The Barometer Online

Issue date: 3/16/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrew Burton Dalena Spiritsong, better known on campus as Spirit, has finally found her true self after many years of searching. In 2003, Spirit revealed to others that she identifies as a trans-woman.

Looking at herself now, liberal arts senior Dalena Spiritsong, 64, no longer sees who she used to be - an alcoholic, a person who was lost and unsure of who she was. Now, she sees someone who is energetic, who has a purpose and is a trans-woman.

Spiritsong, known to many as Spirit, was born a male, identifying as a heterosexual. In 2003, she decided it was time to come out and tell her friends and family - after a 12-year process - that she wanted to identify as a lesbian woman. It was something she said she had to do.

When Spirit decided to tell her family, she was afraid what would happen. She sent an e-mail to her family and explained to them what was happening.

"I could no longer hide it. It's not like I'm doing this for fun," Spirit said.

Since then, Spirit has not only changed physically but emotionally and mentally, using the fact that she can now express her feelings better as an example.

Spirit said she has always been an emotional person; but being a male, anger was the only thing she could express.

"There were things that happened every once in a while where I'd get teary eyes, but I stopped it because guys don't cry," Spirit said. "Now I can, and that's so refreshing because I don't have to keep it all inside."

Spirit's daughter, who is a professor at OSU, says she remembers Spirit going through different roles as a runner, an artist, a cowboy, a hippie and a weight lifter.

"I remember thinking, 'I'll believe it when I see it,'" said her daughter, who wished to remain anonymous.

Spirit said she tried to live a typical male life before she decided on the change. She tried very hard to fulfill the male role, getting married young in 1964 and then having four children.

"My life revolved around my kids," Spirit said. "It wasn't until my last son graduated (from high school) in 1991 that I realized I never really considered who I might be; all my energy was geared toward the kids."

Continued...

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