We believe in You! 

We believe you are here for a reason and we want to help you find the answers and support you are looking for to live your best life.

Dani Butler

    My name is Dani Butler and I live in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Remember the home of Kunta Kinte in Roots? Yep, that Spotsylvania. And some of the area hasn’t changed much. Fortunately, the corner of the county I live in has changed! I have been married to the same woman for 43 years. We have four children, 13 grandchildren, and one great grandchild. One of my children is also Transgender and I have a grandson that identifies as a Tomgirl. I love it when we paint our nails together!

     I retired from the Marines in 1998 where I was a Weather Forecaster and have worked for the Army since in IT, on an Oracle Database specifically. I have also been a volunteer FireFighter / Medic where I worked my way up to Assistant Fire Chief / Rescue Chief.

     My hobbies include riding my motorcycle, road bicycle, or mountain bicycle and playing my bagpipes. And no, I do not do more than one of these at any one time. I am a Ride Captain with our local bike club and am not only an accepted member but often lead some local rides. Leading doesn’t mean riding up front, it means making sure all riders don’t get lost at the end of the ride. I play my bagpipes with the Greater Richmond Pipes and Drums and enjoy competing with the band and performing in general. I do play funerals fairly often as I do not charge for military, police, fire, and EMS funerals. I just hope someone will play at my funeral!

      I am an activist with Equality Virginia and belong to their Transgender Speakers Bureau where we go out and tell our stories. I work with a couple other great women keeping the Rappahannock Region Transgender Support group active too!

        Not only are each of us valuable, so are our values. Be honest. Be yourself. Love your friends, even when they give up on you. Life is a journey and what good would it be if we didn’t find enjoyment in it? If we ever engage in conversation, don’t be shocked by my sense of humor, I’m just enjoying life!

Miranda Jones

    It’s my Spotlight Day! A little about me – I’m married and enjoying over 30 years with the love of my life. I live in the northern Virginia area, and retired from the Marine Corps after 30 years of service, about 2 years ago. I continue to work in government service today.
    I began this wonderful journey of self-discovery about 4 years ago and am filled with joy as it continues to unfold each day. I used to have many hobbies that centered around physical activity, but the body just can't quite maintain those anymore. In fact, I just had my right hip replaced last week. I do still try to hunt, and that is my peaceful-time thing to do alone. I love watching the woods come alive as dawn comes and the day blooms.
    Otherwise, there is nothing I like more than walking with my wife. I am an avid repeat movie-watcher, which means that I have several movies I watch repeatedly. I am also a serious movie crier. I can't watch The Rookie (Dennis Quaid), Invincible (Mark Wahlberg), or Notting Hill (Julia Roberts) without a goodly supply of tissues. And that's just the tip a very big iceberg.

Branwen Drew 

   My name is Branwen Rhiannon Drew. I live in the small upstate New York city of Rome, in the beautiful Mohawk River Valley on the edge of the Adirondacks. I came out of the closet in 2018 and now am living my true life 24 hours a day 365 days a year. It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I do not regret it. I grew up near Ithaca, NY and went to college at Cornell University, where I majored in wildlife biology, after serving in the Navy. Later I got my masters degree at Drexel University in information sciences.
   I am a young at heart baby boomer (born 1950) and plan on staying young at heart. I do this now by writing poetry, doing my artwork, being active in social justice in my community, and having many young friends here in our wonderful Sisterhood of My Feminine Heart. My chosen family now includes people in almost every country on every continent except Antarctica. I have two adult children.
   I have done many things over my seven decades. I grew up on what had been the family farm, the oldest of six kids. While I did not grow up in a log cabin or do my lessons on a coal scuttle using a piece of coal, I did go to the last one-room schoolhouse in my area for first grade. My father had gone there as well. I have worked many different jobs ranging from a hospital orderly to being an artificial insemination technician of cattle to being a research librarian for the United States Air Force.
   I love live music, movies, and the theater. I have been listening to many lesbian or trans musicians recently. The sisterhood is a very talented community. I am proud to be part of it. My biggest and most time-consuming project is my growing collection of poetry and artwork I hope to publish in print in the spring of 2022. My best piece of advice comes off of a coffee mug given to me by one of my staff members,
BE BRAVE, GO YOUR OWN WAY.
   Thank you to Cassandra for providing this safe haven for all of us. You are all part of my chosen family.

S. Lisa Smith 

  Hi, I’m Sally Lisa Smith, go by S. Lisa Smith but prefer to be called Lisa. I live in Virginia Beach, Virginia. My wife and I have been married for 46 years ago. My wife has known about Lisa for 26 years. She is accepting and supportive but does not want to meet Lisa. She has seen Lisa in a few pictures, and I am happy with that. She gives me time to be Lisa at home and away. This means the world to me.

      I am dual gender meaning that I love my male life as well as my female one. I find that this allows me to look at things from a female perspective as well as the male perspective. Being dual gender is similar to the Native American two spirit. My wife understands this and realizes that I would not be the person she fell in love with and the person I am today without my Lisa component. Being retired as an attorney three years ago allows me the time to go surfing.

       I love the transgender conferences and have volunteered at Keystone for many years. Last year I was in the fashion show at First Event and plan to volunteer more of my time this year. I am a member of a Trans service organization, The Vanity Club and enjoy helping others on our journey wherever it takes us.

          Thanks for reading this and I look forward to learning about y'all.

Robin Kunkle

     Hi ladies !  Thanks Cass for having “Member Spotlight Day”.  It’s fun learning about people especially after the pandemic.     

      I came “out” five years ago in January to my wife (and myself) Ann. Together we’ve weathered the “T” storm.   We live in Red Lion PA and I’ve lived in the York area since I was 22      My hobbies which carried over from before transition is college football, college basketball and MLB.  As many of you know my family and I are goofy about playing Uno, as I keep Uno cards in my pocket book.   

     Since I came out, I love shopping  and hanging out with cis and trans friends alike.  Even though I’m from a “red” area I’m treated with respect- I think because I show others the same respect.  As far as music I show my age I like 80s classic rock , and if I had any advice it is this - if you’re afraid to come out for fear of losing someone, you will gain 100 in their place. Take baby steps but keep moving forward.  I started hrt April 2018 and I’m full time as of April of this year.  Thanks Cass for letting me share !