Millennium Magazine_4th Ed

348 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine D r. Amity P. Buxton is the founder of the Straight Spouse Network (SSN). Founded in 1991, SSN is a worldwide network of straight partners whose mates turn out to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. The network provides personal support and research- based information for straight spouses to cope constructively with unique pain and raises public awareness of straight spouses as victims of victims of anti-LGBT attitudes and actions in the larger society. Addressing social stigma against LGBTpersons, she andSSNworkwithLGBTorganizations to educate the public about negative effects of homo/transphobia on not only LGBT persons but also their straight spouses. She also conducts research, writes articles for professional journals, publishes books, and presents at local conferences. Sitting on the board of the Family Equality Council, she also served on the Catholic Association of Lesbian and Gay Ministry Board. Drawing upon her MA degree from the Teachers College at Columbia University inNewYork in 19562, Dr. Buxton taught frompreschool to college in New York, Michigan and California. While completing her PhD at Columbia in 1962, she volunteered in community projects related to school desegregation efforts in San Francisco. For the next 24 years, she taught graduate school students training to be teachers and classroom teachers in desegregating schools; developed the Teachers Active Learning Center for three school districts; and served as staff development director for the Oakland, California, schools. Simultaneously, she conducted research on children’s language development and developed prototypes for teachers’ centers for staff and curriculumdevelopment and alternative learning evaluationmethods. In 1986, the focus of her research, writing and conference presentations turned to straight spouses and couples in mixed-orientation and trans/non-transgender marriages and the underlying social issues. Building awareness of the need for social and racial equality, Dr. Buxton’s influence has resulted in a legacy of increased confidence, improved education and greater societal understanding. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Evelyn Hooker Award for Distinctive Contribution by an Ally from the American Psychological Association in 2013. AMITY P. BUXTON, PHD FOUNDER, EDUCATOR Straight Spouse Network Oakland, CA SOCIAL SERVICES AND NONPROFIT