Susan Ashley Stanton was the city manager of Largo, Florida, until her termination in 2007.
She grew up as Steve Stanton and he was married to Donna Becker, and they had a son named Travis.
Stanton became the subject of media attention in February 2007 after disclosing that she was transgender and would be pursuing gender affirmation surgery, leading Largo city commissioners to end her contract as city manager, a decision which Stanton appealed.
In 2007, I met Susan Stanton at a pride parade. She was the first transwoman I had ever encountered. We had an extended conversation, and I began to comprehend for the first time that a man could become a woman, something I had wished for since I had been eleven.
Susan explained that gender affirmation surgery would match my outward appearance more closely with my own gender identity. It would be a unique and personal process that included changing clothes, names, pronouns, and behaviors to fit my own gender identity.
Susan said that the reason I had always aspired to be a woman was because my gender identity WAS female. That's the day I began dreaming of having gender affirmation surgery.
Ten years later, in 2017, it happened. I am a woman.
I thank Susan for helping me figure out that I have been a woman as my gender identity.
