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Jennifer Finney Boylan and transgender people

Jennifer Finney Boylan is an American author, professor, and activist. Boylan has written several memoirs and novels and has frequently appeared in the media to discuss trans issues.

Notable work involving gender and media includes:

  • The memoir She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders (2003)
  • Writing a New York Times opinion column (2007–2022)
  • The memoir Stuck in the Middle with You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders (2013)
  • Serving on the GLAAD Board (2013)
  • Collaborating with transbians Parker Molloy and Christina Kahrl on pushing GLAAD to adopt their prescriptivist views on slang and slurs (2014)
  • Unsuccessfully lobbying behind the scenes to boycott/cancel RuPaul’s Drag Race (2014)
  • Mentoring and promoting writer Parker Molloy during and after abuse allegations against Molloy
  • Being a consultant for Jeffrey Tambor on the dramedy Transparent (2014) during and after abuse allegations against Tambor
  • Appearing as Caitlyn Jenner’s friend on I Am Cait (2015)
  • Giving the thumbs up to an anti-trans article by Lisa Selin Davis (2017)
  • Signing the Harper’s letter with J.K. Rowling and dozens of other anti-trans activists, later withdrawn (2020)
  • Writing opinion pieces for the Washington Post

Background

Jennifer Finney “Jenny” Boylan was born June 22, 1958 in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Boylan earned a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in 1980, then earned a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1986. Boylan was a professor at Colby College from 1988 to 2014, then took an appointment at Barnard College. Several of Boylan’s early books were published prior to beginning transition in 2000. Boylan wrote an opinion column for the New York Times from 2007 to 2022 among other writing. Boylan has published opinion pieces in the Washington Post since 2014, increasing the frequency after leaving the New York Times.

In 1988 Boylan married Deirdre Finney Boylan (born 1960). They have two children, Sean (born 1996), and Zaira (born 1994), who is also trans.

Boylan served on the board of GLAAD and has held other roles at organizations benefiting sex and gender minorities. Boylan has appeared on Oprah and the Caitlyn Jenner reality show I Am Cait.

In 2023, Boylan was named President of PEN America.

Anti-drag factionalism

Boylan was a key figure with Christina Kahrl in the 2014 transbian attacks led by Parker Molloy that were critical of drag artists and the offensive language some of them use. This strain of respectability politics reached a boiling point when the three of them combined their ongoing anti-drag and anti-slur crusades to extract an apology from RuPaul and RuPaul’s Drag Race for a transphobic segment that was ultimately pulled. They bragged about taking over GLAAD, an organization built by the entire community that had previously helped settle intra-community disputes out of the public eye. In a mutually beneficial piece of logrolling, Boylan told Molloy:

“This is, to coin a phrase, not your father’s GLAAD, and this is not the work that was being done a decade ago. One reason why I think we’ve been able to make a little progress is that GLAAD is now largely run by trans people. We occupy positions from staff to volunteers to the board of directors, including its national co-chair, which is me. These are our lives we are talking about; the people demeaned by incidents like this one are the men and women who work here. And other cis staff members have been working for trans rights for years and years now. I am proud of the board and staff for their passion.”

Even after being presented with extensive evidence of Parker Molloy’s abuse and slurs toward other trans people, Boylan remained one of Molloy’s staunchest supporters. In exchange, Molloy would write publicity pieces for Boylan and launder them through Advocate.com until being suspended and ultimately resigning.

2020 Harper’s Letter

Boylan was a signatory on the 2020 “A Letter on Justice and Open Debate” in Harper’s Magazine. That open letter was criticized for the high percentage of “gender critical” people in the media, most notably anti-trans extremist J.K. Rowling. Boylan had been in awe of Rowling to the point that in 2010 Boylan created a children’s fantasy series called Falcon Quinn that shared remarkable similarities with Rowling’s Harry Potter franchise.

Boylan asked to be taken off the Harper’s Letter, claiming ignorance of the other signatories, while trans economist Deirdre McCloskey remained a signatory.

