Striking the Match
Growing up in a middle class family in suburban Tucson meant that I wasn’t exposed to a lot of different lifestyles growing up. I think that was born out of circumstance more than anything. I appreciate my mission to Kentucky because I was able to see and come to know an incredibly wide variety of people. Across nationalities, cultures, religions, education levels, languages, and economic situations, I’ve got a much healthier appreciation for the many components of identity that exist outside my own. I’m able to be more compassionate as a result; I see the value in what others bring to the world. That doesn’t mean there isn’t much more to learn, though. My exposure to the experience of transgender people has been incredibly minimal; I know so little of what trans folks go through. That’s why I’m grateful for my coworker, Catherine. She’s trans and is always very generous to share her thoughts and lived experiences. And while my association with her isn’t primarily so that I can learn h...