Barbara Satin
{{Short description|American transgender activist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Barbara Satin
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1934}}
| birth_place = St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
| nationality =
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater = College of St. Thomas
| occupation =
| years_active =
| era =
| employer =
| organization =
| agent =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| style =
| spouse =
| partner =
| family =
| awards =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Barbara Satin (born 1934) is an American transgender activist.{{cite web |last1=Bowman |first1=Mark |title=Barbara Satin - Oral History |url=https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/oral-histories/barbara-satin |website=LGBTQ Religious Archives Network |access-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322220729/https://lgbtqreligiousarchives.org/oral-histories/barbara-satin |url-status=live }} 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.{{cite web |title=Longtime Faith Leader Barbara Satin to Retire, Following Decades of Leadership and Advocacy for LGBTQ People of Faith, Elders and Transgender Communities |url=https://www.thetaskforce.org/longtime-faith-leader-barbara-satin-to-retire/ |website=National LGBTQ Task Force |access-date=March 22, 2023 |date=February 1, 2022 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322225020/https://www.thetaskforce.org/longtime-faith-leader-barbara-satin-to-retire/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=King |first1=Maraya |title=Twin Cities transgender activist Barbara Satin, 88, to receive national recognition for advocacy work |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/twin-cities-transgender-activist-barbara-114200331.html |access-date=March 22, 2023 |work=St. Paul Pioneer Press |date=February 16, 2023 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322223529/https://www.yahoo.com/now/twin-cities-transgender-activist-barbara-114200331.html |url-status=live }}
Early life and education
Satin was born in 1934 in St. Paul, Minnesota.{{cite news |last1=Cauterucci |first1=Christina |title=Interview with an LGBTQ Old Person: Barbara Satin |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/06/barbara-satin-interview-old-person-lgbtq.html |access-date=March 22, 2023 |work=Slate |date=June 24, 2019 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322223529/https://slate.com/human-interest/2019/06/barbara-satin-interview-old-person-lgbtq.html |url-status=live }} She felt feminine from an early age, but kept it to herself as she didn't have the vocabulary to express these feelings.{{cite magazine |last1=Tarala |first1=Kassidy |title=Faith & Fight: Barbara Satin Spent Decades Advocating for Trans Inclusion in Church Communities |url=https://www.womenspress.com/faith-fight-barbara-satin-spent-decades-advocating-for-trans-inclusion-in-church-communities/ |access-date=March 22, 2023 |magazine=Minnesota Women's Press |date=May 28, 2022 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322233340/https://www.womenspress.com/faith-fight-barbara-satin-spent-decades-advocating-for-trans-inclusion-in-church-communities/ |url-status=live }} 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.
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. 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.
After college, Satin trained as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. She was medically discharged due to a kidney infection.
Career and activism
After leaving the Air Force, Satin worked in public relations for an insurance company for 30 years. She took early retirement at age 54.
At the age of 60, Satin came out as transgender.{{cite news |last1=Masters |first1=Jeffrey |title=This Trans Elder Is Changing Lives With Her "Ministry of Presence" |url=https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2022/2/28/trans-elder-barbara-satin-ministry-presence |access-date=March 22, 2023 |work=The Advocate |date=March 1, 2022 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322223529/https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2022/2/28/trans-elder-barbara-satin-ministry-presence |url-status=live }} She found an LGBT-affirming church in Minneapolis: Spirit of the Lakes, part of the United Church of Christ. Satin became active in the congregation, and was the first openly trans member to serve on the denomination's Executive Council.
In 2014, Satin created the Trans Seminarian Leadership Cohort. 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.{{cite web |url=https://qlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/quatrefolio/Q-Newsltter-Winter-2016.pdf |title=Never underestimate the power of a library |publisher=Quatrefoil Library |work=Quatrefolio |date=December 2016}}
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.
In 2016, Satin was appointed to the advisory council of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships by President Barack Obama.{{cite web |last1=Luk |first1=Summer |title=Transgender Christian leader appointed to White House Advisory Council |url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/transgender-christian-leader-appointed-white-house-advisory-council |website=GLAAD |access-date=March 23, 2023 |date=May 16, 2016 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322234304/https://www.glaad.org/blog/transgender-christian-leader-appointed-white-house-advisory-council |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/12/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts |website=The White House - President Barack Obama |access-date=March 22, 2023 |date=May 12, 2016 |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323004358/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/12/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts |url-status=live }}
In 2021, Satin participated in the inauguration prayer service for President Joe Biden.{{cite news |last1=Hyun Kim |first1=Michelle |title=Biden's Historic Inaugural Prayer Service Featured Two Trans Faith Leaders |url=https://www.them.us/story/biden-inaugural-prayer-service-featured-two-trans-faith-leaders |access-date=March 22, 2023 |work=them |date=January 21, 2021 |archive-date=March 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323005758/https://www.them.us/story/biden-inaugural-prayer-service-featured-two-trans-faith-leaders |url-status=live }}
In 2023, Satin received the Carmen Vázquez SAGE Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging.{{cite web |title=SAGE Honors Trans Activist and Community Faith Leader Barbara Satin |url=https://www.sageusa.org/news-posts/sage-honors-trans-activist-and-community-faith-leader-barbara-satin/ |website=SAGE |publisher=Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders |access-date=March 22, 2023 |date=February 17, 2023 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322222041/https://www.sageusa.org/news-posts/sage-honors-trans-activist-and-community-faith-leader-barbara-satin/ |url-status=live }}
Satin serves as a consultant for the National LGBTQ Task Force. She previously worked as their faith director for 15 years, retiring in 2022.
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Satin, Barbara}}
Category:American transgender women
Category:LGBTQ people from Minnesota
Category:Activists from Saint Paul, Minnesota
Category:Transgender rights activists
Category:United Church of Christ members