I got Verified on Polywork.

Previous to this, I also received what is commonly referred to in the industry as a ‘swag box’. I’m not kidding. It’s pretty sweet:

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Now’s Your Chance to Be a Big Shot

Before progressing into my writeup, I want to also point out a few things:

You might wonder why I’m documenting this so much.

Well, kids, while looking for some of my personal branding (images I use to mark my web presence– I like to make everything look the same, because I actually have OCD and it makes me feel better), I realized that, ya girl does not fucking name her PSD files right. So, temporarily, I have lost the core files to one of my branding icons. It sucks, but I know it’s here, somewhere.

That being said, so many of my personal victories have been so ill-documented by me, that I wanted to document this one thoroughly. This is not some sort of expose, or me yelling at them. I just want to make sure that I list everything down while it’s fresh in my mind.

Because, well, remember when I got Verified on Vid.me?

I don’t know where any of the evidence of that even is, anymore. I have a screenshot, and that’s it.

I want this one to last.

That being said, the person who on-boarded me, the Community Manager for Polywork, also liked one of my tweets:

By on-boarding, I mean, after I sent the below tweet, they sent me an e-mail, lightning quick (Feb 7, 2:29 P.M.), with a link to input information to get Verified. And while I do not feel comfortable sharing the e-mail (it is both kind of private, and contains lots of information that I feel is detrimental to share, even when I redact everything), they were extremely nice, and–

Let’s just get right to the point.

I’m a fucking funny cartoon animal on the Internet.

Not to denigrate myself. But, when you have a place that’s filled with actual professionals, with careers, the fact that the people at Polywork even dealt with my goofy ass is a kindness that is both welcome and I really fucking appreciate it. I am humbled, I believe the word to be. As in, I am humbled by your kindness, and your generosity. And, don’t worry: just like I supported Vid.me in all its endeavors, I’m gonna support you.

I mean, it’s not quid pro quo. I’m just very grateful. And a bit weepy.

Now then! On with the show!

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The Timeline of How This Happened

I’m just gonna preface this by saying that I’m a sour susan. I don’t have much faith in anything; and I have even less faith in Humanity. I’ve needed a win, for a bit, now. I mean, last night, I had to fix a toilet. I’m not above fixing a toilet, but– you ever see how gummed up it gets inside the tank of one of those things? That tank hadn’t been cleaned once in 30 years. I pressed down with my finger on something in the fixture, and I thought it was going to be hard; but, it was… not hard. It was soft.

I wanted to die.

Anyways. So, that’s what happened, the night before I got Verified. Even during the time I was writing this, I was still tinkering around with it, and I finally got it fixed, again. So, that’s where I’m coming from.

Anyways.

How I Got Verified — The Step by Step

So, on about December 31st, 2021, after being let into Polywork on December the 29th of that year, I submitted for Verification.

And that was about it, for a little bit. I had been informed by the modal that there would be a bit of a wait; about a month or so, I believe.

Also previously, I had gotten onto the wait list, on July 24th of 2021. I had joined, because, being particularly negative, yet suspiciously optimistic and hopeful, I wanted to get in on the ground floor of a social media network that might replace Twitter. I knew that Polywork wouldn’t replace Twitter; but, having used Polywork for a bit, I think it’s going to replace LinkedIn, eventually. At least in the world of tech. And while I say that, feeling good that they’ve treated me so nicely, I really do believe that.

I was nice for two reasons: one, I feel really bad when I’m mean, and, two, these people spent a lot of money on me, giving me free stuffs. I wasn’t going to be demanding.

I asked them this at 2:04 P.M. The same day, 25 minutes later, at 2:29 P.M., their Community Manager on-boarded me, giving me the link to fill out to get Verified. That is an outstanding response time. I was expecting maybe 1-2 days at the fastest; or, if it was like Twitter, a week’s time. I was fully prepared to wait another month. Nope: 2:29 P.M. I filled it out as fast as I could, and I think I submitted at around 3:22 P.M. of the same day.

On February 8th, 2022, at 2:44 P.M., I was Verified on Polywork.

Considering I had just woken up (I overslept for work), this… this made me feel really good.

