing eyes.
And just a few short months later, as your manager gushed about how well you'd settled in, you found yourself forgetting you were ever a boy at all...













