New opportunity

That striking figure who now walked daily through the company lobby — elegant, confident, radiating femininity and professionalism — did not go unnoticed. Stunning and charismatic, Paulete quickly won over both coworkers and managers, not just for her looks but for the competence she demonstrated in every task, every meeting, and every small gesture of dedication. No one, looking at the confident woman she had become, could imagine the courage, effort, and resilience behind her presence there.

It had all begun a few months earlier, when the company launched a new diversity and inclusion campaign, with a clear goal: to increase female representation in strategic positions. The announcement energized the departments, and Paulo — then just another attentive employee — showed particular interest. He asked if the new openings would also be available to trans women. The answer was positive and welcoming. “Of course,” said the director, “true inclusion doesn’t have exceptions. That’s exactly what this project is about.”

That’s when Paulo, somewhat hesitantly, mentioned he knew someone who might be interested — a special woman, he said, who was only beginning to come out and still carried many fears and insecurities. The director, sensing something between the lines — and perhaps already suspecting the truth — not only embraced the idea but went further: he offered a kind of "transition support grant" so this candidate could start right away and make changes at her own pace over time. “It would be a symbolic example of everything we want to stand for,” he said.

The very next day, without fanfare or delay, Paulete arrived. Ready for work. Ready to be who she truly was.

Naturally, heads turned — with curiosity, but also with respect. It was clear there was a story behind the confident heels clicking down the hallway, behind the perfectly fitted blazer, behind the composed and assertive makeup. Some colleagues raised their eyebrows. Others smiled. But overall, the reception was warm — after all, there’s no charisma quite like that of someone finally at peace with themselves.

Behind the scenes, however, the director wasn’t as surprised as he pretended to be. As usual, the company’s internal systems monitored internet activity, and it hadn’t gone entirely unnoticed that Paulo — in another time, under another name — maintained an “alternative” social media profile where he openly expressed a hidden identity. “Secret,” perhaps, only to him.

Now, that profile had come to life in the real world, and what began as a quiet gamble on self-belief had blossomed into a true success story for the company’s diversity policy. Paulete made it clear, day after day, that she wasn’t an exception — she was the beginning of a new era.