Kimberly Nixon: Profile of a Trans Pilot

I am writing this article as we celebrate and remember those who have helped pave the way for LGBTQI2QA+ Rights and it being Pride Month!

It is important to bring attention to the many LGBTQI2QA+ people that are already employed or are pursuing a career in Aviation!

The Aviation industry is not known for it’s inclusiveness or representation of diverse groups such as Black, Indigenous, people of colour! Even less so of trans and non-binary people as pilots in particular! Women in general are still very under represented as we already know.

I am a Director on the Board for CAP Canadian Aviation Pride who for the past 15 years has been an organization that supports diversity in the industry whether it be those that work on the ramp, flight attendants, AME’s, in the Air Force and pilots!

I wanted to be a pilot since the age of 8. I had my first lesson at 14 and got my PPL in YXS at 16 and CPL at 18 in YUL as soon as it was legally possible. I soloed at 5.2 hours and I was fortunate to have had the benefit of great Instructors.

I pursued my education and started flying professionally at the age of 21 flying in the north for 4 years based out of Norway House, Thompson and Churchill MB on floats wheels and skis initially for a fishing lodge and then Charter and Medevac serving those many northern Indigenous communities. I flew for the Manitoba Government and Forestry Protection doing aerial fire fighting flying

Birddog for a CL215 out of Thompson MB. I went on to fly for Perimeter Aviation out of YWG then flew Corporate out of YEG and YYC and ultimately Air Canada Air BC/Jazz. I have accumulated many thousands of hours and after 13 years my ATPL and have now flown spanning over 47 years.

I knew I wanted to fly at a very early age, but I also knew I was female at the age of 4. For over 33 years, I was the first and only transsexual women to hold an ATPL and to my knowledge there is possibly only one other in the past 5 years, but she is not presently flying. There are many in the States most did transition on the job and were protected by their Unions. Even as far back as 1995 American and United had a number of transsexual women who were pilots.

I always maintained my CAT 1 Medical and started the process of SRS in 1987 applying to the VGH Gender Clinic in 1986 but lived 2 lives for many years before that. I lost my career for a time as an experienced, respected and accomplished Pilot as a result of the discrimination that trans/NB people face and because I was a woman. I never gave up and amazingly always stayed current flying but I decided to do something about the systemic discrimination that LGBTQI2QA+ people face with the hope of one day getting my career back and over the course of 33 years pioneered trans/NB rights in Canada.

I had a high profile Human Rights case that was the first of it’s kind to go to that high of a court anywhere in the world that spanned 15 years and set an international precedent. It was regarding trans women accessing gendered space. As a result now over 90% of women’s organizations across Canada, and many parts of the world, are now inclusive of trans women when they are experiencing gender based violence.

The Human Rights case changed the course of feminism in Canada and was the catalyst for the amending of the Human Rights Code both Provincially and Federally to include gender identity and expression as protected grounds!

Back to flying. I decided that I was not going to let the discrimination I faced because of being a woman who also happened to be a transsexual from keeping me from continuing to fly. In 2008 I found a way to buy my first aircraft a 1947 Cessna 120 with Brazilian Air Force markings and then a 1946 Globe Swift.

My mom was on a courageous journey with Parkinson’s and in a care home in Sydney for the last 3 years of her life I was able to fly from YNJ and ZBB to YYJ! I flew every weekend and sometimes twice a week only missing 4 days in 3 years because of Wx!

I had fun and kept my skills up so I would be ready should the world have changed enough that I would get my career back.

Every week I flew into YYJ and the Victoria Flying Club would welcome me. It was almost as though I was operating a sched!

I got to know the Manager at the time Gerry Mants and

Tim who worked the ramp very well!

For many years they as well as the VFC treated me like gold! I got to know many of the controllers as I became almost a permanent fixture they also treated so well often expediting the arrival of the Swift. Tim and the VFC let me keep a mountain bike locked to the fence in his tie down for many years and I was so grateful as I would land and park at the VFC jump on my bike and cycle in to my mom’s care home through sleet, wind, rain and snow and be able to visit my mom, dad and sister. It was wonderful to have a purpose to fly and have so much fun doing it making it even better by being treated so well by all those that I met at the VFC.

In 2013, I got my chance and my career back! I did a flight evaluation and was offered a job with Pacific Coastal in Port Hardy on the

Beaver on floats my mom was sadly close to passing at that time. I was so happy and grateful to be offered that opportunity simply because of my flying skills and experience.

I was also offered pilot positions with two other companies flying professionally up until the pandemic and would still love to keep flying!

I am part of a group of trans/NB people that are all presently pursuing flight training and are all hopeful of careers. I hope times have changed enough they will be given equal opportunity of employment in the industry.

Out of 39 jobs that I had or applied for I only kept 3 or 4 once the employer became aware that I was a transsexual woman. Please help us change that! We need industry, employers to live up to their employer equity statements. With so many gains made in LGBTQI2QA+ rights and now so many states, and recently even provinces, talking of repealing and walking back those rights, we need the help and support of our allies when we are facing these injustices.

Most I know are not aware that I am a transsexual woman, which is why I am speaking out because it is Pride month and I am unfortunately still likely the only trans woman in the country with an ATPL. Please help prove me wrong and please support and hire other

LGBTQI2QA+, trans, and nonbinary pilots as we all have the same love for flying!

Thank you again to those working in ATC at YYJ and the VFC who will remember my Cessna 120 as well as my Swift and me who made those days and flying so enjoyable!

- Kimberly Nixon

Ensure the rights of all BIPOC/Indigenous/ LGBTQI2QA+ and the furthering of Reconciliation!