Jenn Burleton is an American transgender activist, musician, and feminist whose work has focused on improving the lives of transgender and gender nonconforming children, young people, and their families. Before dedicating herself to advocacy, she spent more than 25 years as a professional musician, an experience that shaped an important part of her life and identity. Her later work brought together her commitment to social justice, her feminist convictions, and her determination to make the world a more accepting place for people whose gender identities do not conform to traditional expectations. In 2007, Jenn founded TransActive Gender Center in Portland, Oregon, a nonprofit organization established to address the diverse needs of transgender and gender nonconforming children and youth, their families, and their allies. As the organization's founder and Executive Director, she has worked to create a supportive environment in which young people can explore and express their gender identities without fear of rejection or discrimination. TransActive has sought to provide families with the information, guidance, and resources they need to understand their children's experiences and support them throughout their development.
Jenn's approach to advocacy recognizes that a young person's transition or exploration of gender identity affects not only the individual but also parents, siblings, schools, healthcare professionals, and the wider community. Through TransActive, she has championed education, family support, and access to appropriate, gender-affirming care. Her work has also helped bring greater attention to the particular challenges faced by transgender and gender nonconforming young people, who may encounter misunderstanding, isolation, and prejudice at a time when acceptance and support are especially important. As a feminist, Jenn has connected transgender advocacy with the broader struggle against rigid gender expectations and the social inequalities that result from them. She has challenged the assumption that everyone must fit into narrowly defined categories of masculinity and femininity, emphasizing the importance of respecting individual experiences and allowing people to live authentically. For her, creating a more inclusive society means not only protecting transgender people from discrimination but also questioning the cultural attitudes that make gender diversity difficult to understand and accept.
Monika: Hello Jenn, and welcome! It is a great pleasure and honor to have you with us today.
Jenn: Hello Monika!
Monika: Please introduce yourself to our readers in a few words.
Jenn: Sure! I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (USA), and currently live in Portland, Oregon, USA, with my life partner of 31 years. I spent most of my adult life working as a professional musician, but have devoted the past 7 years and the rest of my life to advocacy work on behalf of transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, and their families.
Monika: What does the current agenda of TransActive look like?
Jenn: Well, TransActive Gender Center doesn’t really have an agenda, though as a non-profit organization we certainly do have a mission: “TransActive Gender Center provides a holistic range of services and expertise to empower transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, and their families in living healthy lives, free of discrimination.”
Monika: You grew up as a transgender kid in the 1960s, raised by an alcoholic mother while your father was in prison. On top of that dramatic situation at home, you faced a great deal of transphobia.
Jenn: It wasn’t really transphobia, because the words “transsexual” or “transgender” did not yet even exist. At best you could call it homophobia, but in reality, it was simply hatred for my nonconformity and suspicion that I was destined to be a pervert of some kind.
Monika: How did that rejection shape the way you saw yourself, and what led you to come out at such a young age?
Jenn: As a young person, I realized that I was considered ‘undesirable’ by both the adults around me and my culture. And that was never more clear to me than when I ‘came out’ as transsexual in 1966 at the age of 12, an action that was prompted by my reading the newly published book “The Transsexual Phenomenon” by Dr. Harry Benjamin.
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| When I Was a Teen: WIMO Advisor Jenn Burleton Reflects. Hallam Renaud Documentaries. Source: YouTube. |
Monika: Back then, were there any transgender role models you looked up to?
Jenn: There was only one ‘respectable’ role model then: Christine Jorgensen.
Monika: Looking back, what was the hardest part of your coming out?
Jenn: Summoning the courage to take a step that I knew could never be fully retracted should it not go well… which it didn’t.
Monika: How would you describe the current situation of transgender women in American society?
Jenn: I spend most of my time thinking about the situation facing transgender and gender nonconforming children and youth, rather than adults, because I believe that the only way to dramatically improve the quality of life for all transgender people is to embrace an early and affirming care model for those who are transgender.
Monika: Even so, would you say that transgender people in America are better off today than they used to be?
