W. Meredith Bacon is a retired American political science professor and LGBT‑rights activist. She taught at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) for 38 years, specializing in international relations with a focus on Romanian and Moldovan politics.
Early life and education
Born on June 30 1946 in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, New York City, Bacon recognized a transgender identity by age four. She attended an all‑boys Episcopalian boarding school in Connecticut, where she participated in theater. After reading The Transsexual Phenomenon (1964), she acquired terminology for her gender experience. Bacon earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Colorado College and completed a Ph.D. in international relations at the University of Denver in 1976.
Academic career
In 1976 Bacon joined UNO as a professor of Soviet politics, later expanding research to Romanian and Moldovan affairs. She published critiques of Nicolae Ceaușescu, resulting in a persona non grata designation by Romania from 1980‑1989. At UNO she served three nonconsecutive terms as President of the Faculty Senate—two before her transition and one after—potentially making her the first openly transgender faculty member elected to a university leadership role in the United States.
Gender transition
In 2005 Bacon publicly transitioned from male to female, retaining “W.” as an initial without a specific meaning while keeping her middle name, Meredith. She announced the transition at work, through local media (including the Omaha World‑Herald), television news, and People magazine.
Activism
A Democrat, Bacon has been active with the Nebraska AIDS Project and the National Center for Transgender Equality. Her advocacy spans campus, state, and national levels, focusing on LGBT rights, anti‑hate‑crime legislation, and transgender visibility in academia.
Personal life
Bacon married Lynne Lazier in 1968; they remained together until Lazier’s death in 2018 after a fifty‑year marriage. The couple were long‑time members of All Saints Episcopal Church in Omaha.
Later years and legacy
Bacon retired from UNO in 2014. She is remembered as a trailblazer for transgender representation in higher education and for her contributions to the study of Eastern European politics. Her papers are housed in the University of Nebraska Omaha Libraries’ Archives and Special Collections.
