Biology isn't Destiny: Leadership Is
One of too few organizations of its kind in the country, the Transgender Law Center has improved the lives of thousands of transgender people in California by providing legal information and representation for individuals to address discrimination, gain access to health care and advance personal rights in every area of life, from homes to workplaces to classrooms. Transgender people are those whose identities exist along a wide spectrum of gender expression that falls within and outside stereotypical norms. Like many women and girls who confront inequity of treatment based on gender, transgender people battle discrimination and prejudice on a daily basis. When Masen Davis beganto transition from being biologically female to a transgender man, he left a career in database systems development knowing he'd suffer workplace discrimination and the loss of potential career advancement. After earning a Master of Social Welfare degree from UCLA, he came to work with TLC. "We're promoting full self-sufficiency, health care access and quality of life regardless of someone's gender. For us, the ultimate vision is allowing people to have complete gender freedom—not just transgender people, but all people. With support from the Women's Foundation, TLC advocates for policy changes that address the root causes of challenges faced by women, girls and transgender people throughout California. "If we're not actually challenging policies, then we're just putting band-aids on people and doing triage all the time. We've got to figure out what the real root causes are of the systemic challenges facing all people throughout the state. That's what the Women's Foundation is investing in." Read about: Kimi Lee's experience with the Garment Workers Center |
Masen Davis
