top of page

Olivia Werth

Born in 1976, Olivia Werth was raised as a boy in Des Moines, Iowa, in what she describes as a conservative, Christian, lower-middle-class family. As a child, Olivia played with cross-dressing and “always knew I was a girl,” but came to hide that part of herself when her family rejected it. She became especially frightened after seeing the character of Buffalo Bill, a cross-dressing serial killer in the 1991 film Silence of the Lambs. For the following thirty years, Olivia buried her female identity. She would attend Grinnell College, where she met her future wife Niki, with whom she immediately “trauma bonded.” The couple would eventually go to the Northeast, first living in Western Connecticut, followed by Boston and eventually Lynn. Olivia worked various jobs in financial services, accounting, and mortgage firms. It was only during the pandemic in 2020 that Olivia claimed her female identity, something her partner Niki “knew well before I did.” Although Olivia experiences misgendering and transphobia, the couple has found a largely tolerant home in Lynn. Olivia has started a zine, Prismatic, dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community of Lynn. She is a member of United Lynn Pride and volunteers for NAGLY and Trans Support.

Watch Full Interview

Olivia Werth

Duration

52:25

Watch Interview Moments

Click an image to watch a moment.

Family background in Iowa.

Olivia Werth

I took care of my younger siblings.

Olivia Werth

Learning to not say I'm a girl.

Olivia Werth

I kept potential friends at a distance.

Olivia Werth

Meeting my first LGBTQ+ people at Grinell.

Olivia Werth

Cultural differences between the Northeast and the Midwest.

Olivia Werth

Realizing I'm a trans woman.

Olivia Werth

Society transitions to see who I've always been.

Olivia Werth

Our families support us.

Olivia Werth

I published my zine, Prismatic, to combat misinformation.

Olivia Werth

Religion was imortant to my family.

Olivia Werth

I knew from a very young age that I was a girl.

Olivia Werth

Why I stopped wearing mother's clothes.

Olivia Werth

I was attracted to boy and girls.

Olivia Werth

Meeting Nikki.

Olivia Werth

Lynn's diversity felt comfortable.

Olivia Werth

Transitioning during the pandemic.

Olivia Werth

Lynn is an inclusive, queer-friendly place.

Olivia Werth

The future is going to be much more open and inclusive.

Olivia Werth

Working for NAGLY gives me hope for the younger generation.

Olivia Werth

Images

ULP Logo Round 2024.png

Feedback
© 2024 United Lynn Pride Inc.
United Lynn Pride Inc. is a 501(c)3 Tax Exempt Non-Profit Organization
EIN: 88-4123340

#UnitedLynnPride
Connect with us on Social Media

Facebook_logo_(square).png
-11590303444ezlkboanlo_edited.jpg
bottom of page