Monica Helms Oral History

Monica Helms was born on March 8, 1951, in Sumter, South Carolina. She served in the U.S. Navy from 1970 to 1978. In 1997, Monica underwent the process of transitioning and reapplied to the Phoenix chapter of the U.S. American Submarine Veterans Group but received significant resistance and was referred to a generic Veterans Group for women. Monica campaigned against the decision and became the first woman to ever join the organization. Monica then co-founded It’s Time Arizona, an Arizona-based organization advocating for equal treatment for trans people in the military. In 1999, she created the iconic transgender flag, which became a symbol of transgender pride. Her autobiography, “More than Just a Flag,” is a testament to her transformative journey and enduring impact on the LGBTQ community.

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Item Information:

Identifier: 9g54xj08h
Collection: Audio and Video Clips and Transcripts
Institution: OUTWORDS
Creator(s): Helms, Monica
MacCarthy, Jack
Contributor(s): Price, Astra
Date Created: Nov. 5, 2021
Dates Covered: 1970 to 1978
1997
1999
2014
Genre: Oral Histories
Subject(s): It’s Time Arizona
TransAction
Transgender American Veterans Association (TAVA)
Places: Arizona > Maricopa County > Phoenix
Georgia
Topic(s): Trans women
Transgender people in the military
Transgender political activists
Resource Type: Moving image
Language: English
Rights: In copyright
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