Though Del, too, has faced prejudice socially and professionally, working within the technology sector has meant that she has been largely behind the scenes, resulting in far less discrimination than many others within the trans community. But while Del has never fallen into indigence, she has experienced the intolerance, verbal abuse, and physical violence that are part of everyday life for trans people.

When I met with Del in Cambridge on a crisp fall evening, I could not help but wonder why she has chosen to be open about being trans at all. She is a strikingly beautiful blonde whose history is imperceptible when you look at her. Del agrees that telling her story puts her at a disadvantage: “Even the mechanics of sharing my past are difficult. The only exposure the average person has to transgender issues is from overwhelmingly false media stereotypes. We haven't had our Will & Grace moment yet, so coming out usually needs to be accompanied by a lot of education.”

If she wanted, Del could seamlessly blend into the background at Harvard Business School. It is very clear to me that the only reason she has decided to identify with the trans community is to help others by changing negative stereotypes. Most transgender individuals who manage to defy the odds by achieving success do so because they exist in stealth, hiding their trans history. While Del has chosen to speak out, she says she doesn’t fault those who choose not to share their past. “After transition, transgender becomes less an identity than an experience for many people, and one most are happy to forget.”

Sometimes it is the indirect discrimination of otherwise well-meaning people, rather than deliberate acts of hate, that most profoundly affects a transgendered person’s quality of life. “Most employers and administrators have not only never met a transgender person before, they have never been in an environment where they see others embrace a trans person. As a result, many open-minded and accepting people do terrible things out of the fear of what other people might think.” That’s why she sees the school’s acceptance of a transgendered individual as being so important. “Any difference I can make by being here is dwarfed by the impact the school and my peers have had by embracing a trans student as one of their own. They are the ones who are changing the world.”

Del speaks warmly and admiringly about her classmates. She describes them as bright, idealistic and sincere. That doesn’t mean she always feels at home, however. For over a decade, the Australian and New Zealand Club at Harvard Business School has thrown an annual “Priscilla Ball,” a themed cross-dressing party inspired by the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. This year, it is scheduled to take place on October 19. Though it is held off campus and is not sanctioned by the university, since its inception it has been one of Harvard Business School’s best-attended parties.