Barbara Satin

Last updated
Barbara Satin
Born1934 (age 89–90)
St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Alma mater College of St. Thomas

Barbara Satin (born 1934) is an American transgender activist. [1] She has advocated for the needs of LGBT seniors, and for the inclusion of transgender people in communities of faith. Satin serves as a consultant for the National LGBTQ Task Force. [2] [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Satin was born in 1934 in St. Paul, Minnesota. [1] [4] She felt feminine from an early age, but kept it to herself as she didn't have the vocabulary to express these feelings. [1] [4] [5] Satin was raised in a devout Catholic family, and attended seminary for two years as a teenager, but dropped out due to her feelings about her gender. [1] [4] [5]

Satin finished her secondary education at a Catholic high school, then enrolled at the College of St. Thomas, graduating with a B.A. in sociology. [1] While in college, she learned about Christine Jorgensen, a trans woman widely known for having gender-affirming surgery, and realized that there were other people like herself. [1] [4] [2]

After college, Satin trained as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. [1] [5] She was medically discharged due to a kidney infection. [1] [2]

Career and activism

After leaving the Air Force, Satin worked in public relations for an insurance company for 30 years. [1] [2] [4] She took early retirement at age 54. [1] [2] [4]

At the age of 60, Satin came out as transgender. [4] [6] [5] She found an LGBT-affirming church in Minneapolis: Spirit of the Lakes, part of the United Church of Christ. [1] [4] [5] Satin became active in the congregation, and was the first openly trans member to serve on the denomination's Executive Council. [1]

In 2014, Satin created the Trans Seminarian Leadership Cohort. [2] [5] With the Spirit of the Lakes church, she helped develop an affordable housing facility for LGBT seniors, one of the first of its kind in the U.S. [1] [2] [5] [7]

In 2015, Satin was invited to the White House to discuss the housing concerns of LGBT seniors. She was also invited to participate in the 2015 White House Conference on Aging. [1] [5]

In 2016, Satin was appointed to the advisory council of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships by President Barack Obama. [6] [8] [9]

In 2021, Satin participated in the inauguration prayer service for President Joe Biden. [5] [10]

In 2023, Satin received the Carmen Vázquez SAGE Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging. [3] [11]

Satin serves as a consultant for the National LGBTQ Task Force. She previously worked as their faith director for 15 years, retiring in 2022. [2] [3]

Personal life

Satin got married in 1958. She and her wife have three adult children. [1]

Satin chose the first name Barbara after "the first young woman that I fell in love with", and the last name Satin because "it's something that always attracted me and always a part of my wardrobe". [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Bowman, Mark. "Barbara Satin - Oral History". LGBTQ Religious Archives Network. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Longtime Faith Leader Barbara Satin to Retire, Following Decades of Leadership and Advocacy for LGBTQ People of Faith, Elders and Transgender Communities". National LGBTQ Task Force . February 1, 2022. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 King, Maraya (February 16, 2023). "Twin Cities transgender activist Barbara Satin, 88, to receive national recognition for advocacy work". St. Paul Pioneer Press . Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Cauterucci, Christina (June 24, 2019). "Interview with an LGBTQ Old Person: Barbara Satin". Slate . Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Tarala, Kassidy (May 28, 2022). "Faith & Fight: Barbara Satin Spent Decades Advocating for Trans Inclusion in Church Communities". Minnesota Women's Press . Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Masters, Jeffrey (March 1, 2022). "This Trans Elder Is Changing Lives With Her "Ministry of Presence"". The Advocate . Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Never underestimate the power of a library" (PDF). Quatrefolio. Quatrefoil Library. December 2016.
  8. ↑ Luk, Summer (May 16, 2016). "Transgender Christian leader appointed to White House Advisory Council". GLAAD . Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  9. ↑ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". The White House - President Barack Obama. May 12, 2016. Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  10. ↑ Hyun Kim, Michelle (January 21, 2021). "Biden's Historic Inaugural Prayer Service Featured Two Trans Faith Leaders". them . Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  11. ↑ "SAGE Honors Trans Activist and Community Faith Leader Barbara Satin". SAGE. Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders. February 17, 2023. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2023.
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