Coming Out:
Joanne's Story
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At the age of 4, Joanne Carrol felt different as she liked feminine things and sought solace from the girls in her neighborhood. Her family were strong Baptists so there was no talk of gender or sex in their house, reducing Joanne’s ability to understand her identity. She lost touch with her faith around 13, which was the same time that she decided to become punk to limit the bullying she faced.
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“I can honestly tell you, Barry, that in every moment of my life from the time I became aware of what the condition might’ve been, I went to bed praying “God let me wake up fixed or make it go away.” – Joanne Carrol |
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Listen to Joanna discuss what being a transgender woman means to her.
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By 1980, Joanne had divorced her first wife and began to seek gender counseling. However, this was disrupted when Joanne met her second wife, believing that being with the right person might satiate these feelings. By 1992, Joanne had connected with the transgender community through online chatrooms and by 1997 she was again seeing gender counseling. It was also around this time that she came out to her wife, who was supportive, but still separated from her due to fear of being perceived as a lesbian. Joanne’s ex-wife remained an important figure in her life, it was because of her that Joanna got the courage to come out to her religious mother.
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After coming out to her mother, Joanne’s faith was revitalized as she realized that she could be a transgender woman and a woman of faith. On February 15th, 2001, Joanne placed her old life in a box and became fully Joanne with her mother at her side. Joanne’s second name, Maureen, was chosen in homage to her parents, who choose this name for their first daughter. Recently, Joanne has continued for transgender people have served on the boards of many organizations and as the president of TransCentral PA. She also aims show people that faith and the love of God are for all, no matter how you identify.
Joanne Carrol (right) pictured at an information booth for TransCentralPA
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Joanne discusses coming out to her mother and the overwhelming support she received
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