Coaching Through Chaos Podcast

A Transgender Life - Just one transition of many with Zander Keig

Episode Summary

Zander Keig shares with us his experiences. He who was once a Feminist Latina became seen as a "Privileged White Male" after his transition. For as much as his transition story is quite unique, so is his perspective as a person that was seen as losing his cultural identity when her transitioned from female to male. Zander is a therapist who is also a respected Transgender representative and respected subject-matter expert. It was my pleasure to interview him and give a voice to his story. We hope that others who may be feeling isolated in their truth take some solace in hearing Zander's unique perspective as a Transgendered man,

Episode Notes

I met Zander

at a friend's house-warming party.  We spoke of working within the government agency system of therapy and had a lively discussion.  I went home and "friended" him on Facebook  - I then discovered my new friend was quite a fascinating person, having lived a life of social advocacy for the LGBTQ population.  It was when I clicked on a link to his website that I saw he was not only an advocate, but a well-respected person in that community who had actually gone through the transition from female to male.

Zander Keig is a unique individual, not only because he used to be a she, but because his life has been one of overcoming tremendous hardships, starting at birth. When Zander was born, the doctor predicted he would be dead, but he was not.  Then when he was 6, he developed encephalitis - he went into a coma and when he awoke, he had to relearn some basic life skills all over again.  Zander's life since then has been a journey of self-discovery and social advocacy.

Zander and I discuss:

• His early life struggles and some family reflections
• Why he identified with the "separatist lesbian" community and what that meant for him
• How and when he began identifying as "trans"
• Why he feared Testosterone
• How he and his wife created a relationship that has withstood the stress of transitioning
• How his education helped him understand those that did not understand him
• Why he decided to edit and write books and articles on the subject of transitioning when his own transition is a very private experience
• Why trans men are often invisible in our society
• How intentionality informs his relationship with his wife
• The strange thing that happened when he went from being seen by society as a 1st-generation Mexican-American lesbian to a highly-educated white male - where did his culture go?
• The prejudices he experienced both pre and post transition were not what you'd think!

Questions and Comments

Although we have comments turned off this blog in general, Zander welcomes your questions and comments.  Feel free to email me DrMullen@CoachingThroughChaos.com, or leave a comment or a question on my facebook page  and I will be happy to pass it on.

Resources

Zander speaks of some of the books he's edited, the documentary being produced about his life journey and his website.  Here is where you can find those resources:

Website:  ZanderKeig.net

Film: Episodes of Zanderology

Books Zander has been involved in, including Manning Up and Letters for My Brothers can be found here http://www.zanderkeig.net/books

Awkward Correction on my part

I realized when listening back to the produced episode that I was saying "LGBT and trans" when, of course in LGBT the T stands for trans - I don't know why I was saying it that way, but that's how it came out.  To anyone that thinks I was "not aware" - I am, I just speak faster than I think sometimes and it results in awkward verbal trip-ups.