“When I first came out as transgender (trans), I came out to my middle sister who was the most accepting. I knew she’d be okay with it, but I still cried the first time I told her. Each time after that it got easier. I was also really worried telling my parents, but they took it in stride. When I first came out at work I again was worried, but my coworkers have been super supportive, and my supervisor is one of my greatest allies. As I knew I had a support network around me, I realized that I could also be in support of others. I would much rather have someone ask me the uncomfortable questions so that someone else doesn’t have to answer them.
“Personally, I don’t know if I ever thought in my early life that I would be out at work, be trans, and be the go-to resource person for anyone who has questions about what it means to be trans, what is gender, what are pronouns, and how do you use them. I try to keep an open mind and meet people where they’re at, regardless of what they think of me, knowing that they’ve come to me trying to learn something. I try to be the bridge for where they’re at and where they want to be. That is something that I’m proud I am able to do now.”
— Amila Cooray, Mechatronics Engineer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Image Credit: NASA / Ryan Lannom
Interviewer: NASA / Tahira Allen