Lily McBeth
Encyclopedia
Lily B. McBeth is an American
transgender
teacher from Tuckerton
, New Jersey
. She was born William B. McBeth and as part of her transition underwent sex reassignment surgery
in 2005. Her actions were hailed as a model of tolerance and acceptance of transgender Americans. She has three grown children from a previous marriage of 33 years. She is a retired medical sales & marketing executive. She was an active surfer, sailor, skier and duck hunter. As a soldier, she served in the U.S. Army as a Senior Medical Corpsman with a tour duty in Alaska. She says that she had always perceived herself as female and identified with other women. She says that for many years, she was afraid to address her transgenderism and felt that her first priority was keeping her family together for the sake of her children.
She worked as a substitute teacher at Little Egg Harbor Township School District
, Pinelands Regional School District
and Eagleswood Elementary School District for five years prior to her transition and returned after completing surgery to resume her teaching career. Some in the community did not think she should have been allowed to return to teaching. One parent took out a full page advertisement in a local newspaper alerting parents to what had happened. Parents expressed fear that some of her students would not understand transgenderism. After listening to parents and citizens providing public input, the school district
board decided to uphold their previous 4 to 1 vote for her reinstatement. This decision was hailed and criticized by politician
s, journalist
s, and activists
around the world. While she continued working as a substitute in Eagleswood School District she reapplied and was put on the substitute teachers list in the Pinelands Regional School in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
in the fall of 2006. The School Board appointed her to this position after a meeting at which they heard no negative comments; the vote to accept her was unanimous, with one member abstaining.
In 2009, McBeth retired from substituting, claiming that she had received less substituting assignments, which she claimed was due to her being a transgender. She remains involved in local theater productions, church choir, and volunteering to re-establish clam colonies in Barnegat Bay
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
teacher from Tuckerton
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. She was born William B. McBeth and as part of her transition underwent sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
in 2005. Her actions were hailed as a model of tolerance and acceptance of transgender Americans. She has three grown children from a previous marriage of 33 years. She is a retired medical sales & marketing executive. She was an active surfer, sailor, skier and duck hunter. As a soldier, she served in the U.S. Army as a Senior Medical Corpsman with a tour duty in Alaska. She says that she had always perceived herself as female and identified with other women. She says that for many years, she was afraid to address her transgenderism and felt that her first priority was keeping her family together for the sake of her children.
She worked as a substitute teacher at Little Egg Harbor Township School District
Little Egg Harbor Township School District
The Little Egg Harbor Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade from Little Egg Harbor Township School, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States....
, Pinelands Regional School District
Pinelands Regional School District
Pinelands Regional School District is a regional school district in Ocean County, New Jersey, serving students from Bass River Township, Eagleswood Township, Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton Borough....
and Eagleswood Elementary School District for five years prior to her transition and returned after completing surgery to resume her teaching career. Some in the community did not think she should have been allowed to return to teaching. One parent took out a full page advertisement in a local newspaper alerting parents to what had happened. Parents expressed fear that some of her students would not understand transgenderism. After listening to parents and citizens providing public input, the school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
board decided to uphold their previous 4 to 1 vote for her reinstatement. This decision was hailed and criticized by politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s, and activists
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
around the world. While she continued working as a substitute in Eagleswood School District she reapplied and was put on the substitute teachers list in the Pinelands Regional School in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Little Egg Harbor Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population had increased to a record high of 20,065....
in the fall of 2006. The School Board appointed her to this position after a meeting at which they heard no negative comments; the vote to accept her was unanimous, with one member abstaining.
In 2009, McBeth retired from substituting, claiming that she had received less substituting assignments, which she claimed was due to her being a transgender. She remains involved in local theater productions, church choir, and volunteering to re-establish clam colonies in Barnegat Bay
Barnegat Bay
Barnegat Bay is a small brackish arm of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 30 miles long, along the coast of Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States. It is a long barrier peninsula, as well as by the north end of Long Beach Island...
.