Initially from Fountain Valley, California, Scientist Ori Duong graduated from the College of California, Riverside with a level in mechanical engineering.
Instantly after graduating in 2020, they joined the Naval Floor Warfare Middle (NSWC) Corona Division workforce as an engineer within the command’s Acquisition and Readiness Evaluation Division.
“As a bit of child who discovered navy stuff cool, I needed to assist the navy indirectly with out enlisting,” Duong stated. “I used to be at all times good at math and loved studying new issues, so I believed I might assist by doing engineering work for the navy as an alternative.”
Whereas Duong was capable of set up their profession early, one of many issues they stated they’re nonetheless navigating is popping out as nonbinary. In line with Merriam-Webster, nonbinary is an adjective used to explain an individual who doesn’t establish completely or completely as a person or a girl.
“I’m nonetheless within the strategy of popping out,” Duong stated. “Lots of people will not be conscious of what being nonbinary means, so it makes it troublesome to carry it up with out getting extra questions or complicated individuals.”
Duong was assigned feminine at delivery. Their bodily transition began in 2023, however rising up, Duong stated they knew at a younger age that one thing was totally different.
“In elementary college I keep in mind probably not relating with being male or feminine,” they stated. “As soon as I acquired to center college I started attempting to pressure myself to be extra female like different ladies round me, but when you must pressure your self to be one thing, there’s already an issue.”
Duong stated they continued attempting to adapt to conventional gender roles till that they had an epiphany throughout the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Having extra time to self-reflect, Duong stated they realized they didn’t need to be seen as a selected gender.
“Being seen as feminine had an influence on my confidence ranges,” they stated. “I simply needed to cover and never speak to individuals as a lot. I’d get upset at my household for calling me by my delivery identify, despite the fact that I had not come out to them but. I used to be scared that if I did, they wouldn’t perceive.”
After becoming a member of LGBTQ+ teams and talking brazenly to their buddies about their gender, Duong mustered the boldness in late 2023 to return out to their co-workers as nonbinary transmasculine, as they’ve extra of a reference to masculinity, however don’t establish as a male or feminine.
“Becoming a member of the NSWC Corona LGBTQ+ worker useful resource group (ERG) has helped me with popping out, as a result of it has allowed me to be round others going by way of the identical factor. The ERG has offered me with individuals to speak to, not nearly gender identification, however different day-to-day matters as nicely,” they stated.
Whereas nonetheless navigating their journey, Duong stated taking the primary steps of popping out has allowed them to concentrate on being their genuine self.
“It has been troublesome translating and explaining to my Vietnamese household and others of our tradition the which means of nonbinary,” Duong stated. “Ultimately, I’ll come out to them absolutely, however as of proper now, I am nonetheless studying how one can talk it.”
Duong added their private experiences assist them to know and supply recommendation to others going by way of comparable conditions of self-discovery.
“It wasn’t straightforward for me to return out, however since I’ve, it has had a constructive influence on my psychological well being and relationships with my family members,” Duong stated. “If there’s somebody on the market having a tough time popping out or feeling accepted, I recommend surrounding your self with likeminded communities or teams who can help and uplift you alongside your journey.”
NSWC Corona Division has offered evaluation and evaluation for the Navy since 1964. With expertise in gauging the Navy’s warfighting functionality, NSWC Corona is a frontrunner in NAVSEA knowledge analytics. Corona makes use of networked knowledge environments, knowledge and visualization, and measurement know-how to bridge the Navy’s knowledge silos, enabling knowledgeable decision-making for the warfighter. Anchor to the Inland Empire Tech Bridge, NSWC Corona is situated in Norco, California, with detachments in Fallbrook and Seal Seaside and personnel in 14 further places.
