For much of her life, Kelly Metzgar carried a secret that she could share with almost no one. When she finally
found the courage to step into the life she had always wanted, she did not simply leave that secret behind, she
turned it into a reason to speak, educate, advocate, and make the path easier for those who would follow. Kelly’s
journey is therefore not only about becoming her authentic self, but about discovering what she could do with that
freedom once she had it. After decades of living a dual-gender life, Kelly began her transition in 2012, at a time
when transgender healthcare was difficult to access in her region of upstate New York. Her struggle to find
appropriate medical care eventually inspired her to become an advocate and educator, helping improve transgender
healthcare in her community and speaking to colleges, businesses, civic organizations, religious groups, and LGBTQ
audiences. A particularly important turning point came when Kelly learned about the struggles of a transgender
young man named Drew. His story brought back memories of her own lonely youth, when she had nobody with whom to
share the “terrible secret” she carried. She realized that her transition could not be “solely about me.” She
wanted to help create a world where young LGBTQ people could find the support and acceptance she had once lacked.