Books

  • Remind Me to Murder You Later (1988)
  • The Planets (1991)
  • The Constellations: A Novel (1994)
  • Getting In (1998)
  • She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders (2003)
  • I’m Looking Through You: Growing Up Haunted: A Memoir (2008)
  • Falcon Quinn and the Black Mirror (2010)
  • Falcon Quinn and the Crimson Vapor (2011)
  • Stuck in the Middle with You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders (2013)
  • Foreword fo Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community (2014)
  • You Are You (2015)
  • Falcon Quinn and the Bullies of Greenblud (2016)
  • Long Black Veil (2017)
  • Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs (2020)
  • Mad Honey: A Novel (2022) [with Jodi Picoult]
  • Cleavage: Men, Women, and the Space Between Us (2025)

References

Tagen-Dye, Carly (February 5, 2025). Jennifer Finney Boylan Doesn’t Speak for All Trans People. And with Cleavage, She’s Ready to Cede the Floor to New Voices. People https://people.com/jennifer-finney-boylan-new-book-cleavage-trans-experience-8786585

Harris, Elizabeth A. (December 11, 2023). Jennifer Finney Boylan to Lead PEN America. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/books/jennifer-finney-boylan-pen-america.html

Bull, Chris (July 11, 2020). These queer media stars are helping save America from itself. Queerty https://www.queerty.com/queer-media-stars-helping-save-america-20200711/4/

Nolan, Emma (July 8, 2020). Trans Author Jennifer Finney Boylan Recants ‘Cancel Culture’ Letter Signed by J.K. Rowling. Newsweek https://www.newsweek.com/author-jennifer-finney-boylan-recants-cancel-cultureletter-jk-rowling-1516235

Crane, Emily (July 8, 2020). Trans writer Jennifer Finney Boylan distances herself from free speech letter she signed calling out cancel culture after realizing JK Rowling had also endorsed it – but is immediately called out by the Harry Potter author. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8503571/Trans-writer-Jennifer-Finney-Boylan-distances-free-speech-letter.html

Masters, Jeffrey (March 20, 2019). Jennifer Finney Boylan Looks Back on Her Infamous Interview With Oprah. The Advocate https://www.advocate.com/transgender/2019/3/20/jennifer-finney-boylan-looks-back-infamous-interview-oprah

Molloy, Parker Marie (May 2, 2014). Trans Bodies, Trans Selves Aims to Educate the Trans Masses. Advocate.com https://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2014/05/02/trans-bodies-trans-selves-aims-educate-trans-masses

Molloy, Parker Marie (May 1, 2014). GLAAD Cochair Jennifer Finney Boylan Joins Barnard College. Advocate.com https://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2014/05/01/glaad-cochair-jennifer-finney-boylan-joins-barnard-college

James, Andrea (July 24, 2014). The GLAAD Board’s “Tranny” Trouble: How Its Trans Takeover Is Reshaping LGBT Politics. Queerty https://www.queerty.com/the-glaad-boards-tranny-trouble-how-its-trans-takeover-is-reshaping-lgbt-politics-20140724 [archive]

Molloy, Parker Marie (March 29, 2014). Logo, RuPaul’s Drag Race Respond to Antitrans Slurs. Advocate.com https://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2014/03/29/logo-rupauls-drag-race-respond-antitrans-slurs

Davis, Brendan (November 8, 2013). Meet GLAAD’s new board co-chairs! https://glaad.org/blog/meet-glaads-new-board-co-chairs [archive]

Leung, Rebecca (February 23, 2004 ). Trapped: Jenny Boylan. CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trapped-jenny-boylan/

