Alex Myers (born c.1979) is an American author, educator and

transgender rights The legal status of transgender people varies greatly around the world. Some countries have enacted laws protecting the rights of transgender individuals, but others have criminalized their gender identity or expression. In many cases, transg ...

activist.

Early life and education

Myers was born in Paris, Maine. As a teenager, he attended

Phillips Exeter Academy Phillips Exeter Academy (often called Exeter or PEA) is an Independent school, independent, co-educational, college-preparatory school in Exeter, New Hampshire. Established in 1781, it is America's sixth-oldest boarding school and educates an es ...

in New Hampshire. He obtained a bachelor's degree from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, where he studied near Eastern languages and civilizations. While at Harvard he worked to have gender identity added to the school's nondiscrimination clause. Myers obtained an MA in religion from

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

. He later studied fine arts at the

Vermont College of Fine Arts Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) is a private graduate-level college affiliated with California Institute of the Arts. It offers Master's degrees in a low-residency format. Its faculty includes Pulitzer Prize finalists, National Book Award wi ...

Career

Myers taught English at Phillips Exeter Academy, and currently serves as the director of the Mountain School of Milton Academy. His first book ''Revolutionary'' was released in 2014. Based on the life of

Deborah Sampson Deborah Sampson Gannett, also known as Deborah Samson or Deborah Sampson, (December 17, 1760 – April 29, 1827) was a Massachusetts woman who disguised herself as a man in order to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary ...

, the focus of the novel is a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to fight in the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. Released in 2019, his novel ''Continental Divide'' follows Ron Bancroft who grows up as a tomboy, comes out as a teenager and travels west to find himself. In an interview with

New Hampshire Public Radio New Hampshire Public Radio (NHPR) is the National Public Radio member network serving the state of New Hampshire. NHPR is based in Concord and operates eight transmitters and six translators covering nearly the whole state, as well as portions ...

Myers discussed how his own experience with transitioning was reflected in the main character Ron in his novel ''Continental Divide'' explaining: "The parallels in my own life would be a rural childhood, a feeling of always being a boy despite society telling me that I was a girl, and then going off to a more urban college experience with a bit more exposure to a range of differences." Myers' third book ''The Story of Silence'' (2020) is a retelling of '' Le Roman de Silence''.

Personal life

Myers is a

transgender man A trans man or transgender man is a man who was assigned female at birth. Trans men have a male gender identity, and many trans men undergo medical and social transition to alter their appearance in a way that aligns with their gender identit ...

. He began transitioning in 1995 during his senior year at Phillips Exeter Academy. Having studied the first three years as a woman, he returned to campus senior year with his hair cut and requested that he be called Alex. The transition made him the first openly transgender student in the school's history.

Publications

Novels

* ''Revolutionary'' (2014) * ''Continental Divide'' (2019) * ''The Story of Silence'' (2020) * ''The Symmetry of Stars (2021)''

Non-fiction

* ''Supporting Transgender Students: Understanding Gender Identity and Reshaping School Culture'' (2021)

Articles

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers, Alex 1970s births Living people LGBTQ people from Maine Transgender male writers Transgender novelists Harvard University alumni Brown University alumni American transgender men American transgender writers American LGBTQ novelists American LGBTQ rights activists People from Paris, Maine Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Year of birth missing (living people) Writers from Maine Activists from Maine Phillips Exeter Academy faculty 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American novelists 21st-century American LGBTQ people