Instructor shares journey to womanhood

UNIVERSITY CENTER – After many decades, Charin Davenport, 58, is finally conquering a fear that she has lived with nearly her whole life. The Bay City woman has been learning to shed her anxiety and embrace who she is: a transgender woman.

Davenport did not always go by the name “Charin.” She was born male in Essexville and given the name “Charles,” which she went by for most of her life.

“You spend a lifetime afraid to be yourself,” Davenport said. “You survive by being somebody you’re not.”

Davenport plans on fully transitioning from Charles to Charin at the start of the coming fall semester. She says she wants to give the hormones and her brain more time to adjust. For now she presents herself in her workplace as Professor Chuck Davenport, wearing men’s attire.

Davenport, an adjunct English instructor at Delta College, has taught here for six and a half years and also teaches at Saginaw Valley State University.

Davenport has been doing hormone replacement therapy for the last six months. She said the changes she’s experiencing in her body due to the hormones are one of the easiest parts of transistioning. “The body changes. You kind of have to be ready for that.”

The more challenging part for her is dealing with all aspects of life finally coming together.

“There’s this kind of duality in my life and it’s a little more difficult to contend with than I thought it would be,” said Davenport. “For now I have to deal with being Professor Chuck Davenport and Char at the same time.”

Standing up for equity

Davenport’s physical presentation as male hasn’t stopped students from noticing her transition, however. Davenport has recently received media coverage due to an ordinance that Bay County Commission took up. The ordinance was voted down, but would have banned discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in all Bay County related employment and contract agreements. Davenport attended several of the board meetings and spoke publicly for the ordinance, urging the commissioners to pass it.

Students took notice of their teacher’s newly public identity and have expressed gratitude and support to Davenport.123