Robyn Leigh Tanguay Oral History Interview

In this interview, Robyn Leigh Tanguay focuses on her ideas and advice about coming out as a trans person, as well as some of her experiences within her professional career, future research, and influences in her life. Tanguay states that her thoughts on gender identity began when she was very young, pinpointing the age of five, but she didn’t know exactly what to make of it. She further explains that the relationship she had with the LGBT community and LGBT issues of the time were limited to hearing negative rhetoric. Growing up in a Catholic environment, she had limited access to information about gender identity. This changed when Tanguay moved to California, and in high school, where she was able to gain better access to information and live in a more progressive environment. She observes later in the interview that one of the most shocking moments after her move from the Midwest to the West Coast was the first-time running track and seeing someone who wasn’t white running alongside her.

The topic then changes to the initial moments of coming out. Tanguay states that her perception of her professional career and personal life were mutually exclusive, believing that she couldn’t have one without the other. When asked about her advice for other people questioning their gender identity and going through coming out, she states that this experience varies with the community with which you surround yourself. She says that coming out is scary and the process never stops. Finding people that listen and provide their perspective is a first step. Additionally, she says that one of the most important parts is realizing that gender identity and coming out are not the only aspects of life; it’s the decisions you make that make you who you are. She states that coming out is an experience that is never finished.