Transgender activist shares struggle

by Mary Duke

Thursday, November 15, 2007 01:12

A transgender activist said Wednesday there is an enormous misunderstanding about what the term "transgender" actually means.

Jessica Janiuk spoke to University of Wisconsin students Wednesday about her difficult journey to find her identity as a woman.

Janiuk, born male, spoke as part of the UW Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center's Transgender Awareness Week, which will continue through Saturday.

In 2005, Janiuk lobbied the UW System Board of Regents to add transgender persons to their list of those protected by the UW System’s nondiscrimination policy.

LGBT Director Eric Trekell said UW lacks acceptance and understanding of transgender people, though there are other places where the situation is worse.

"Something like in 28 states people can be fired from their jobs because they are transgender," Trekell said.

UW senior Joe Erbentraut, event coordinator for the LGBT Campus Center, said the group is "going all out to educate the campus on transgender."

"This is the first time in a few years that we have done a full week of awareness events," Erbentraut said. "We want to create a community for transgender students on the community."

Janiuk said transgender is an umbrella term where anyone not identifying with societal gender norms would fit.

From a young age, Janiuk said she began to identify outside those norms when she noticed she acted differently from other children.

"I was stealing my mother's clothes when she wasn't looking," Janiuk said. "I didn't know anything was socially wrong with this."

As Janiuk grew older, her urge to become a woman only became stronger, but with this urge arose feelings of fear.

"I remember going to bed and wishing that God would turn me into a woman so I could live a happy life," Janiuk said.

The confusion she felt about her gender led to severe depression when she started her freshman year at UW.

"I entered into severe sadness — I had no motivation to do anything," Janiuk said. "I couldn't get myself out of bed. I felt that numb sensation."

According to Janiuk, dressing up as a female character from the animated show "Sailor Moon" for Halloween one year was an awakening moment in her life.

"I felt something I had never felt before," Janiuk said. "I felt my gender identity and my physical presentation were coming closer together. It was a happiness I had never felt before."

By 2003, Janiuk decided she had enough of hiding her true identity and underwent surgery to become a physical woman.

Janiuk said she hopes people realize individuals can express themselves as they please.

"Each person has the ability to give themselves their own label," Janiuk said. "I think it's unfortunate that people in society put labels on other people for them."

UW senior Angela Birrittella, mentor and support group coordinator for the LGBT Campus Center, said hearing about transgender issues like this is important because she said in the LGBT community, transgender individuals are often left out.