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Transsisters : the Journal of Transsexual Feminism

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Transsisters : the Journal of Transsexual Feminism 3 * $3.00 (USJLf $4.00 (Canada) rcmsSisters TfieJoumaC ofTranssexualfeminism Issue # Winter 1994 In this issue: of Transsexuals and Transcendence * * * Transphohia: Where Separatism Joins Patriarchy * * * Twenty-One Things You Don't Say to a Transsexual * * * Surgical Roulette The Importance of Outspokenness • Intersexuality • Gender & Sexuality • Orgasmic Function in Postoperative Transsexual Women • and more! Issue # 3 TransSisters: the Journal of Transsexualfeminism Winter 1394 ‘Publisher / 'Editor Issue #3 Winter 1994 Davina Anne (Jabriel Contents Contributing Writers Phis Issue Letters to the Editor 3 Christine ‘Beatty The Importance of Outspokenness CherylChase by Davina Anne Gabriel 5 Patriarchy Davina Anne Qabriel Transphobia: Where Separatism Joins 8 Anne Oghom by Janis Walworth Twenty-One Things You Don’t Say to a Transsexual Margaret Deirdre O'Martigan by Riki Anne Wilchins 10 JX. Phillips Of Transsexuals and Transcendence Sheddrid^ Karen by Davina Anne Gabriel 12 Janis Walworth New Woman Conference 3 Orgasm Workshop Responses ‘Pjfi Anne Wilchins by Anne Ogbom & Cheryl Chase 22 Reflections by Karen Sheddrick 23 Contributing Photographers Phis Issue Orgasmic Function in Postoperative Transsexual Women Davina Anne (Jabriel by Anne Ogbom & Cheryl Chase 24 MichaelMcClure Welcome to the World of the Intersexed 26 DavidPincus by Margaret Deirdre O’Hartigan Surgical Roulette by Margaret Deirdre O’Hartigan 28 ‘Kelly White It Your Way by Christine Beatty 31 Petranella ftsma Do Gender & Sexuality by Christine Beatty 32 So You Think You Are a Lesbian by Christine Beatty 34 Contributing Artists Phis Issue Litany by J.L. Phillips 34 Kachel Pollacf^ cartoon by Leslie Ewing 35 Contributing Cartoonists Phis Issue Leslie ‘Ewing TransSisters: the Journal of Transsexual Feminism is published quarterly by Skyclad Publishing Co, 4004 T roost Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 641 10; (816) 753-7816 Opinions the opinions of its pub- Cover illustration: “Shining Woman" from the expressed or advertisement contained herein do not necessarily reflect advertisers lishers or staff. Content of all advertisement is the sole responsibility of the Shining Woman tarot deck by Rachel Pollack, or TransSisters reserves the right to refuse publication of any advertisement, article, letter Publication of the published by The Aquarian Press; Hammersmith, other submission which it considers contrary to its goals and purposes. to be construed as London. Copyright 1992 by Rachel Pollack. name, photograph or likeness of any person, business or organization is not any indication of the sexual orientation, gender identity or personal beliefs of such persons, Reprinted with the artist for permission of businesses or organizations. All rights reserved.. Contents may not be reproduced except $16.00 The Shining Woman symbolizes self-per- persona] use without permission of the publisher. Subscription rates: $12.00 (USA), each four issues Back issues are available for $4.00 each. (U S A.) or $5 00 fection, integration, and recognition of one’s own (Canada) for contents copyright 1993. power and of the sacred roots of one’s own being. (Canada) Entire 2 Issue # 3 TransSisiers: the Journal of Transsexual feminism Winter 1394 @) Jitters to the Editor Dear Davina, organization, and our assets must remain with 501 (c)(3) I’m writing to say how very, very impressed I am with organizations. the first issue of TransSisiers. You are filling a very real need, Sincerely, one I was awkwardly trying to address in Rites of Passage. Dallas Denny, M.A., Executive Director, Being basically a scientist and as apolitical as possible, I didn’t American Educational Gender Information Service feel I was the best person to look at feminist issues. I’m so glad Decatur, Georgia for TransSisiers. 1 would love to write for it. I had already decided to temper the political content of Dear Davina, ROP with something else I think is needed— spirituality. We Thank you for issues # 1 & 2 of your new magazine. really need a spiritual journal. I’ll continue to address political As a transgendenst who identifies as a lesbian and also considers issues, but perhaps less extensively than in the last issue. herself a feminist, I personally found your approach very posiuve Once again, congratulations, and I hope you will and enlightening. Your selection of articles in issue # 2 brought continue to keep us on your mailing list. Your issues will go me insights into a situation that I have been attempting to into our new ly formed National Transgender Library and Archive, follow . from afar . and occasionally missing pieces of the and will be kept in perpetuity, as we are a 501 (c) (3) puzzle. (r Kymberieigh Richards, publisher / managing editor, Cross-Talk Notice Woodland Hills, California Beginning with this issue, TransSisiers: the Journal Dear