Jennifer Finney Boylan

Jennifer Finney Boylan is an acclaimed American author and transgender activist. She is known for her insightful and often humorous writing, which has been praised by critics and readers alike. Edward Albee, the renowned playwright, once described Boylan's work as being characterized by careful observation, love, levitating wit, and a humane concern.

Boylan's most well-known book is likely her memoir, She's Not There, which was published in 2003. This groundbreaking work was one of the first bestselling memoirs to be written by a transgender American, and it helped to bring transgender issues to a wider audience. The book explores Boylan's experiences as a transwoman and has been used as a textbook in high schools and colleges. It has also been published in many foreign editions and was an alternate selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club.

In addition to her work as an author, Boylan is also a respected professor and public speaker. She has spoken widely on gender and imagination at venues around the country, including the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. and the New Jersey State Theatre. She has also given plenary and keynote speeches at conferences on diversity and scholarship, and has appeared on national television and radio programs such as the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Larry King Show, and the Today Show.

Boylan is currently a contributing opinion writer for the op/ed page of the New York Times and is a member of the board of trustees of PEN America. She was also the chair of the board of GLAAD for many years. She is currently the Anna Quindlen Writer in Residence and Professor of English at Barnard College of Columbia University. Boylan is a well-known advocate for human rights and lives in Maine with her wife Deirdre and their two children.