UPDATE: Recently, Leslie relocated from Houston, Texas to her hometown near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to be closer to her family. Her relationships with them continue to flourish. Leslie and her father are moving forward in their relationship as well, trying to heal from past wounds.
Leslie's career in real estate development continues to grow. She travels monthly to Houston where she assists with the development of both interior and exterior design. Her company is expanding rapidly with three more development projects in the pipeline. Now that she is settling in Philadelphia, Leslie is pursuing opportunities to develop projects in the Northeast as well.
Leslie's career as a model and actress over the course of the last twenty years has included runway and print work along with some commercial and television work as well. The entertainment field is one in which Leslie still feels passionately and she is actively pursuing modeling and acting jobs with a local agency.
Since going public three years ago, Leslie has come to embrace her transgender history and to let go of the shame that haunted her for many years. Her involvement in Beautiful Daughters gave her a sense of fulfillment that has motivated her to make an even bigger difference in the transgender community.
To that end, this fall the University of Pennsylvania announced the start of the Leslie Townsend Fund to benefit transgender students. This announcement marks an important milestone in Leslie's career and life. It has always been her wish to help students who are not only struggling with the rigors of academic life, but also facing an even bigger challenge within themselves.
Leslie's career and life have been both rewarding and challenging. Her many accomplishments in the past however were not fully gratifying due to the painful secrets which tainted each success. Leslie's brave and bold choice to reveal her transgender history have not only released many of the troubled demons which plagued her life for so many years, but it has brought with it, a stronger sense of self and confidence that makes the challenges going forward manageable and welcomed.
BIO: Leslie Townsend grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was during her early teen years that Leslie came to realize who she needed to be in order to become whole. After leaving home at the age of nineteen, her life took many twists and turns in the pursuit of womanhood that included drugs and prostitution.
After having her surgery at the age of twenty-three, Leslie had a difficult time letting go of the shame and rejection she had received from her friends and family. Realizing that she could blend in to "normal" society, Leslie kept her past a secret and lived in stealth for twenty years. Over the course of those years, Leslie pursued other careers such as modeling, secretarial work, bartending, stand-up comedy and many others all in an attempt to shake the past and move forward. It was an elusive quest. Fortunately for Leslie, she came to point in her life where she decided not to hide any longer. She made the decision to come out and tell her story. First she penned her autobiography Hidden in Plain Sight. Then, she began her involvement with Beautiful Daughters.
Over the past three years, Leslie has continued to move forward in life with a newfound sense of pride and confidence in her life and accomplishments. Over the years, Leslie has renewed the relationships with her family and they have become very close. Recently, she moved back to her hometown to be closer to her family. Leslie is already laying the groundwork for her commitment to the trans community.
As a newly elected board member of The Attic Youth Center in Philadelphia, Leslie will have the chance to help empower youth in a way that she never could have before. She has also started a scholarship fund at the University of Pennsylvania to benefit transgender students. Leslie continues to speak about her journey at colleges and youth groups.
Leslie's interest in the real estate business became a reality two years ago when she and her business partner started their own real estate development company, building condominiums and town-homes. Leslie's life has come full circle and she is finding the success and happiness she deserves.
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