Her Story

Visualize a game of chess. Each player’s pieces perfectly in place. Now toss the board into the air and watch the pieces fall. That is how Middle School speaker Sgt. Jessica Hawkins with the DC Metropolitan Police Department described how she felt when she decided to honor her true identity and live as a transgender woman. “Some people think it’s a choice, but my life would be a whole lot easier as a male,” said Sgt. Hawkins.

 

Sgt. Hawkins’ presentation to Middle School students on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 touched on three of Lowell’s major curricular themes: diversity, identity and community and raised questions such as What is the value of diversity in the world? What role does genetics play in creating our individual identities? And how do identity and diversity impact community? Having Sgt. Jessica Hawkins as a speaker “supports our mission [to help students see] people as individuals and [respect] the complexity of identity,” explains Director of Diversity Michelle Belton.

 

As part of her presentation, Sgt. Hawkins recounted her experience living the “American Dream.” Sgt. Hawkins had a wife and daughter and a career spanning 19 years in the DC Metro PD but still didn’t feel true to her identity. She underwent counseling and gained essential support from friends and transgender allies. Eventually, her decision to “come out” was simple: “I promised myself I wouldn’t tell another lie,” said Sgt. Hawkins. She has been living as a transgender woman since Feb. 2014 and continues her work on the police force.

 

In early 2015, Sgt. Hawkins was appointed head of the LGBT Liaison Unit. The unit is comprised of officers dedicated to the public safety needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and their allied communities. They educate their colleagues and the public on hate crimes and public safety.

 

Students’ questions and reactions to the sergeant’s story varied. Some wanted to know more about her experience as a cop working the evening and midnight shifts in Anacostia. When asked what the hardest part of showing her true self was, Sgt. Hawkins answered, “Fear.” When faced with hate or adversity, Sgt. Hawkins follows the best piece of advice she ever got: to close her eyes and imagine all of her supporters standing by her side.

 

Michelle says she hopes Sgt. Hawkins’ presentation builds the students’ awareness: “Hopefully there was some myth busting, and the kids understand the fluidity of gender expression more.”

Ultimately, Michelle hopes the students can use “their own experience of fitting into a box or a certain gender role to relate to the speaker.” This way, “they can become accepting, or even an advocate” for others.