Yesterday after rehearsal I came out as transgender to the orchestra director where I play. I was still attending rehearsals dressed as male but yesterday I decided it was time to come out. I had a feeling that the director, being the chill guy that he is, would be okay with it. I told him, and it went as good as I could have hoped for. He even said "Good for you!" enthusiastically. He then told me to email him my new name and pronouns to help him remember. After I said all that and went back to my car, I literally started weeping in joy. It was huge for me. While I work in several different music groups for work, this is the first workplace where I'll be able to be myself. I'm still a long ways from being able to be a woman full time but I'm getting there. It is in moments like this when I have to say I am grateful for those before me who fought to make this possible; those people that have been and are still fighting for trans rights and making us visible and getting rid of the negative stigma that it used to have. I feel great and I feel liberated, even though i still have a ways to go.