<ul class="summary-list"><li>Wynne Nowland, the chair and CEO of insurance firm Bradley and Parker, came out as trans in 2017.</li><li>She worried some colleagues would react poorly but was pleasantly surprised by the support she got.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Wynne Nowland, the chair and CEO of <a href="https://bradley-parker.com/">Bradley and Parker</a>. It has been edited for length and clarity.One morning in 2017, I lingered in my car at Bradley and Parker — the Melville, New York, insurance firm where I'm the CEO. For once, I hesitated to go inside.Usually, I'm no wallflower; you don't get to be successful in business if you're shy. But just a few hours before, I'd sent an email to my entire company in which I came out as a transgender woman and shared my new name and pronouns.Starting that day, I finally presented as Wynne — the woman I'd long known myself to be. It had taken me a year or two to prepare and begin living as myself full time.<h2>I had presented as male in a conservative industry for so long that <keyword id="12027377" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="coming-out" source="Orion">coming out</keyword> seemed terrifying</h2>Corporate insurance isn't a fun, cozy product, and those of us who work in the industry know that. A lot of us are older, and many lean conservative. I wasn't sure what reactions to expect, and I was definitely anxious when I walked through the front door. But my employees rushed to greet me with smiles, hugs, and encouragement. While a couple of employees went straight to our human-resources department to ask the all-too-familiar question of which bathroom I'd use, my team, overall, supported me immensely.I'd also sent coming-out emails — sometimes even snail mail — to clients, business partners, vendors, and restaurants where I'd cultivated relationships with the owners.One of my longtime clients, an older gentleman who works with a large company here in the Northeast, embodies pretty much every stereotype you can imagine of someone who wouldn't support trans rights. He was one of the people I was concerned would react negatively.But he replied to my email within minutes with a simple message: "We're friends. This changes nothing. Talk to you later."<h2>I recognize my privileges as someone with a prominent leadership role at an established company </h2>I also transitioned later in life, after becoming financially stable and independent. I imagine it's even tougher to come out if those circumstances don't apply to you.I've always been someone who tries to mentor and empower others, and since coming out, I've hoped to do that for other trans people who are considering transitioning in a world that makes it more complicated than it has to be.I hope other trans people can see me transitioning as a CEO and know that it's possible for them, too. I want them to hear about the positive responses my workplace had and understand that, when you transition, you may be surprised to see where support comes from.I also talk about trans issues and inclusivity at work, hoping to help normalize trans experiences for those who don't have another frame of reference. Since coming out, I have seen even more clearly how important it is to not turn people away because of who they are. It's important to elevate and support people who live outside the boundaries of what society expects of them.<h2>I've learned in my own coming-out journey that most prejudices come from fear</h2>Folks fear what they don't know, and the average person doesn't know anybody who is out as trans. With so much <a href="https://www.insider.com/list-of-anti-trans-bills-filed-in-2022-2022-1">anti-trans rhetoric</a> circulating right now, it's easy for them to lean into their fear and start to hate.Maybe they don't understand trans identities, and maybe they don't think they support trans rights. But in my experience, coming out to someone forces them to confront the rhetoric they've heard. Learning that somebody they know and respect is trans makes them challenge any ideas they have about who trans people are.Trans identity is not just a trend among teens and young adults, and coming out doesn't have to upend our lives. We just need a little more understanding from those around us.

