Joy Ladin, the first open­ly trans­gen­der employ­ee of an Ortho­dox insti­tu­tion, has long worked at the inter­sec­tion of trans iden­ti­ty, Jew­ish iden­ti­ty, and lit­er­a­ture. She is the author of three books on trans­gen­der issues, includ­ing new pub­lished Once Out of Nature: Select­ed Essays on the Trans­for­ma­tion of Gen­der; a mem­oir of gen­der tran­si­tion, Nation­al Jew­ish Book Award final­ist Through the Door of Life; and a ground­break­ing work of Jew­ish trans the­ol­o­gy, Lamb­da Lit­er­ary and Tri­an­gle Award final­ist, The Soul of the Stranger: Read­ing God and Torah from a Trans­gen­der Per­spec­tive. She has also pub­lished eleven books of poet­ry, includ­ing new­ly pub­lished Fam­i­ly; Shekhi­nah Speaks; and Nation­al Jew­ish Book Award win­ner The Book of Anna. A nation­al­ly rec­og­nized speak­er on trans­gen­der issues, her work has been rec­og­nized with a Nation­al Endow­ment for the Arts Fel­low­ship and a Ful­bright Schol­ar­ship, among oth­er hon­ors. Her writ­ings, talks, and upcom­ing events are avail­able at www​.joy​ladin​.com.