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Rowan Jetté Knox (he/him) is a transgender man, award-winning writer and human rights advocate from Toronto, Canada. A sought-after international speaker, he shares his powerful story of resilience, acceptance, and unconditional love in the hopes of normalizing the existence of transgender people, as well as those living with mental illness and trauma.

Prior to transition, Rowan was a 2019 Chatelaine Woman of the Year, a 2020 Woman of Influence, and a 2021 recipient of the Order of Ottawa. His work has been featured by several national and international media outlets, including CBC, BBC, The Today Show, CTV’s The Social, The Good Stuff with Mary Berg, O Magazine, and Upworthy.

Rowan is the author of the two bestselling memoirs LOVE LIVES HERE and ONE SUNNY AFTERNOON. He lives in Toronto with his family and a coffee maker that never quits.

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Presentations

  • Challenging Stigma Through Personal Story

    In his signature keynote address, bestselling author and award-winning human rights champion Rowan Jetté Knox challenges the stigma we hold towards marginalized people by humanizing his experience as a trans man who has walked through fire.

    Mental illness, childhood trauma and living as a closeted 2SLGBTQ person set the stage for being unhoused and struggling with addiction as a teenager. Years later, while finally settled in what appeared to be a picture-perfect life with a partner and children, Rowan and his family are thrust into several life-changing events that begin with one of their children coming out as trans. These profound changes end up being the best thing that ever happened to all of them, bringing everyone closer and teaching an entire community how to love unconditionally. They also allowed for Rowan to finally heal and find himself.

    How do we best end stigma? Through the connection that only personal story can bring us. Told with candor, humor, and vulnerability, Rowan’s story of resilience and self-discovery is a favourite with audiences worldwide.

Challenging Stigma Through Personal Story

In his signature keynote address, bestselling author and award-winning human rights champion Rowan Jetté Knox challenges the stigma we hold towards marginalized people by humanizing his experience as a trans man who has walked through fire.

Mental illness, childhood trauma and living as a closeted 2SLGBTQ person set the stage for being unhoused and struggling with addiction as a teenager. Years later, while finally settled in what appeared to be a picture-perfect life with a partner and children, Rowan and his family are thrust into several life-changing events that begin with one of their children coming out as trans. These profound changes end up being the best thing that ever happened to all of them, bringing everyone closer and teaching an entire community how to love unconditionally. They also allowed for Rowan to finally heal and find himself.

How do we best end stigma? Through the connection that only personal story can bring us. Told with candor, humor, and vulnerability, Rowan’s story of resilience and self-discovery is a favourite with audiences worldwide.

Testimonials

  • "[Rowan] gave a terrific presentation – it was comprehensive, intersectional, feminist and deeply moving. We are lucky to have [him] as a member of our intellectual, feminist and queer communities."

    Rowan Jetté Knox, He/Him Shoshana Magnet, Associate Professor Institute of Feminist & Gender Studies, University of Ottawa
  • "[Rowan] Jette Knox's presentation wove vulnerability, humour, courage and candor into a compelling story of [his] lived experience that truly moved our audience. The feedback from our guests was overwhelmingly that [Rowan] left a profound, lasting impression. Thank you [Rowan]!"

    Rowan Jetté Knox, He/Him Carla Snow, Manager of Marketing and Communications, YWCA, Banff
  • "When [Rowan] speaks you are first drawn in to [his] comfortable aura, [his] easy way with words, [his] delightful smiling self. [Rowan] Jette Knox is one of those rare speakers who is so honest [he] connects with every member of [his] audience at their own level. [His] speech is less scripted than it is chatted with [his] audience over coffee. Truth is, [he's] a rhetorician and [he] doesn't even try to be. Amazing speaker. I would have [him] back for Media Action's Ask Women Anything program in a heartbeat."

    Rowan Jetté Knox, He/Him Amanda Parriag, President, Media Action Media

Books

  • one sunny afternoon
  • love lives here, A Story of Thriving in a Transgender Family

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