Counting the Costco of transgenderism

One of the annoyances of leading a double life is the problem of having ID and membership cards in the wrong name and with the wrong photo.

On a whim a while back, I contacted Costco customer services, said I am Transgender and asked if they would issue me an additional membership card in my girl name. The person I talked to could not have been more helpful. She said she would happily issue me a 2nd card as my own partner, and would put a note on the computer system saying I did not need to show any ID and with the briefest of explanations as to why. She apologised that she’d have to effectively ‘out’ me by doing that, but it was the only way to circumvent the ID requirement. I was fine with that. She really couldn’t have been more helpful and understanding. The card arrived in the post a few days later with a covering letter saying I needed to get my photo added to it and that would be done the first time I visited a branch of Costco.

Well, yesterday I finally got round to visiting Costco in girl mode and I went up to the membership desk and said I needed to have my photo done, and the girl asked if I had any ID, and I said there was a note on the computer about that. She looked it up, read it, gave a little grunt to herself and then with no further ado said “Oh,ok. No problem. If you’d like to just stand there on the X I’ll take your photo”. In moments it was all done. Card in hand, I then entered the main warehouse and started shopping. No problems.

I’d just like to say how brilliant Costco were for doing this. It gives me the flexibility to pop into Costco on the way into or out of Reading if I am going shopping there, without having to worry which mode I’m in.

So, anyway, here’s me in Costco yesterday!