Selected writing by Boylan

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (July 13, 2025). Superman’s father taught me how to write. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/13/superman-fd-christopher-reeve-father-jor-el/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (May 8, 2025). What two packs of weed gummies taught me about America. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/05/08/weed-trans-lgbtq-illegal-moral/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (March 19, 2025). What is a trans woman, really? The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/03/19/misgendering-sarah-mcbride/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (February 5, 2025). On cleavage: Mind the gap. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/05/cleavage-men-women-transgender-marriage-love/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (October 30, 2024). Donald Trump wants you to be afraid of me. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/30/trump-trans-ads-strategy-fear/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (September 25, 2024). Will Ferrell’s new film showcases a richer, riskier kind of humor. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/09/25/will-harper-netflix-movie-humor-transgender-road-trip/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (October 30, 2023). After the Maine shooting, trying to say no to fear. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/30/maine-fear-before-halloween/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (May 1, 2023). To understand biological sex, look at the brain, not the body. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/05/01/transgender-biology-brain-science-freedom/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (July 29, 2022). Trans people shouldn’t have to hide to help Democrats win. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/29/trans-people-shouldnt-have-hide-help-democrats-win/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (June 1, 2021). A Scottish political party treated trans people like the Loch Ness monster. It won’t be the last time. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/01/scottish-political-party-treated-trans-people-like-loch-ness-monster-it-wont-be-last-time/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (July 2, 2021). Remember the Bicentennial? Celebrating might be even harder for America’s 250th birthday. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/07/02/remember-bicentennial-celebrating-might-be-even-harder-americas-250th-birthday/

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (August 22, 2013). Longing for the day when Chelsea Manning and I both seem boring. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/longing-for-the-day-when-chelsea-manning-and-i-both-seem-boring/2013/08/22/7bf52c42-0b5d-11e3-b87c-476db8ac34cd_story.html

Boylan, Jennifer Finney (February 7, 2014). The Beatles. JFK. Even Julia Child. Help! I need a break from 50th anniversaries. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-beatles-jfk-even-julia-child-help-i-need-a-break-from-50th-anniversaries/2014/02/07/c1eb6666-8e76-11e3-84e1-27626c5ef5fb_story.html

Media

NPR Podcasts with Robin Young and Jenny Boylan (March 13, 2025). Jennifer Finney Boylan’s latest memoir ‘Cleavage’ is a reflection on transgender life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruhO55D3CB4

NEWS CENTER Maine (February 24, 2025). America’s best-known trans writer, Jennifer Finney Boylan, has a few things to get off her chest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUNzYbRbOF4

Politics and Prose (February 18, 2025). Jennifer Finney Boylan — Cleavage – with Congresswoman Sarah McBride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUI0J2ClDd0

PEN America (May 20, 2025). Jennifer Finney Boylan’s Opening Remarks at the 2025 PEN America Literary Gala. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQZKflMzVNA

sia_thebestsinger (April 21, 2020). Sia live with Jennifer Finney Boylan on Zoom (04.21.2020). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqRBmur30lA

The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss and Jenny Boylan (December 2, 2019). Jenny Boylan – The Origins Podcast with Lawrence Krauss – FULL VIDEO. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycn6NqZiUAE

E! Entertainment (March 11, 2016). I Am Cait | Kate Bornstein & Jennifer Finney Boylan Discuss “Tranny” | E! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i9k-V51QfY

TEDx Talks (September 30, 2015). A transgender path home | Jennifer Finney Boylan | TEDxMet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0h7LFvlVwk

JennyBoylan (January 10, 2013). We Happy Trans, with Jennifer Finney Boylan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pulsg9QTyNc

GLAAD (November 14, 2012). I AM: Trans People Speak – Jennifer Finney Boylan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMxPdZt7Tso

Chicago Humanities (November 30, 2010). Jennifer Finney Boylan: A Life in Two Genders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tqQbhDhiVo

nodumbquestions (October 7, 2008). Jennifer Boylan: No Dumb Questions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIbDz7lyGyc

Resources

Jennifer Finney Boylan (jenniferboylan.net)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

Muck Rack (muckrack.com)

Harvard University, Hollis Archives (hollisarchives.lib.harvard.edu)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Bluesky (bsky.app)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Substack (substack.com)

New York Times (nytimes.com)

Colby College (colby.edu)

Barnard College (barnard.edu)

  • Jennifer Boylan
  • english.barnard.edu/profiles/jennifer-boylan
  • barnard.edu/profiles/jennifer-boylan

GLAAD (glaad.org)

  • Professor Jennifer Finney Boylan (Maine) May 2011–Present
  • glaad.org/about/board/jenniferboylan [archive]

PEN America (pen.org/)

Gender Rights Maryland (genderrightsmaryland.org)

  • Policy Advisory Board
  • genderrightsmaryland.org/joomla/about-us/policy-advisory-board [archive]