Jenn: That having been said, I believe that transgender people in America are in a far better position today than ever before, which means that we have moved up from being oppressed into the gutter of life in America to the edge of the curb. Still, a long way to go… but we are resilient.
Monika: Some people call transgenderism the new frontier for human rights. Do you agree?
Jenn: First off, I don’t use the term “transgenderism”, because being transgender is not an “ism”, which describes a belief system. Transgender spectrum people, across all cultures, simply reflect a natural variation in human development. The challenge continues to be making the world understand that variation and diversity are not things to be feared or destroyed.
Monika: So where does the transgender cause fit within the wider fight for human rights?
Jenn: I don’t see transgender identity as a new frontier for human rights, but rather as an emerging component of the existing and continuing struggle for human rights. You know… we’re not there yet with regard to women’s rights, children’s rights, atheist rights, immigrant rights, racial equality & justice and so much more. Human rights are all-encompassing, and transgender children, youth, and adults are humans.
Monika: A few weeks ago, Jared Leto received his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for playing the transgender character Rayon in “Dallas Buyers Club”. How do you feel about the way transgender stories and characters have been featured in films, newspapers, and books so far?
Jenn: They have been, for the most part, focused on easily stereotyped characters. But then again, they have almost always been secondary characters that only served as plot points or curiosities. The best representations of transgender people have, in my opinion, been on various television shows, like “Hit or Miss” (UK), “ER” (US), “The Education of Max Bickford” (US).
Monika: And what about the big screen? Have any films done better by transgender characters?
Jenn: There have been a few films that I thought well-represented transgender characters, but they have all been about tragic events. “Boys Don’t Cry”, “Soldier’s Girl”, “A Girl Like Me”. “Orange Is The New Black” is paving the way for more well-rounded fictional representations of transgender people, and I hope that continues.
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| Jenn in the ’80s. |
Monika: You are very open about your feminist ideals and often raise the issues related to the interlocking struggles of all women.
Jenn: Oh, yes. Look, the conceptual foundation for the oppression of all women is misogyny, enforced by cultural, societal, institutional, and political patriarchy. In order for misogyny and its kissing cousin patriarchy to function effectively, binary-only gender roles and stereotypes must be enforced in one way or another. If you can’t tell the ‘men’ from the ‘women’, then how can patriarchy effectively assign or deny privilege?
Monika: Where do transgender people fit into that picture?
Jenn: Transgender people are the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ when it comes to challenging oppression based on the enforcement of binary gender roles. Improving the status of all women simply cannot be accomplished without also freeing men from the soul-crushing stereotypes associated with so-called ‘masculinity’.
Monika: In the ’80s and ’90s you played guitar in several bands. Tell me more about your music career at that time.
Jenn: I was a very good musician. I still am, though I am WAY out of practice when it comes to performance. I play guitar (lead/rhythm/bass), keyboards, and some percussion. I have written and recorded a good many songs (no ‘hits’) and arranged music for other artists as well. Music, in many ways, saved my life.
Monika: What did music mean to you in those years?
Jenn: At a time when I felt like the world would always reject me, or that I had nothing to offer, I found that I had this talent and ability that was not only rare and deeply appreciated, but that I could earn a living doing it! That gave me a lot of confidence. I made my living that way for more than 25 years. I eventually performed with a lot of well-known acts before leaving the music business about 10 years ago.
Monika: The transgender cause is usually presented together with the other LGBT communities. As the last letter in the abbreviation, is the transgender community able to promote its own cause within the LGBT group?
Jenn: Letters can always be rearranged. At one point it was GLBT. Now, we’ve added the “Q” and it follows the “T”, but we could get all radical and call it the TQLGB community. There is a great deal of ignorance within the larger LGB population about transgender lives and identity and to some extent, animosity exists as well. It’s so important that advocates and allies continue to discuss the unique challenges that transgender children, youth and adults face independently of those our LGB and Q peers deal with.
Monika: Harvey Milk was a trailblazer of gay activism in the ’60s and ’70s. Is there anyone in the American transgender community whose actions could be compared to his?
