Post by McMaster Faculty of Science

Professor Mel Rutherford, PhD, PCC became McMaster University’s first transgender academic leader in 2021 - his five-year term as chair of the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behavior (PNB) ends June 30th. An experimental psychologist whose research explores how people perceive, understand and lead one another, Rutherford earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale University in 1992, a PhD in evolutionary psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2000 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Denver before joining McMaster in 2002. Question: You call being trans a leadership superpower – how so? Anyone who’s chosen to transition is someone who’s done the work of self-discovery. We know who we are. Knowing yourself leads to authentic leadership and that’s how you build trust, strong relationships and greater collaboration. Many trans individuals know exactly what it’s like to be marginalized, unseen and unheard. That leads to deep empathy – going beyond understanding how someone feels to an ability to feel with that person. We’re also highly adaptable and resilient – transitioning takes a lot of courage and creative problem-solving. These too are essential leadership traits. Question; You transitioned in 2008. Compared to today, was that easier or harder to do? There were definitely challenges but I’d say it was easier. My transition happened under the radar. Gender identity and expression weren’t yet part of the public conversation. That made it easier to blend in and maintain a measure of privacy. There was less open hostility towards trans people compared to today. Question: Why did you put your name forward to become chair? I never planned on stepping into a leadership role. I attended faculty meetings for 20 years and said next to nothing. I only spoke up when I thought I had something to contribute. My focus was on research, mentoring grad students and teaching in the classroom. For my entire life, I’ve also been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church. It’s a liberal religion with a commitment to inclusivity. Most of my leadership training and experience and the values that underpin my approach to leadership came from this community. I attended a leadership school offered by the church – I was encouraged to attend by an elder. It’s through the church that I first learned about values-based leadership. That was the style of leadership I wanted to bring to the department as chair. I believed I could take all that I learned from Unitarian Universalism and from my experiences as a trans man and bring something unique to the role of department chair. I also put my name forward because I love my department. I’m in awe of my colleagues and their compassion and support for each other. I wanted to do what I could to help strengthen those bonds and the department’s foundation for research and teaching.