After Paula Sophia Schonauer transitioned physically from male to female, she went back to work at the Oklahoma City Police Department. A few years into her transition, she said she was openly harassed by her fellow officers. She naturally complained to her bosses.
And then the fight really began.
Schonauer filed a lawsuit against the department in 2005.
“When I raised concerns, there was retaliation,” she said. “I couldn’t see how I could continue to do my work there, and I think they were worried about that, too. It looked like I was going to be fired, so I filed the lawsuit.”
As the first openly transgender officer in Oklahoma City, Schonauer fought adversity. She was awarded the title of Hero of Hope 2017, but Schonauer has been paving a way for those in the transgender community long before that.
Many would consider her a trailblazer.
Schonauer was chosen as the keynote speaker for Women Lead Oklahoma’s Trailblazer series, a program that features women who have led the way in their line of work or community outreach. She addressed the luncheon audience July 20.
Schonauer has been involved with Women Lead Oklahoma since its rise in 2016. Its partnership with Freedom Oklahoma, an organization also working with marginalized groups, helped launch the first annual Women’s March at the Oklahoma City Capitol in response to the election of Donald Trump.
When speaking about her leadership roles within women’s rights activism, Schonauer uses her transgender identity to educate and offer other perspectives. Schonauer said her concerns for equality, equal pay, and equal access are intersectional.
“From women to LGBTQ+ individuals to people of color to people who are lower on the socioeconomic status, it is about access and equality for all.”
Schonauer has achieved goals in many aspects of her life. She is a veteran, served on OKCPD, ran for state representative in 2014, is a published author, adjunct professor, columnist with the newspaper The Gayly, worked with the National Center of Equality and volunteers at organizations such as Freedom Oklahoma and Young Okies United.
She now works for Central Oklahoma Community Mental Health Center in Norman.
Schonauer said she believes that being one of the first visible transgender persons to speak out put her in a natural leadership role.
“Even though I am not sure if I would necessarily call myself a leader in the sense of a leader of a movement,”Schonauer said
“I just try to make sure that the transgender point of view is offered and heard, and that I live my life the way I feel compelled to live it. Sometimes that brings positive attention to me and the trans community, and I am grateful for that,” she said.
“I guess in some ways that is leadership by example. I am hoping for a time when people can feel more comfortable to use their voices and be visible and become strong advocates.”
Through various outreach programs Schonauer has paved a path for the LGBTQ+ community in Oklahoma. This trailblazer title is one she does not take lightly, feeling as though there are many others who have had a strong influence on Oklahoma’s perception of the community but have been neglected in terms of recognition.
“People paved the way for me, and there are those who didn’t get any recognition or attention, some who were ignored, virtually invisible, who lived their life with integrity, and to the best of their ability,” Schonauer said.
“These people made sure at least the idea of being transgender wasn’t something that was totally foreign, or totally out of left field.”
Grateful for her predecessors, Schonauer uses her admiration to give back to the community. Through her involvement with Freedom Oklahoma and Young Okies United she has been able to use her time to pour back into the lives of those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Not only is she a parent to two kids, she fosters as well. This dedication to the next generation has made her stand out as an influential figure.
“One of the things about volunteering is it enriches my life, and it also provides an opportunity for people to have mentoring where there (are) pitifully few role models to look at. There is also the reward of watching people grow and become settled in their lives,” she said.
Resiliency has been her trademark. She has used her experiences to shape herself rather than tear herself down. Through her struggles and triumphs, Schonauer has defined the face of the LGBTQ+ community and used her story to speak to the generations to come.
“I am motivated to share my story because there are a lot of people that demonize transgender people and try to make it seem like we are predatory or sexually perverted and that’s not true,” Schonauer said.
“We are people who are parents, we are people who are neighbors, we are people who go to church with you, we are people who are working at our jobs, trying our best to be productive citizens and trying to fit in in life.”
