Look Who it Was Random video

Kimberly Anderson - Living 45 Years as a Man to Living Openly as a Woman Pt. 2 | Ep. 736

3,481 views · Published 4 May 2017 · 56:56 · Indexed 6 November 2026

Channel: Mormon Stories Podcast · 2017 · Education

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Part 2: Kimberly tells about her LDS mission experience, her marriage, and having children

Kimberly Anderson is a self-actualized woman who has made the change from living for 45 years as a Mormon man to living openly as a woman.  Before her transition, she lived, worked, and thrived for decades as a spouse, parent of two children, faithful Mormon, professional photographer, and university professor (BYU, UVU, Snow College).  

Kimberly has a BA and an MFA from Utah State University, has exhibited widely both nationally and internationally as a professional photographer, and has work in various collections throughout the Intermountain West. She has taught as an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University, Snow College and Utah Valley University.  She is the founder/photographer for the Mama Dragons Story Project which was recently featured on Mormon Stories Podcast.

This interview kicks off a 4-part series on Transgender/Intersex education within Mormonism.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction - Mission South Korea
01:31 A fun story from her mission - the branch president's wife
02:34 In the 80s not having the language to call herself transgender.
04:21 Communication with Heavenly Father, faith
05:05 Attraction to other people
06:50 The question 'what was your name before?'
08:59 'Can you still talk in your own voice?'
09:22 What is the appropriate way to refer to your history when you presented as male?
10:36 Listener's comments and questions
11:12 Being afraid of being insensitive to your former self? Erasing the past.
16:05 The mormon plan of salvation has no place for being transgender. Coming out back then to her wife to be
18:13 The very last sunday school lesson Kimberly taught. Giving her temple recommend back to the bishop
19:37 Teaching the plan of salvation while not knowing her own place. Story from her mission
20:00 Never wearing a suit - gender rebellion. A pink cardigan
20:45 Ever being bullied? How does a bully select their target?
23:00 Utah State university. Hope the mission 'fixed' her?
25:24 Testimony after the mission
26:17 Expectations shortly after the mission. Relationships in college. When getting really close chickening out
28:46 Academic pursuits. Trombone. Lagoon Show band. Changing to journalism major, photography. Later fine art
31:56 Dating her girlfriend and courtship. Chickening out several times and finally deciding to go for it
34:48 The language she used to talk about it with her then future wife.
36:31 What it was like to hear someone say 'I love you anyway'. Feeling terrified
38:42 'She married me!' Feeling like she married up as her wife was choosing her.
40:38 Divorce bound to happen. Still seeing her.
41:15 Married in the Joseph Smith building by her father, sealed a year later
41:35 Ever a conversation with a church leader about being transgender? F No!
42:45 Not disclosing to other people than her fiancee / wife. Keeping button down
43:10 Endowment before mission. Getting sealed in the temple. Identifying with normalcy.
44:55 But having a new name now! :)
45:08 Married life. Living on a Mount St. Helen's. Living a male centered life. But underneath it boiled
49:29 Two children. Things to think about when having children as a transgender person
54:05 Seeing her wife being pregnant and giving birth. Underneath feeling 'it should have been me'.
___________________

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