W. Meredith Bacon

W. Meredith Bacon is a retired political science professor[1] and LGBT-rights activist.[2] Formerly Walter M. Bacon, Jr., then commonly called "Wally," she changed her name and transitioned to female in 2005.[1][3] "Meredith" was her lifelong middle name, but the "W." in W. Meredith Bacon now legally stands for nothing.[3]

A specialist in international relations, particularly Romanian and Moldovan politics,[4] Bacon taught political science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) for 38 years and served three nonconsecutive terms as President of the Faculty Senate, the first two as Wally and the third as Meredith.[1] She was the first known transgender professor at UNO[4] and may be the first openly transgender person elected to a university faculty leadership position in the United States.[1]

Early Life and Career

Bacon was raised in Upper East Side Manhattan, New York City.[3] She knew she was transgender by the age of four, but struggled with feelings of shame.[3][5] At an all-boy Episcopalian boarding school in Connecticut, she became active in theatre and willingly took female roles on stage.[4] It was not until reading the book The Transsexual Phenomenon in 1964 that Bacon had a name for her identity.[6]

Bacon met Lynne Lazier in 1964, while both were students at Colorado College, and they married in 1968.[3] In 1972, Bacon told Lynne she was "not a man but a woman."[3] The couple has remained together to the present day.[1] Upon moving to Omaha, they built their careers in the collegiate environments and maintain an affectionate, not sexual, relationship.[1] The couple have been long-time members of All Saints Episcopal Church in Omaha.

Bacon earned a Ph.D. from the University of Denver in 1976.[3] That same year, she was hired by UNO as a professor of Soviet politics.[4] After publishing criticism of Nikolai Ceausescu, Bacon was declared persona non grata in Romania from 1980 until 1989.[4][7]

Transition

In the late 1990s, Bacon was officially diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder.[3] In 2005, she transitioned from male to female.[1][3][5][6][7] Bacon made her transition public, announcing it at her workplace, at her spouse's workplace, to everyone on their Christmas card list, and in the Omaha World-Herald newspaper.[3]

Activism

Bacon, a Democrat, has been involved with the Nebraska AIDS Project and the National Center for Transgender Equality.[7] She has advocated for LGBT rights at the local, state, and national levels.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kelly, Michael, "A trailblazer reaches the end of one trail: Meredith née Wally Bacon retires after 38 years of inspiring students", Omaha World-Herald, May 15, 2014.
  2. ↑ Morton, Joseph, "U.S. hate crimes bill hits home for Omaha advocate", Omaha World-Herald, May 17, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Meet Meredith", Omaha World-Herald, July 17, 2005.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Anderson, Jacquelyn, "W. Meredith Bacon", UNO Women's Archive Project, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Department of English, 2011.
  5. 1 2 Comander, Lauren, "Together. Forever.", People, Vol. 64, No. 23, December 5, 2005.
  6. 1 2 Reid, Crystal R., "The New D. W. M. Bacon", Gateway Newspaper, University of Nebraska at Omaha student newspaper, July 26, 2005.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Millerd, Caelan, "Meet Meredith Bacon: Advocating LGBT Rights on Campus, on Capitol Hill", Gateway Newspaper, University of Nebraska at Omaha student newspaper, April 25, 2008.
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