Finally Dana

This post is my first in quite a while. My blog was started as a way for me to process my early transition. I am so grateful for the feedback I received and for the many of you who expressed thanks for my vulnerability and insight into the process of transition. I have comfortably assumed my place as a woman both professionally and personally and have not felt the need to process so many emotionally intense experiences. I don’t experience the same highs and lows associated with a new transition. I am content and feel much more secure in myself.

Some previous posts discuss the joy I feel when I am looked at as a positive role model by queer and questioning students, as well as when I have the chance to use my organizational authority to advocate for LGBTQ+ students and employees. I am excited to announce a new step in this journey. I am launching a consultation and speaking business in order to more intentionally share my knowledge and experiences in a way that will positively influence the lives of LGBTQ+ people everywhere. 

I am in the process of completing my dissertation which focuses on the experiences of transgender people who transition while working. This has given me the opportunity to learn best practices around organizational support, advocacy, and the legal implications of being outwardly and authentically oneself. 

My transition experience, as well as my academic pursuits, have allowed me to fill a unique and under-represented niche. While I am tempted to disappear into my identity as a woman and live a fully stealth life, I strongly believe that my role needs to be different. I have been blessed with so much, and I hope to provide what is needed to share those blessings with others.