We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stephenie Magister. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stephenie below.
Stephenie, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
I grew up in extreme poverty in Mississippi. My family was evicted from several homes. We relied on food banks to eat. Our electricity got shut off more than once. And yet we managed to survive due to the generosity of those around us. Our neighbor let us use an extension cord to borrow some of their electricity. Food banks gave us generous portions. Even the owner of the comic book store I frequented let me trade in my playing cards and comic books so that I could keep up with my favorite comics. These experiences taught me the value in sharing with others whenever I have more than I need, especially when they have less.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I run a publication called Queer History, where we interview queer people (and allies) who are leaving a lasting positive impact. Previous interview subjects include:
-Jeffrey Reddick, the creator of Final Destination
-Julie Cohen, famed director of such films as RBG and Every Body
-Jessie Gender, a YouTube/Nebula star and filmmaker who recently released her first movie Identiteaze
-Bryan Batt, an actor of excellence known for roles like Sal Romano on AMC’s Mad Men
-Gretchen Felker Martin, the trans author of the post-apocalyptic novel Manhunt
We also cover pivotal topics throughout queer history, such as the trans Oscar nominee who boycotted the Academy Awards, as well as #TenTransThings summarizing recent news articles on trans topics.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities that proved most impactful in my journey were:
1. Creativity
2. Persistence
3. Empathy
For those early in their journey, my best advice to develop or improve on your own impactful qualities is to slow down and show compassion to your strengths and opportunities for improvement. Don’t listen to the people who tell you that taking care of yourself is selfish. You deserve to be a little selfish in order to thrive and present your best self to others.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
In 2018, I suffered a traumatic brain injury from a bicycle accident without a helmet. The front wheel came off, and I woke up in the hospital as I was being prepped to put the left side of my face back together. I still have several scars, particularly one around my left eye that often prompts people to ask if I got into a fight.
The TBI exacerbated my Dissociative Identity Disorder, leading to my official diagnosis a few years ago. The road to recovery from the TBI and the DID has been hard, but through the generous and impactful work of my therapist and psychiatrist, I have found a path forward to healing and hope. My brain is healing, and I have developed a system of communication and negotiation between me and the my other parts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://medium.com/@TransgenderSoapbox
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenie-magister-a6b1a116/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/StephMagister
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCthOh6CvMjwu–jcXfeebiQ
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
