My Story Part 86 – Public Speaking

One way to make it easier for the next generation of trans-people is through public speaking, going to venues where we can tell our stories. Yesterday I did just that, I went to a class as part of the Stonewall Speakers. The Stonewall Speakers is an organization that goes to schools and colleges and their member talk about themselves and answer questions that the students ask. I always hated speaking in public but that all changed when I transitioned.

Like most people I didn’t like speaking in public, but when I started to go out in public that all changed. There is nothing scarier than going out in public dressed as a woman for the first time and after that speaking in public was a snap. After I went out to dinner as Diana one night, my boss the next morning told that he wanted me to give a presentation to five very angry customers about how we were going to fix a problem that kept a 1 million dollar protect off line. Afterward my boss was impressed with my presentation and I thought, heck this was nothing, after going out to dinner in a dress. I found that in some ways my transition has helped with my self-esteem, so when I was asked if I would be interested to be on a panel for class, I jumped at the chance.

There were two reasons one, it gave me a chance to go out as Diana and the other reason was I believe that change take place through education. When I transitioned the first reason was no longer valid, but the second reason grew even stronger. A year or two after I did one Outreach I was waiting in line for our table at a Hartford restaurant when a woman came up to me and said, you probably don’t remember me, but you spoke in our class and from what I learned that day has helped me with a client who is transgender. That night I learned that one person can make a difference.

That woman also changed me, I looked for other ways that I could help and that lead me back to college the get my MSW. I have continued doing Outreach but I also began giving workshops and since then I have given over a half dozen workshops including one at the Connecticut chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. I will also be giving a workshop at their fall conference. Here are some of the comments from that workshop…
From a BSW student…”loved hearing personal examples”
From a LCSW…”very interesting training”
From another BSW student…”she did great with teaching upon difficult topics and issues that occur”

Not everyone wants to go out and do public speaking, but all I ask is that you give it some thought. All you have to do is tell your story. That is what I do, I start out with my earliest memories and finish up with where I am today. We all have a story to tell.

My Story is a series that I began writing over a year ago, telling stories about myself of the things that I have felt, done or noticed since I have transitioned. I do this to help others to understand what it is like to transition.