I gave this a lot of thought when this story first broke, and you’re right. It’s frustrating that the voices most willing and eager to speak on these issues often don’t get mainstream media platforms. But we do have a platform, even if it’s not flashy or on CNN. Not to sound cliché, but our lives are our platform. Being openly trans at work, in our families, and in our communities can have a more profound, more lasting impact on hearts and minds than a quick two-minute media segment ever could.

Take my experience as an example: I transitioned while working at an oil refinery, one of the last places you’d expect to see acceptance. It’s a world steeped in toxic masculinity, populated by Boomers and older conservative folks who were initially furious at the idea of me transitioning. But I stuck with it. I worked hard, proved myself over the years, and slowly showed most of them that I wasn’t the devil or some abstract “threat” to their way of life.

Sure, there are still a few hardcore holdouts who will probably never change, but the majority of my coworkers are now friendly, kind, and, most importantly, give me professional respect. So when they think of trans people now, they don’t think of Sara McBride or some far-off political figure. They think of me—Constance from work. That’s the kind of platform we all have, and it’s one that can fundamentally reshape how people perceive trans issues on a personal level.