We Are New Hampshire
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) and TransGender New Hampshire (TG-NH) are part of a state-wide coalition working to establish anti-discrimination protections for all transgender New Hampshire residents.
One important step in getting these legal protections passed is educating New Hampshire legislators and the public about transgender people’s lives.
You Can Help
- Read and share these stories with your family, friends, neighbors and legislators
- Share your own story
- Visit www.tgnh.org for resources and support, or to volunteer with TransGender New Hampshire
If You Believe You Have Experienced Discrimination
Contact GLAD’s Legal InfoLine to report the situation and receive free, confidential legal information and referrals.
Call 800-455-GLAD (4523) Mon-Fri 1:30-4:30 p.m. OR email us anytime.
Stories from We Are New Hampshire
We All Want Our Kids To Be Loved: Muriel Pierce
In the summer of 2010, Muriel Pierce’s son Luke married the woman he loves, Dori. During his toast at the rehearsal dinner, the bride’s father confessed that his long-held private anxiety was simply whether Dori would find someone who would love her for who she is. But seeing how happy she was with Luke, he said, his fear was put to rest.
Muriel had the same fear for her son, who is transgender.…
Being Transgender Is Just Living My Life: Gerri Cannon
“Driving a tractor trailer is a lifestyle,” says Gerri Cannon. “Being transgender is just living my life.”
Gerri knows of what she speaks, since she spends more time behind the wheel of her Kenworth than she does at home in Merrimack. “It’s a gorgeous truck,” she says of her 70-foot 18-wheeler. “It’s a lot of truck.”
She’s logged about 210,000 miles over the past 18 months for Con-Way…
A Young Family Faces Unnecessary Intrusion: Kaden and Brittany
Kaden and his wife Brittany started dating as teenagers, when they both worked at a restaurant in Rochester. At first they were just close friends, sharing details of their lives in frequent conversations. Then love began to blossom.
“He got very flirtatious,” Brittany recalls, although Kaden remembers it differently.
“I don’t flirt,” he says, smirking.
Six years later, Kaden and Brittany…
A More Fulfilling Life: Matt Aversa
Matt Aversa is a military veteran and a licensed social worker. While he makes his home in Southern New Hampshire, he works in a new LGBT unit at a mental health and addiction treatment center in a neighboring state. Away from work, Matt, 61, enjoys biking, kayaking and volunteer work. He’s also a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Keene, and has given talks aimed at educating the UUC…
Sometimes I’ve Got to Pinch Myself: Linda Wilson
Linda Wilson* and her partner, Anne* enjoy entertaining their large circle of friends at their home near Concord. In June they hosted a lobster cookout; a few weeks later, the couple welcomed guests for a Fourth of July celebration. Many of their friends attend the same Concord church that they do.
Linda, (*who asked that her and Anne’s real names be withheld because of privacy concerns),…
A Lucky Man: Drew Carson
“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.” “It takes great courage to grow up to be the person you were meant to be.” Sayings like these are meant to inspire, but for a long time, whenever Drew Carson heard or read them they simply reminded him that he wasn’t living an authentic life.
It wasn’t until the 44-year-old Wakefield resident resolved longstanding questions…
Breathing Easier, Despite Discrimination: Megan Tracy
Megan Tracy remembers vividly the very first time she wore a dress, even though it was nearly 45 years ago. Just three years old, she snuck into her older sister Laurie’s bedroom and spotted a red corduroy farmer’s dress with a big pocket adorned with an anchor.
“I put the dress on and looked in the mirror,” she recalls. “It felt like I had been holding my breath and then started breathing.”…
I Always Had a Team by My Side: Mason Dunn
Mason Dunn is a recent graduate of UNH School of Law. His passion is civil rights law; he would like to be an advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. But he’s also looking forward to teaching a course this fall at UNH Manchester on LGBT images and perspectives in the media.
“Education is my other passion,” says Mason, an adjunct faculty member. “I’d really love to be…
A Lifesaving Decision: Cynthia Tebbetts
Cynthia Tebbetts is a die-hard, lifelong Beatles fan. Both her email address and her car license plate bear the name “sgtppr” in appreciation of the Fab Four’s iconic album. She is named for John Lennon’s first wife—a name she chose for herself.
“I eat, drink and sleep the Beatles,” says the 48-year-old Goffstown resident, who was seized by Beatlemania thanks to an older brother who was an avid…