Madison College celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility by featuring guest speaker Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford bringing “love, light and laughter” and sharing the journey through transition as a transgendered person yesterday at the Truax Campus, room D1630.  

Martinez Rutherford serves as an openly transgendered member of the Madison Common Council. 

“I am a comedian and an activist,” Martinez-Rutherford said during the opening of the event. “We are human, and we need to show up in spaces where we are unwelcomed” 

As an alder, advocate and voice in the Madison community, the anthem was clear—Martinez-Rutherford’s passion found hope in speaking up in the media, which provided an outlet for making change.  

“I came out in 1990 as gay,” Martinez-Rutherford said while explaining the sign of times in America. Martinez-Rutherford acknowledged the challenge of spending an entire life showing up in feminine roles. Comedy and reality set the tone for the presentation while sharing: 

• The experience of crying self to sleep.  
• Tried to be the embodiment of what society expected. 
• Started embracing about what felt right being a woman.
• Transitioned in Los Angeles “fumbling through life being a woman,” 
• Missing the connection with supportive experiences like shopping for bras and clothes that provided comfort. 

“I fumbled my way through life by showing up in woman’s clothes” Martinez-Rutherford shared. “A lot of us are forced to work in the underground community.” 

During the presentation, Martinez-Rutherford often used the noun “esteem,” referring to esteem as the power to persevere past abuse. The speaker presented the challenge of having to work in places like the sex industry, which led to getting fired for being transgender.  

The story about a transgendered individual murdered by a driver after ordering from Door dash was shared, which is the reality and experience the trans community faces. The caveat Martinez-Rutherford expressed discussed the touchy topic of being a person of faith digging deep during times of rejection, explaining how being trans allows for the opportunity to believe and love life.  

“There is no one way to be human; there is joy in the journey of being trans” was the message Martinez-Rutherford expressed sharing the abundance of joy with a voice that carries. The presentation centered around finding joy.   

Martinez-Rutherford believes serving the community and serving each other will lead to making everything all around be a little bit better and by showing up with a servant heart social circles will be impacted in a positive way.