I'm a trans CEO in a notoriously traditional sector. I didn't expect my coworkers to accept me &mdash; but they did.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After applying twice for a coach position, <keyword id="13045039" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="noom" source="Orion">Noom</keyword> offered this person a spot on the waitlist for a job.</li><li>Nearly a year later, they got a role working 29 hours a week as a goal specialist — and loved it.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a former Noom coach based in the South. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their career, but Insider confirmed their identity, income, and employment. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I've been passionate about health and <keyword id="11897658" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fitness" source="Orion">fitness</keyword> since I completed my own weight-loss journey. I first applied to a coaching position at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weight-loss-app-noom-faces-controversy-for-diet-coaching-billing-2021-9">Noom</a> in 2019 when I was dealing with emotional and personal issues, and I didn't make it past the first round of interviews. The way Noom incorporates psychology to help clients repair their relationships with food appealed to me, so I decided to give it another shot when I saw the job posted again in 2020.<h2>I was put on a waitlist after Noom said I was hired</h2>I interviewed in November 2020, but it was nearly a year before I was actually offered a part-time position. It seemed like Noom was actively hiring directly to the waitlist so they had a pool of candidates ready. I'd never been waitlisted for a job before, but a friend of mine had been hired after three months on the Noom waitlist, so I assumed it was typical for the company. I was willing to wait because I had another part-time job and I thought I was a perfect fit for Noom. Also, the entire application process was grueling, and I didn't want to go through it again if I decided I wanted the job. It was four steps: the initial application, a self-shot video explaining why I was a good fit, a mock-coaching test, and two more interviews with the hiring team. I started in my role as a goal specialist at $18 an hour for 29 hours a week. On a daily basis, I offered guidance and support for clients in achieving their weight-loss goals via online chat. Many of my clients were stress eaters who would binge-eat. I would help them identify what their stress triggers were and explore ways that they could self-soothe besides binge eating. <h2>After I started, I realized our training should have been extended</h2>I wanted more advice on how to navigate difficult situations that I might encounter with clients. During training, instructors would throw out terminology with no definitions and I often had to figure it out myself.However, I loved that Noom was fully remote, which was different from other corporate positions I'd had and allowed for a lot of flexibility. I envisioned myself staying with Noom for years — I planned to retire with them. I wanted to move into a full-time position, and my boss often said, "As soon as there's an opportunity, I'll put a good word in for you," but she never made any solid promises. I was also never given specific metrics for going full time.I loved working with my clients; they shared deep and intimate things with me. I worked with over 200 clients at a time, and everything was going great. I actually wanted to take on more clients.<h2>Then the layoffs came out of nowhere</h2>They had just given coaches raises a month earlier, so we felt secure. On April 28, we got an email calling for a mandatory meeting that same afternoon. During the call, they said they needed a certain number of coaches to leave to hit the metrics for their next coaching model, premium coaching, which will probably include video coaching. They're calling it a layoff even though we technically volunteered. (We also learned that 180 coaches were laid off earlier that day.) I decided to exit because there wouldn't be any full-time positions opening up soon. Also, the severance package was good; it included<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weight-loss-app-noom-laying-off-coaching-staff-2022-4?utm_source=feedly&amp;utm_medium=webfeeds"> eight weeks of pay</a>. I still believe that Noom is a good company, but they shouldn't have fired employees after giving out raises.I'm now working full time at a general store that sells products from local artisans. Before I accepted it, I was reviewing a list of health-and-wellness companies that were hiring that was posted by an <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/matthew-vock-012872119_wellness-fitness-health-activity-6926327670108557312-GhCL?utm_source=linkedin_share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop_web">advocate on LinkedIn</a> trying to help laid-off Noom employees. It was a great resource. I'm not opposed to working for a corporation again, but I do like that I can make personal connections within my community at my new job.I don't regret working there. I believe later on down the road Noom will realize that they lost a lot of quality coaches.Noom declined to comment for this article.Were you recently laid off and want to share your story? Email <keyword id="13845473" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="nora-biette-timmons" source="Orion">Nora Biette-Timmons</keyword> at nbiettetimmons@insider.com.

