I honestly did not know what to expect when we began this project. The transgender community was a mystery to me, and aside from a few individuals I've met through community events, I can't say that I have ever had a chance to know someone beyond a hello within the gender-expansive community. Enter Lillian Lennon.
Lillian (she – her – hers) was the perfect freedom fighter to begin our project with. She embodies exactly what we were hoping for. Lillian is very well-spoken and carries with her a passion to help the LGBTQIA+ community. Her interview provided clarification on pronouns and the need for more education within the community when it comes to being an advocate for gender-expansive individuals. The aspect that stuck with me the most after Lillian's interview, was what we learned about pronouns. I've seen the additions to email signatures and have met people that directly provide pronouns before a meeting or as part of an introduction, and didn't take them as seriously as I should have. It was something that I didn't think was that important, and Lillian hit it on the nose. It wasn't important to me because it is not something I combat every day. Identity is important, and it is something that I take for granted. I am now much more mindful when I communicate and when I meet people. I no longer assume pronouns or take them lightly. The interviews and talks with professionals in the Anchorage community have already begun to change the way we think and our knowledge of the gender-expansive community. For Krizelle and I, the more we listen, the more meaningful this project becomes.
If we can learn to expand our knowledge of the transgender community, we hope that you can too.