Michael Wallent leaves Microsoft

Owen Thomas — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 17:00:21 EST

Wednesday was Michael Wallent's last day of work at Microsoft. Not because the fast-rising executive, previously responsible for the Internet Explorer browser, quit, or was fired. Nothing of the sort. Rather, on Monday, he'll begin a course of surgeries that will allow him to return to his job in January as Megan Wallent. Wallent, who came out as transgender earlier this fall, has started blogging about the experience.

On the blog, titled, "M(): From Michael to Megan," Wallent shares experiences unflinchingly — like the time an employee asked if he planned to wax his arms. Answer: No, because waxing is ineffective. Only laser hair removal does the job. Wallent takes a similarly practical approach to the problem of changing gender in official documents, drawing on his experience as a program manager at Microsoft to map out the critical path through bureaucracy.

But Wallent also takes an introspective turn, quoting Bob Dylan lyrics. If you want to know what it's like to be transgendered, the words from this song may give you some insight:

I'm living in a foreign country, but I'm bound to cross the line
Beauty walks a razor's edge; someday I'll make it mine
If I could only turn back the clock to the time when I was born
"Come in" she says, I'll give you shelter from the storm

It's a useful reminder that blogging doesn't have to be about money or ego or self-indulgence. Sometimes it's about embarking on a journey, and being generous enough to take your readers with you.

Microsoft's sex change

Owen Thomas — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:01:41 EDT

Michael Wallent, a general manager at Microsoft, will return to work in January as Megan Wallent. He came out to colleagues as transgender last month, first in person and then by email. Wallent says he encountered nothing but support — mixed, of course, with some awkward curiosity. That's unremarkable. Microsoft is located in the progressive Pacific Northwest, where one's less likely to raise an eyebrow at Wallent's self-discovery and more likely to worry about the politically correct term to describe it. (For the record, "sex change" is considered derogatory by many; the preferred word is "transitioning.") He's unlikely to encounter blatant transphobia on the job. He should worry instead about plain old-fashioned sexism. How will Wallent's developers react when they come to work on January 2 and it hits them: They're working for a girl?

This is a company that as of late last year counted only 100 women among its top 900 executives — those Wallent's rank and higher. In becoming Megan, he'll only improve that ratio by 0.1 percent.

Wallent argues, passionately and convincingly, that it won't matter. His track record of shipping products — including Internet Explorer and, more recently, the foundations of Microsoft's Silverlight Web software — are what will count. His reputation as a thoughtful manager, he says, will matter more than his gender.

Wallent believes the stereotype of Microsoft management — the table-pounding, chest-thumping, loudest-voice-wins culture usually caricatured as sweaty, chair-throwing, white-boy-dancing CEO Steve Ballmer — is a thing of the past. What's prized now is a mellower meritocracy, where the best ideas bubble up to the top through managerial encouragement and support. He says the best compliment he's gotten from his charges recently is being called "Coach," one of the most nurturing labels one can put on a man. That praise may become easier when Michael becomes Megan. Goodbye, Coach; hello, Mom.

Wallent hopes that when he comes back to work, "maybe there are some questions, and then we move on and I keep doing the work I've been doing for 11 years." But at 6'2", Megan Wallent will cut a striking figure.

A question not for Wallent, but for his company: Can a woman, transgendered or otherwise, thrive at Microsoft? Has the culture moved away from its testosterone roots and embraced a way that's more friendly to women as managers? In a few weeks, Megan Wallent will find out for herself.

(Photo by Channel9)

Gawker: valleywag, michael wallent

Michael Wallent leaves Microsoft

Microsoft's sex change