Don’t bother searching for Cal Stone McMillan in Conestoga’s 2103 yearbook. The only McMillan listed is brainy trumpeter Caroline, and well, she’s long gone.
Because Caroline, in trans parlance, is Cal’s “dead name.”
In print and in person, Caroline has been largely erased – birth certificate, passport and driver’s license all say “Calvin” now. Calling Cal “Caroline” would be “deadnaming,” disrespectful because it signals non-acceptance.
Along with the masculine name, there’s a manly physique, a strong handshake, a deeper voice, a beard.