I was part of the layoffs at weight-loss app Noom. I'd waited a year for the job and wish we'd had more training — but I don't regret working there.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sarah Cosley began noticing her daughter's <keyword id="13903061" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="formula" source="Orion">formula</keyword> was missing from shelves in January.</li><li>She started a <keyword id="11892960" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="facebook" source="Orion">Facebook</keyword> group for other <keyword id="13346449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="moms" source="Orion">moms</keyword>. In less than two weeks it's grown to nearly 500 people.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sarah Cosley, a 38-year-old mom from Dubuque, Iowa, about the <a href="https://www.insider.com/when-will-formula-shortage-end-not-until-august-danone-says-2022-5">national formula shortage</a>. The following has been edited for length and clarity.My 6-month-old daughter's name is Brooklyn, and I don't know how long I can feed her.I'm so exhausted, and I'm on the brink of tears some days. I work full time as a surgical technician, and it's grueling, with at least two 12-hour shifts weekly. And I now spend almost all my free time trying to find formula for my baby.<h2>In January I went to <keyword id="11897509" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="target" source="Orion">Target</keyword> and <keyword id="11893281" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="walmart" source="Orion">Walmart</keyword> and found that the shelves were empty</h2>I started panicking and called her pediatrician. They contacted Similac, the formula brand, who said there weren't any shortage issues. Their best advice was to go to Similac's website and see what stores had Brooklyn's formula, Pro-Total Comfort, in stock. The website directed me to stores I'd already visited, and I knew I'd met a dead end. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-baby-formula-shortage-fda-european-abbott-nutrition-2022-5">That's how it's been ever since</a>.My first daughter, Annabelle, is 9 1/2. She was also formula-fed because I was extremely sick with both pregnancies. I had preeclampsia and was suffering uncontrollable blood pressure postdelivery — I almost didn't survive. Both girls were in the newborn intensive-care unit for a week, and I couldn't breastfeed due to health complications.At this point I can't get Brooklyn's formula in any form, liquid or powder. I can't find any equivalents either. Anything that I find on Amazon is typically out of stock or unavailable.<h2>I knew there must be other desperate moms out there</h2>And I felt I had to do something for myself and anyone else that I could reach.I started the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/669898500766206">Infant Formula Shortage Support Group</a> Facebook group on May 7 when I was completely out of ideas. As of Thursday it has nearly 500 members. The group is growing by word of mouth, and also because I've been commenting on articles about the formula crisis with my group information.In my first post, I wrote, "If anyone is looking for a certain type of formula, please reach out, and maybe someone can help. Even venting on here may help us to cope with this dire situation. Something needs to be done now. <keyword id="12011531" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="babies" source="Orion">Babies</keyword> should not suffer because of a lack of access to the formula they need."Now we have moms searching for formula in Arizona, California, Minnesota, Idaho, Maryland, Texas, Florida, Tennessee — across the country. It's clearly a national crisis, because members are from all over the US. The majority of what I'm seeing is that stores are almost empty.<h2>The group is the only reason I'm getting the formula right now</h2>Two moms from Arizona and California are mailing me what they have in excess.Currently, I have about eight bottles and a can of powder. Brooklyn's intake varies, and she's growing, so I can't gauge how far this will get me. It's a team effort here, and my family is also helping out: My mother, grandmother, aunt, and fiancé are constantly searching.Purchasing international formulas is not a viable option, and it would take hours to research because of the different labeling, brands, and regulations — I wouldn't even know where to start.There's so much misinformation out there, including how to make your baby formula, which doctors <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/11/well/homemade-baby-formula.html">don't recommend</a>. There's also a lot of price gouging, which makes me sick to my stomach — people are <a href="https://www.insider.com/scammers-target-parents-baby-formula-shortage-feds-2022-5">taking advantage</a> of desperate moms.<h2>But the Facebook group has reminded me of the goodness of people</h2>There are so many strangers willing to jump in to help. We've got people trying their darnedest to help mothers locate the formula.There are also moms donating or selling breast milk. That's an "at your own risk" situation — you have no idea how your baby will respond.Apparently the FDA <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/enfamil-gerber-filling-baby-formula-gap-left-by-similac-2022-5">reached an agreement</a> with the company that produces Similac to address safety concerns so its factory can reopen — but it could take more than two months for that formula to be available.There are <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/births.htm">10,000 babies born every day</a>, and we need a solution now.

