Overcoming the Dystopia of a Transgender Childhood | Jessica Soukup | TEDxTexasStateUniversity

Jessica Soukup asks the simple and haunting question -- what if you were born and the doctor assigned you the wrong gender? Your loving parents, schoolyard friends, all calling you by a name that didn’t sound right, setting you up for a life and role in society that you didn’t understand and didn’t fit who you are. Jessica gives us a heartfelt and vulnerable peek into the experience of growing up in your own episode of Black Mirror, going through emotional puberty at 50 years old, and shares the beauty of her life on the other side of transition. Jessica Soukup is a Texas-based advocate and educator, working to bring equal rights and social justice for transgender and non-binary people to the forefront of our social consciousness. Jessica is a frequent keynote speaker and educator on women’s empowerment, transgender rights, and LGBTQIA allyship. In 2017, she published her first book He/She/They - Us: Essential information, vocabulary, and concepts to help you become a better ally to the transgender and gender diverse people in your life. Jessica currently serves as vice-chair on the board of the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT) and is a co-chair for Austin Pride. The vulnerability with which she shares her personal story, and her commitment to building and developing allies, has made her an indispensable force within the queer community. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx