Ellie Krug headlines transgender activism

Ellie Krug was the first transgender attorney to argue before the Iowa Supreme Court. She grew up in the 60s and 70s and felt alienated from herself. Krug struggled with choosing between keeping her family and being true to herself. She transitioned at the age of 52, after she married her high school sweetheart, had two children with her, and started and practiced in a very successful law firm.

After she came out she lost it all: she got divorced from her wife, her daughter, and her sister refused to talk to her and the firm she worked at fired her. She shifted her career and became the first executive director for a legal nonprofit called Call for Justice.

She speaks with students about their experiences and encourages them to reach out.

“I promise to give you one hour of my time, be it on a call or in person,” she said.

Krug gains inspiration from Martin Luther King and his ideas around respect. She believes in every student that she talks to and wants to play her part in the movement toward world peace.