I don’t know much else what to say. I think that’s the full accounting of this.

Thank you, Polywork. I really appreciate it.

OH WAIT; i FORGOT completely why I started writing this article.

They didn’t have any problem with me being Trans.

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It’s easy to get Verified on Polywork… even if you’re trans like me!

When it comes to being trans, my greatest fear is that I’m somehow being disingenuous, or, I’m being deceitful in a way I don’t intend. Even though everybody who matters, accepts my given, chosen name, I find it important to let people know: I have a different legal name. For the most part I like to protect it, because I really don’t like people calling me by my deadname when they’re being mean to me, online; but, when I feel it appropriate, I readily share my legal details with authorities, and companies who need it for safety and legal reasons.

To give you some examples of this: Twitter knows my deadname, my address, and even my bank account details (I was accepted into the Paid Ticketed Spaces program). From previous errors on their part, they also knew everything but my bank account details (because I had to give them that information, to file tickets). It’s the same with Facebook, and I think Instagram? Definitely YouTube and Amazon. YouTube and Amazon and Steam all have my social security number, and as much legal information as they requested.

That being said, my chosen name is not the same as my legal name. The barrier to getting it changed, in the U.S., but especially where I live, seems so great that I don’t really want to risk it. Plus, the moment I get stopped by a cop, and they see ‘Margaret’ on my driver’s license, I’m dead. It would also be a hassle at the DMV, amongst other places, I believe.

At times, I feel as though I’m a bit of a coward for remaining in the closet. I know for a fact, though, that my life would immediately become many times worse. So, I remain as closeted as can be, in public.

I’m not ‘scared’; but, I would prefer to remain closeted, in my day-to-day life, as it were. I don’t think I would be very safe if everyone where I lived knew that I’m trans. I’d survive, of course. But it’s… well. it’s easier to hide, in the real world, than to be my authentic self, like I can be, online. Sad, I know.

All that having been said, I don’t believe I really look like a ‘Margaret’; nor does any of the legal information I had to give to Polywork, through a Verification portal, match anything about my online presence (pretty much). So, I was emotionally and mentally preparing myself for some sort of conversation, where I would have to tell them: I’m trans. I know it doesn’t match. How can I prove to you that I’m me? I genuinely have no problem with people doubting the information I’m presenting, as the names do not match. For the longest, I thought that this was why I was not getting Verified. Like, at Twitter.

Polywork did not even ask any questions.

So that had absolutely nothing to do with as to why I wasn’t getting Verified at other places. Of course, they could have different methodologies; but, given that Polywork has the most-rigorous Verification standards for identity that I’ve seen (only Pornhub seems to have a similar, rigorous identity-checking system; but even theirs is not as good as Polywork’s), I would say that being trans was not the problem.

Given that I had previously given Polywork my legal name and address, and tied it to my account, when they asked where to send the Swag Box, I suppose I should not be surprised. Probably though, I wouldn’t think they’d check that. So, they… trusted me. Or something. I don’t know.

Whatever happened, it made me feel really, really good.

I guess it should come as no surprise, given that I’m Verified on Amazon as Margaret Gel (and Amazon has my deadname and legal information; they’re accustomed to dealing with authors who have pseudonyms, so I guess that might be where that came from); and I’m Verified on Google and Bing as Margaret. Bing has none of my legal information; but Google does. And they had no problem accepting that I was trans.

Honestly, Verification is usually something where nobody is really checking, I think. It’s about getting people to use your service: and people who get Verified, they’re usually people that the service wants on the service. Headliners, or ideal users. I’m not saying I’m either on Polywork. But I will say this: I feel accepted, and welcome.

I guess I’m going off on a tangent, here. Still, this was a very good day, and I thank Polywork, a lot.

I hope you actually topple LinkedIn.

UPDATE: March 6th, 2022

i found the pen. I thought they forgot it, but, nope— my poor vision, and the color of the funfetti, I couldn’t see it. Here it is! c(◕ᴗ◕✿)

it writes a lot better than all my other pens, even the Japanese schoolwork pens I’ve been collecting.

i’ll treasure it foreva (◡ᴗ◡✿)