Trans Mother Receives Working Mother of the Year Award

Photos: Austin Chronicle, CA Technologies

When Texas-based IT adviser and consultant Meghan Stabler's company, CA Technologies, took her aside to tell her that she had won Working Mother magazine's Working Mother of the Year Award, the transgender mother of three was shocked. "I didn't believe it," she recently explained to us by phone. "I thought somebody was lighting me up...I honestly thought that this was a joke." But after speaking to her coworkers, superiors, and representatives from the magazine, she realized just how much support she had.

"Meghan exemplifies CA's culture by bringing her authentic self to work each and every day," Beth Conway,CA's vice president of human resources, said. "It's our mission to support all employees so that they can unleash their full potential and as a result, harness the power of CA's true collective talent." Editorial director for Working Mother Media, Jennifer Owens, added: "Working Mother is proud to honor Meghan Stabler. She is an example of a true champion...She has successfully combined her passion and authenticity as a transgender woman in the workplace to impact the lives of others."

"I'm humbled," Stabler said. "I'm proud of the company that I work for." She also spoke about her role within the greater trans community, adding: "I'm proud to be able to leverage this as a new milestone for trans people to look to. [This award] gives opportunities for other companies to say 'We'll hire people based off of the merits of the job, not because of how they look or because of their history.' Trans people are fired from jobs when they come out...but that's if you have a job. If you're trying to get a job, that's so difficult," Stabler shared, lamenting unemployment rates amongst the trans population. "It's enough. Let's get out and tell the world who we are and say that we don't have to deal with it."