02 July 2015

Freddie Really DidSomething

Before I started living full-time as a woman, I saw a therapist and social worker every week for a year.  And I saw them weekly for the first two years in my life as I am.

Both of them thought one of the most difficult--or at least intense--parts of my transition would be "coming out" in the college where I was teaching at the time.  About 800 faculty members taught and mentored 17,000 students; even though I planned to  announce my new name and identity only to my department chair and colleagues, and to all relevant administrators, I knew that word--and rumors--about it, and me, would spread quickly. I think that my therapist and social worker knew that would be just the beginning!

Still, if I include everyone in that college as well as family members, friends and others with whom I was in regular contact, I "came out" to, at most, about 30,000 people.  

I can only imagine what it would like to come out to two million!  That is what someone named "Alysha" did in introducing himself as "Freddie", a transgender male.

For three years, he'd been sending subscribers to DoSomething.org tips on recycling and other ways to do social good.  Now, it seems, he is teaching by example:  He talked about his struggles to come to terms with his identity and offered advice, encouragement or simply explanation to anyone who wants it.

He sure is doing something!