I am blown away by this woman.  Marci Lee Bowers is a gynecologic surgeon working in California and Washington State. She transitioned from male to female at the age of 38. She describes her gender dysphoria as her birth gender conflicting with her internal sense of femaleness.

Undoing the Damage

Dr Bowers is the first North American gynecologic surgeon trained to functionally reverse female genital mutilation (FGM), a barbaric ritual still performed today in  29 countries in Africa and the Middle East.  At least 130 million girls have undergone this procedure and, according to UNICEF, as many as 30 million more girls under 15 years of age are at risk.

Putting an End to Female Genital Mutilation

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared February 6th every year as International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM.  This year Dr Bowers’ announced her goal to see the end of female genital mutilation in her lifetime.  Moving toward that goal requires honest communication about sex and sexual identity, she said.

People of this world are slowly awakening and becoming conscious of the many inhumane and unjust treatments inflicted upon those most vulnerable among us.

Victorious

Dr Bowers has made and continues to make an enormous impact on humanity, none of which could have happened if she had succumbed to the obstacles placed in her way by an intolerant society during the time she was struggling with her gender dysphoria.

Success for one person equals victory for everyone.

I love to celebrate the people who reach out and make a huge difference in this world; those who are part of the solution. Please take the time to learn more about Dr Marci Lee Bowers and leave your thoughts on this post below.  I’ve also recommended books I found on Amazon on the subject of transgender youth and women, as well as a video with references to Dr Marci Lee Bowers entitled Trans Generation. Just click on the picture and it’ll take you there.

Toward a kindness-based life.

Stephanie

 

New Resources for Transgender Individuals

A rare opportunity has arisen in the civil service arena for transgender folk who aspire to a career in government. Ms Raffie Freedman-Gurspan has accepted her appointment to the position of White House Outreach and Recruitment Director for Presidential Personnel.  This title sounds like she has her foot in the door and she’s keeping it open for any other transgender White House staff aspirants who want to apply. This could be a great opportunity for you or someone you know!

A Long and Winding Road

Born into poverty in Honduras, Martin was adopted and raised in Massachussetts by a Jewish single mother, Marion Freedman-Gurspan. Marion noted her son’s expression as gay when he was about 12. Martin attended junior college in Norway where he gave himself the opportunity to transition into her true gender. Upon graduation she returned to the United States as a woman named Raffi. Once back in the U.S. Raffi took a Liberal Arts degree at St Olaf’s College in Minnesota.  Her passion for LGBT activism was satisfied at the National Center for Transgender Equality in Washington DC. where she acted as Policy Adviser focused on immigration and employment equality for transgender individuals prior to her appointment to White House staff.

Raffi’s mom, Marion, contributed her story of Raffi’s transition to a book entitled Transitions of the Heart, available here. The chapter name, starting on page 7, is Discovering Raffi.

Raffi’s story is a story of the power of love. Born into poverty, given up by his biological parents, a latino immigrant boy child adopted and raised in the U.S.by a single mother. This could have been a recipe for disaster but for the love and acceptance afforded by Marion, the devoted single mother who believed in a successful future for her daughter, Raffi.

If you’d care to leave your thoughts on this article please do so below. I’d be delighted to hear from you.

In kindness,

Stephanie