I started a Facebook group for desperate moms who need formula. It's the only way I can feed my baby right now.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>DeShawn Taylor is an ob-gyn in Phoenix, <keyword id="11907754" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="arizona" source="Orion">Arizona</keyword>, where she's been fighting restrictions for years.</li><li>Her clinic provides reproductive <keyword id="11897506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="healthcare" source="Orion">healthcare</keyword> to some of the city's most underserved populations.</li></ul>Dr. <a href="https://www.desertstarfp.com/about">DeShawn Taylor</a> is an OB-GYN who owns Desert Star Family Planning in Phoenix, Arizona. This story has been edited for length and clarity.I am outraged. While I had prepared myself for this reality, I had an emotional response to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roe-wade-abortion-live-updates-2022-5">leaked draft of the Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade</a>, the ruling that guarantees the right to an <keyword id="11901426" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="abortion" source="Orion">abortion</keyword>, that I didn't expect: I was angry and distressed.Abortion bans harm all pregnant people. The leaked opinion is especially egregious because it appears it wouldn't even make an exception for maternal health.<h2>Even prior to the leak, we've been living with a lot of abortion restrictions in Arizona</h2>We have a 24-hour forced waiting period. We require notarized parental consent for minors. There's a pre-Roe law banning abortion that's been on the books since the early 1900s; last year legislators repealed the portion that criminalized people who get abortions but left in the <a href="https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/12/01/arizona-abortion-laws-could-return-if-roe-v-wade-overturned/8827005002/">criminalization of the abortion provider</a>. There's a very high likelihood that after the official <keyword id="11893011" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="supreme-court" source="Orion">Supreme Court</keyword> decision, abortion will be illegal in Arizona. It's not a trigger-law state, so it wouldn't happen immediately, but it would likely happen. Recently, we've been fighting a state law <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/state-issues/600419-arizona-governor-signs-ban-on-abortions-after-15-weeks/">that bans abortion after 15 weeks</a>. There is no exception for rape, incest, or maternal health. When the governor passed the ban, there was a fever pitch of patients calling in concerned; they didn't understand that it wasn't enforceable immediately. (It will take effect later this summer.)The same thing happened within an hour of the Supreme Court leak.<h2>I purposely established my clinic in one of Phoenix's socioeconomically disadvantaged and underserved areas</h2>So many people here don't have the financial means to continue a pregnancy. We have immigrants, documented and undocumented; asylum seekers; people who are addicted to drugs. What overturning Roe would do is create a situation where the people who are already the most marginalized are forced to continue pregnancies that further a cycle that harms their ability to survive and thrive — and a situation in which people may die.Although abortion opponents don't like to talk about it, our country has the highest maternal-mortality rate of any developed nation. And there's growing evidence that states with the most abortion restrictions also <a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/limiting-abortion-access-contributes-poor-maternal-health-outcomes/">have the highest maternal-mortality rates</a>.<h2>I always remind people that a pregnant person is not making the decision to have an abortion in a vacuum</h2>They're weighing so many factors, including caring for other children. Sometimes it's a financial decision. Sometimes it's a mental-health decision. Sometimes situations change — they have a partner who leaves them and as a single parent they don't have the financial resources to provide for a child.I arrived in Arizona when Janet Napolitano was the Democratic governor. After she left in 2009 to become the secretary of homeland security, lawmakers began passing several omnibus anti-abortion bills. They have passed a restriction each legislative season since then except for one. (They'd passed such bills under Napolitano too, but she had been vetoing them since 2003.)I got very involved in grassroots activism to help people in my community understand the urgency of the moment.<h2>Education is key: As far as I can tell, the average Arizonan doesn't know what Roe v. Wade is </h2>I honestly think the average American doesn't know what Roe v. Wade is. We need to talk about this so people understand that their constitutional right to abortion care is at stake. The abortion pill misoprostol is safe, but it doesn't always work. That means we're going to see more people coming to the clinic with what looks like a miscarriage. (About 20% of pregnancies are lost within the first 12 weeks.) I'm not going to provide an illegal abortion, but it's not my job to investigate or interrogate a pregnant person if they show up bleeding.<h2>We are not an extension of the state</h2>It is not our job to investigate how someone showed up in the clinic bleeding and with a fetus without a heartbeat. Our role as healthcare providers is to provide care. It was very distressing to learn that a hospital staffer called the police on a <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/crime-justice/2022/04/self-induced-abortion-herrera-texas-murder-hospital/">young woman in Texas</a> accused of self-inducing an abortion. I want to collaborate with folks to make sure we are creating a safe space for patients who can come to us — because they're going to be afraid to go to hospitals.I will continue working with community members and legislators to design methods for harm reduction, to ensure that Arizonans get the care they need should the Supreme Court overturn Roe. It's going to be a dark moment for a while. It's going to harm a lot of people. It will be daunting. But the pendulum will swing back, and we will begin to repair the damage that the decision will cause.With this decision looming, we're in limbo. Until we have the final decision, I want people to understand that abortion is still legal in Arizona right now.