Jenn: I think the work being done by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), The Transgender Law Center (TLC) and Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) would fall into that category, as would the work of TransActive Gender Center. I don’t think we have an individual like Harvey Milk, but then again, Harvey Milk did not have the array of organizations, laws, and other advocates that exist today. Harvey also did not exist in an environment where marriage equality was legal in 18 states. I don’t believe any of the “celebrity” transgender people fulfill the same role that Harvey Milk did, but they do provide valuable visibility.
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| Delivering a speech. |
Monika: Politics is a big arena. Are you active in it, do you take part in any lobbying campaigns, and do you believe transgender women can make a difference there?
Jenn: Yes, No, and Yes. I am personally very active politically, but not so much professionally, at least in a traditional sense. Truth is, though, that the very process of challenging gender stereotypes and adultist oppression of transgender children and youth is a political act of the highest order. Transgender people have made a difference in politics, and we certainly can and will continue to make a difference in every walk of life.
Monika: What place does love have in your life?
Jenn: It’s everything. Love has driven every positive experience or pursuit I’ve ever had or engaged in. Of course, it’s also played a key role in some not-so-positive parts of my life, but that’s the chance you take. Living means putting your passion ‘out there’.
Monika: How has love shaped your activism?
Jenn: My love for justice and equality, even as a child, gave me the courage and righteous anger to advocate for my own survival early on. Even as a kid, I didn’t see my right to exist as a transgender girl as an isolated right from that of others.
Monika: Music has clearly been a huge part of your life too. Does love play a role there as well?
Jenn: I love music not only because of how it makes me feel when I perform or listen to it, but because I have witnessed the transformative power it has to bring people together. I love music because it engages people intellectually, physically, emotionally, and sometimes, politically. Music and other art forms create natural shortcuts to human communication and solidarity. Finally, the love I’ve shared with my life partner of 31 years has made me a much better person than I could have been without her in my life.
Monika: What role does fashion play in your life? Tell me about the outfits you usually wear and any designers, colors, or trends you favor.
Jenn: Back in the ’70s and ’80s I was VERY into fashion. Partly because I was a performer and it kind of went with the job of being on stage in front of a lot of people, but also because I was younger and had the energy to spend on being fashionable. Now, ‘function’ plays a far more significant role in my style decisions than does ‘fashion’. I’m pretty much a ‘whatever is clean at the moment’ kind of gal these days. Cover the flaws (if possible) and emphasize the assets. I am far too busy with my work at TransActive Gender Center to have the time to focus on fashion.
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| Multco TCAM Proclamation Hearing. TransActive Gender Center. Source: YouTube. |
Monika: Many transgender women choose to tell their story in a memoir. Has writing a book ever crossed your mind?
Jenn: I have, and I will when I have the time. I sort of feel like I’m still living some of what will be key chapters in my eventual book. I have a working title for it, and I’ve done some writing. One thing I know it won’t be is another memoir about the details of my social gender transition or physical changes. Nothing new there. But it will be about the span of a lifetime filled with adventures, obstacles, triumphs and tragedies and lessons learned about being human. It will also have a lot of humor in it…
Monika: What is your next step at the present time?
Jenn: My next step is almost entirely driven by the existing needs of transgender and gender nonconforming children, youth, and their families. Getting insurance coverage for pubertal suppression nationwide is a huge goal of mine. Helping family court systems make better child custody decisions when a transgender child is involved is another major goal. On a personal note, getting married next year just got added to my list of goals, since Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage was just ruled unconstitutional!
Monika: Looking further ahead, where do you see yourself in the next 5-7 years?
Jenn: In 5-7 years I see myself still working at TransActive Gender Center, but possibly slowing down a bit. I’ll never retire from advocacy and activism though, so stay tuned.
Monika: What would you say to transgender girls who are struggling with gender dysphoria?
Jenn: Persevere. Trust that your truth is the ONLY truth that matters and that you are not alone. Reach out to TransActive Gender Center at transactiveonline.org. If you are not located near us, we will move heaven and Earth to find resources closer to you. Make good decisions and get an education.
Monika: Jenn, thank you so much for this interview!
All the photos: courtesy of Jenn Burleton.
© 2014 - Monika Kowalska
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