Hey! I'm Jess Szmajda.
Currently GM, 
Hello World!
Hello world, my name is Jess! I’m transgender :)
It’s taken me awhile to admit it to myself, but I did last fall (2016). Coming to this realization made a lot of my life make sense, and transitioning has given me a sense of peace and joy like I’ve never experienced before.
I am very fortunate to have a loving family, supporting work environment, and true friends. Many people who experience this change go through it with much more pain and sadness than I am. With that in mind, I have the opportunity to share my story more easily with people than many have before me. If you have questions, please ask! I’ll let you know if there’s a line I’d rather not cross. I’ve addressed some common questions below to get you started :)
Thanks in advance for your support!
Sincerely, -Jess (Jessica) Szmajda
Q: How do you plan to medically transition?
A: Transition is very much about identity and presentation, and medical options
are something that can support that transition. I’ve chosen to undergo hormone
replacement, and I’ve been on hormones now for about 5 months.
Q: Should I use different pronouns, or a different name?
A: Please do use she/her pronouns, and hi, my name is Jess! It’s short for
Jessica, but I prefer Jess :) For what it’s worth, I do expect this to take
some time for folks to get used to! It’s ok if you make a mistake, a simple
correction means a lot to me. If you notice someone else making a mistake, it
would be nice to help them remember there’s been a change too.
Q: How can we best support you?
A: Honestly the most supportive thing you can do right now is for us to just
keep going like everything is normal. Please use Jess and she/her pronouns. If
you’re interested in being a trans ally, I can point you in the direction of
some books and articles too. And thank you!
Q: Do you recommend any books?
A: This Transgender FAQ is a great place to start. I also recommend a
couple books - Transgender 101 by Nicholas Teich, and She’s Not There
by Jenny Boylan. I’m always looking for more resources, feel free to send any
over you’ve found valuable too!
Q: How should I get in touch if I have more questions?
A: Please feel free to leave a comment below, or reach out to me on twitter
(link in the sidebar)