Dorian Rhea Debussy

Debussy grew up near Columbus, Georgia. She attended Columbus State University, graduating in 2012. She also spent time studying at the University of Oxford during her undergraduate education. After graduation she attended the University of Connecticut, where she earned a doctorate in political science.[2][3] After graduating from the University of Connecticut in 2018, Debussy accepted a position leading LGBTQ+ work at Kenyon College. She came out as transgender during this time.[4]

After graduate school, Debussy worked in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Kenyon College.[5] During that time, she led a number of improvements for LGBTQ+ students on the campus,[6] including the creation of Ohio’s largest LGBTQ+ student conference.[7][8] She also taught queer studies at the college.[9] In early 2022, students asked the college to issue a public statement that condemned transmisogynistic threats that Debussy had received, because of her transgender rights activism. When the college did not release a statement, students delivered a list of transgender-focused demands to President Sean M. Decatur.[10][11] Later that spring, Debussy announced that she was leaving the college for a position with Equitas Health.[12][13]

Debussy has also previously had leadership roles with LGBTQ+ community organizations. When she was with the Newark Ohio Pride Coalition, former State Speaker of the House Larry Householder of Ohio publicly criticized the organization for hosting an event with a drag queen.[14] Debussy and the organization made state-wide and national headlines for publicly speaking out against Householder.[15][16][17] The event proceeded with additional security.[18][19] Following Householder’s 2020 arrest, Debussy wrote a public op-ed for The Columbus Dispatch.[20]

Debussy also founded the Ace and Aro Alliance of Central Ohio, which is the state’s first asexual and aromantic organization.[21][22] The group held their first major event in fall 2020.[23] The group has continued to grow in recent years,[24] and Debussy left her role in summer 2022.[25][26]

Debussy is most known for her advocacy related to transgender athletes.[27][28] She was a diversity facilitator for the NCAA Division III LGBTQ OneTeam Program for several years. She also made national news by leading this group, via an open letter with the Human Rights Campaign, to publicly advocate for transgender athletes in 2021.[29][30] In early 2022 and after changes to the NCAA’s transgender policy, she made international headlines by publicly resigning via a blog post with Athlete Ally.[31][32][33][34] Several conservative news outlets and organizations purposefully misgendered her during their coverage.[35][36][37]

Since summer 2022, Debussy has been the Director of External Affairs at Equitas Health, and she leads public policy work for the organization. During this time, she has spoke about Title IX and transgender rights in schools,[38] commented on the Food and Drug Administration's proposed blood donation policy for queer people,[39] critiqued the government’s distribution of monkeypox vaccines,[40][41] and discussed rising rates of violence against transgender people.[42] Debussy has also led transgender activism efforts related to several proposed laws in Ohio.[43][44][45][46] In 2022, the Ohio legislature considered a bill to ban transgender athletes, and Debussy was a leading voice against the bill.[47][48]

Debussy's national transgender rights activism has continued. In February 2023, she joined GLAAD, other national LGBT organizations, and over 100 other LGBT activists like Margaret Cho and Raquel Willis in signing a letter that criticized transgender coverage at The New York Times.[49][50][51]

Debussy is also the author of several articles about LGBTQ+ and transgender politics.[52][53]

In late 2022, Debussy was profiled in the Trans Spotlight Series by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio.[54][55] Earlier that year, she was also one of DotGay’s featured people for National Coming Out Day.[56]

In early 2022, Debussy was given the Trans Activist Award from state-wide transgender rights organizations in Ohio.[57] She was also previously recognized as a Noteworthy Transgender Leader for Transgender Awareness Week in 2021.[58]

Debussy’s LGBTQ+ work at Kenyon College also gained national recognitions from groups like Campus Pride.[59] This includes the college being rated as one of the best LGBTQ+ campuses in the country in both 2020 and 2021.[60]

Debussy now lives in Ohio. She is a lesbian, transgender woman.[61] She also practices archery.[62]