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Susan Stanton's marriage comes to an end

By Lorri Helfand, Times Staff Writer
In print: Tuesday, August 26, 2008

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ADVERTISEMENT Susan Stanton says she has good relations with her ex-wife. Loading Video...

The Largo city manager fired after revealing plans to become a woman has ended her 18-year marriage.

Susan Stanton, who served Largo for 17 years as Steve Stanton, has agreed to pay alimony and child support to her ex-wife, Donna Stanton, according to court documents filed this month.

Since leaving her post, Stanton, who turns 50 next month, has changed her name to Susan Ashley Stanton and has undergone gender reassignment surgery.

She also has taken part in a CNN documentary about her journey. A 10-minute cut of the film was screened by about 50 people at the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association national convention Friday, said Bud Bultman, CNN managing editor. The segment showed who Susan was before she became Susan, Bultman said.

Stanton declined comment for this report. But she told the convention group in Washington, D.C., that she participated in the project because she wanted people to "see the transition — not the physical transition on the Discovery Channel — but the psychological, spiritual, social transition, the impact on friends, family and community," according to a posting on the convention Web site.

A CNN crew plans to finish the project this fall, but no broadcast date has been set, Bultman said.

Stanton said she has a good relationship with her ex-wife, but she has lost most of her friends. Stanton agreed to pay Donna Stanton $4,756 a month in alimony and $800 a month in child support for their son, Travis, 15, according to their marital settlement agreement. Because Susan Stanton has been unable to find work, she agreed to pay a lump sum of $50,000 to cover alimony and child support from April through the end of the year. The money will come from one of her International City/County Management Association retirement plans.

Donna Stanton, 57, will get their Largo home and primary custody of Travis. Susan Stanton will retain 42 percent equity in the home, share parental responsibility and have liberal visitation. Susan Stanton moved to Sarasota but plans to leave the state.

Lorri Helfand can be reached at lorri@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4155.