I'm an abortion provider in a red state. It shouldn't be my job to interrogate patients who need reproductive healthcare.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>CNN+ launched as a <keyword id="12047898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="streaming-service" source="Orion">streaming service</keyword> on March 29. By the end of April, it no longer existed.</li><li>The shutdown left hundreds without a job, including a designer who'd left a cushy role to join CNN+.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a designer at CNN+. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect their career, but Insider has verified their identity and employment. The following has been edited for length and clarity. At the end of 2021, I was recruited for a role at CNN+. I was happy at my job as a designer, which paid well and had great benefits, but the CNN+ job was alluring.The network told me that I'd help with branding and marketing, so I'd be able to hone the skills that would grow my career. It was a huge step up from my previous position.<h2>My new job was everything they promised</h2>At my old position, I primarily designed social-media graphics. Now I'd be working on shows that would be watched by potentially millions of people on an exciting new streaming network.Working as a designer at CNN+ was so exciting and creative. It pushed me to be better, and I was thrilled to go to work every day.<h2>I'd been at CNN+ for only a few months when we got an email about a mandatory meeting </h2>The meeting, on April 21, was led by Chris Licht, the incoming chairman of <keyword id="11893609" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cnn" source="Orion">CNN</keyword> following Discovery's merger with WarnerMedia, the network's parent company.I arrived late to the meeting, but I instantly felt the energy was off. Shortly after the meeting started, we all got an email stating that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cnn-plus-to-shut-down-warner-bros-reports-2022-4">CNN+ would cease streaming by April 30</a>. I remember texting my roommates and telling them I was getting fired.Everyone was utterly shocked. We had already shot and edited the show I was working on; now, I have no idea what will happen to it. I was so excited to see my name in the credits on TV for the first time. Multiple teams produced an astonishing amount of work that may never see the light of day, including <a href="https://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/2021/12/31/anderson-cooper-host-cnn-plus-parental-guidance-full-circle/">a project starring Anderson Cooper</a>.<h2>Over the next three months, we'll be wrapping up projects and hoping that another network picks them up</h2>Then our six months of severance pay will kick in, so I have time to figure out what's next for me.We were sent a link by CNN listing open positions available in other parts of the company and told we would have first dibs, but there aren't enough jobs for <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/22/cnn-plus-discovery-zucker-zaslav">the hundreds of people laid off</a>.It's funny, not long before this happened, someone I worked with said, "The merger's coming soon. I'm looking for a new job."Getting laid off for the first time in my life was jarring. The worst part was that I couldn't resist going on Twitter, and it crushed me to see so many people <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cnn-plus-fox-news-trumpies-gloat_n_62624fb9e4b07c34e9def2c6">responding to the news with glee</a>. There was so much talent on the CNN+ team that we didn't get a chance to show off. We <a href="https://www.protocol.com/newsletters/sourcecode/cnn-plus-doomed?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1">launched with 150,000 subscribers</a> — which was a big step in the right direction, and we would've gotten the numbers higher. <h2>I didn't have a backup plan in place because I hoped to be at CNN+ for many years </h2>But I can't cry about it; I have to move forward, work on my portfolio, and get another job. Currently, I'm exploring other streaming services for possible job openings. I've made lifelong friends, and I'm much more confident and ambitious than I was when I started. I was challenged creatively every day at CNN+, and I believe that I will see my name in the credits of a TV show soon. Recruiters on LinkedIn have already started reaching out.

You Searched For "nora biette timmons" and got 5 results

I'm a trans CEO in a notoriously traditional sector. I didn't expect my coworkers to accept me but they did.

Rose Thorne

I was part of the layoffs at weight-loss app Noom. I'd waited a year for the job and wish we'd had more training — but I don't regret working there.

Kaila Yu

I started a Facebook group for desperate moms who need formula. It's the only way I can feed my baby right now.

Kaila Yu

I'm an abortion provider in a red state. It shouldn't be my job to interrogate patients who need reproductive healthcare.

Insider Inc.

I left my cushy job to join CNN+ before it shut down months later. The layoffs were jarring but I don't regret my decision.

Kaila Yu