QuoteThese men who have spent their lives in the military, in Special Forces, parachuting in to dirty little wars all over the world, may have been surprised to learn that Dave was Diane. But after getting past the initial surprise, they have had remarkably little trouble seeing that Diane is the same person they've relied on, trusted, respected. The Library of Congress, on the other hand, couldn't see.

Americans, who, like Charlotte Preece, think they've never met anyone transgender, might think her reaction was not only understandable, but acceptable. Diane Schroer is the powerful counterargument. How could we let someone this good, this dedicated, with skills we need so badly, slip through our fingers?

Diane Schroer's story tells us that we can't afford to live in the America of the past much longer. For our own sake, we have to become the America we aspire to be.