Interview with a Superstar
Miss Lynn Conway
VR Who is Lynn Conway?
LC A Professor Emerita of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan, former research scientist, at Xerox PARC, SCI, DARPA, but most of all a good person and Charlie’s wife.
A successful woman, with an extensive web collection. Be prepared to spend hours browsing her site.
VR Where are you living right now?
LC In a rural area of Michigan, to the west of Ann Arbor, MI
VR What inspired you to become you?
LC I always wanted to be a girl from when I was very little. Then, when I was in high school, Christine Jorgensen’s story hit the newspapers and I realized that it was possible to actually become a woman. Her story inspired me to do whatever it took to do that.
VR Who was your inspiration?
LC Christine Jorgensen
VR What do you think you have to offer the transgender community?
LC I transitioned over 35 years ago and have a long perspective on things, especially on what it is like to live as an assimilated woman in stealth mode for many decades. Since I’ve come out on the web, I’ve worked to change the image of transsexualism, to normalize the image and to give hope to younger transitioners. I want them to know that they CAN make it, that they can live their dream. I’ve been doing this by providing practical information i my website, and by posting the stories of many successful women and men who can be role models for young transgender people.
VR Do you think you have made a difference in the transgender community?
LC I’ve been working in collaboration with a number of other trans women, coordinating our activities and sharing lots of information, especially with Andrea James and Becky Allison. I think that as a group we have helped many trans women over the past few years. Many transitioning women have in turn helped us by sharing their stories and joining into our expanding support efforts. Thus I see myself as a collaborator in an ever-expanding circle of women who are having quite an impact via our websites.
VR What do you think makes you stand out above others?
LC We are all equals, as women who are trying to help other women, as best we can. I don’t really see myself as “standing out”. I just don’t think that way. I’m just being me, and enjoying helping out whenever I can.
VR Do you get nervous when you are asked to speak to a group?
LC I used to years ago – I’d sometimes even get all sweaty and tongue-tied. But I finally got over it, especially after teaching in a university for many years. Now I kind of enjoy talking with groups.
VR Would you ever get SRS? Or When did you have SRS?
LC I underwent SRS in 1968 by Jose Jesus Barbosa, M.D.in Tijuana, Mexico.
VR What has been your biggest accomplishment?
LC In my own individual life: Being able to successfully transition early in life, and then fully assimilate and live life as a woman ever since. In my love relationships with others: Finding my love-mate (now my husband) Charlie, and being with him for over 15 years now In my career after my transition: inventing some of the fundamental methods for how to design complex silicon chips, methods that have been used since 1980 to design many of the modern chips that run everything around us.
VR Do you think you still have more work to do for the transgender community?
LC We all have lots of work to do – and I’ll try to pitch in and help in whatever ways I can.
VR What really makes you happy?
LC Quiet times with my husband, Charlie: cuddling by the fireside on cold, snowy winter evenings, taking long walks around our rural Michigan property, enjoying vacations in romantic places – – –
VR What really makes you upset?
LC The “expert” psychiatrists, psychologists, sexologists, scholars, academics, religious leaders, etc., who seem to feel a deep need to caricature and stigmatize trans women.
VR Have you ever had a true love in life?
LC Yes
VR Are you in love now?
LC Yes
VR Who do you admire?
LC Any and all people who live authentic lives, who are kind to others, and who work to make this a better world than they found it.
VR As a transgendered person do you think you have receive proper respect you deserve in life?
LC I’ve received a lot of friendly, warm respect for my career work – especially back when no one knew about my past. Since I’ve come out, most folks who do know about my past actually show additional respect for my having been able to “make it” and do well after all.
Of course there are always a few people who for religious reasons, or the way they were raised, or from having to deal with their own unresolved inner demons, do not accept trans people. When encountering such people, I try not to worry about what they think. I just put them out of my mind.
VR Do you think you are nice person or do you think you can be a bitch at times?
LC I’m generally a pretty calm, relaxed, happy person.
VR Do you have any pet peves?
LC “Experts” who spin ridiculous theories and awful caricatures about trans people, and “authorities” who want to police and control our bodies and private lives and keep us from being full human beings.
VR Where do you see yourself in the future?
LC Hopefully still comfortably retired and healthy and enjoying life with my husband.
VR Do you feel that we as transgendered people are getting what we deserve as human beings from our government?
LC Things are improving rapidly. Many jurisdictions are changing their policies. However, these things happen only if we work hard to educate people, to reduce their superstitious fears, and to challenge existing stereotypes.
I also think that more and more trans people are become comfortable and secure within themselves. By gaining more self-acceptance, we all go a long way towards gaining full acceptance from others.
VR Do you have a final statement, for our readers?
LC Reach for your dreams. And be kind to people along the way.
Note from Vicki Rene – This is the most fantastic women I know!! She has one of the most fantastic, comprehensive, enjoyable website I have ever seen. Besides that if you talk to her, you will see she is just one of the girls. What you don’t see is she is fighting for all of us, maybe not at city hall or the house of congress, but with her thoughts and words she puts on her website.
Lynn’s Website