Ms. Gabnel, of Transsexual Feminism will be published quarterly in- I have just stead of bi-monthly. This change in frequency of publica- received my “sample” copy of issue it 2, and have not tion should not in any way be regarded as an indication of yet had time to read it all, but it is so obviously excellent that I any adversity being experienced by this publication. am sure your magazine is destined to become a Rather, it is very important voice in our transsexual quite the opposite. TransSisiers has grown community. I look forward and prospered at a rate surpassing my original expecta- to seeing what you are up to — we need as manv voices as possible tions. As the amount of material suitable for publication in our community! By the wav, you win the prize that I for the cleverest magazine title in the field, have received, as well as the readership of this pub- bar none! Perhaps I lication, have both will have a chance to contribute something in the future. increased dramatically, I have found Congratulations that the amount of work required to complete each issue sisters! has likewise increased substantially, making it very diffi- Katherine Collins, cult tor me to complete an entire issue within only a two- Oakland, California month period. The new publishing schedule will better enable me to serve the readership of this publication . Dear Davina, TransSisiers has already increased its size by fifty From her percent over its first issue and has made substantial im- interview, I reaffirm my first impression, gained from reading her that provements in its publishing quality as well, a process that book, Leslie Feinberg is one of my favorite I hope to be able to continue in subsequent issues. people. I actually wrote her a fan letter once. hat Beginning with Somew like her, and perhaps like yourself, I find the next issue, I will be adding a group of myself kind of on the regular stalf writers which will include some of the most fringes of the lesbian community through bom male and slightly talented and thought-provoking writers writing about the younger. I left the community during the p.c. and subject of transsexuality today. separatist wars of the 70s and am gradually drifting back TransSisiers may return to a bi-monthly publishing I’ve just finished reading issue # 2 and am fascinated with the voices schedule in the future if that is feasible. But for the many presented therein. I’m so thrilled to see present time, TransSisiers will be published four times sisters like you and all those others finally standing up and being counted and accepted per year: in January (Winter), April (Spring), July by so many and I was especially delighted to hear (Summer) and October (Autumn). of your commitment to feminist principles. I was interested to note, Subscribers who ordered six issue subscriptions will in this latest issue, that at least three people share receive the full number of issues for which they have my opinion of Alix Dobkin, whom I’ve also met. So paid. many people, who seem perfectly nice at a distance, whose politics seem “sympatica” in the rosy glow —Davina Anne Gabriel, publisher / editor of edited publications V^: or idolatrous hearsay, don’t really hold up well in harsher light of 3 . Issue # 3 •TransSisters: the journal of Transsexual feminism •Winter 1994 unpremeditated dialogue. I guess most people have a few flaws their own experience was thereby trivialized. I was raped as a scattered in among their virtues, and I don’t really think she’s child, a very different experience, I think, than that of an adult quite as much of a jerk as she sounds, but she w as facing one of woman whose adult integrity was violated. 1 would not dare to the situations in which she compare my expenence with hers becomes a jerk tern poranly. We Trying to falsely claim. ..kinship by although I am in perfect or two such sympathy with her and sense a all have one analogy is like telling someone you know weaknesses. No one can maintain just how they felt when their mother died relationship between the two a saint-like acceptance of because you lost a canary once.” expenences that might make me differences in all situations. slightly more able to understand Alix really had a point, her feelings than someone who although she missed it later, in a fit of internalized gender has had neither expenence. I have heard gays and others state, phobia, when she said there’s more than two sexes. There’s even one woman in your last issue, that they “understood” the infinite rainbow of variations feelings of sexually abused people because they more than two of everything , an had been abused on every theme. We humans insist on dividing things into pairs about their sexuality'. I know that they are trying to demonstrate that. It’s their of opposites, though; you can’t stop people from doing sympathy and understanding but, having expenenced both, I really not appropriate to say to someone, “Pick another label, can say that the similarity exists only in metaphor.
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