The Transgender Community News & Information MoDthly #67 $7.00
AKING THE TRANSITION TO PRIME TIME TELEVISION ~GHTING BATTLES OF PREJUDICE ALONGSIDE THE GAY COMMUNITY WHY PROFESSIONALS DON'T UNDERSTAND US THE BILLy TIPTON PHENOMENON: A FEMALE MAN 67 BSERVATION IN GEND ER ROLE DEVELOPMENT ~ASSING IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER ONE PERSON'S EXPERIENCE WITH HORMONES NEWS ... INFORMATION ... COMMENTARY ... HUMOR 0 SOL Jll I FROM SANDY THOMAS
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Send order and make checks payable to: ADDR ESS ··········· ·· ·························· ·· ··· ·· ··· ········· ··· ············ SANDY THOMAS ADV. P. 0 . Box 2309 CITY ...... ST ...... Z IP ...... CAPISTRANO BEACH, CA 92624-0309 ce~@~~Q1T~lL(g The Transgender Community News & Information Monthly
MAY1995 (ISSUE #67)
2 KYMBERLEIGH'S CLIPBOARD: Transgendered charactersarenow being played sympathetically on prime-time television ... can we now abandon daytime talk shows? 3 The NewsQueen 7 VIRGIN VIEWS BY VIRGINIA: We should be supportive of the gay community, because the battles they win are victories for us as well 8 VOX POPULI 9 NEWSWIRE 11 THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: It's not just beauty that determines our self-worth, it's who we are 12 T NOT ES: The professionals have difficulty ·dealing with us because of the mixed signals we send them 13 WOMAN TO WOMAN: There is no such thing as a "perfect" relationship, but real love can make it seem nearly so 15 DEFAULT ASSUMPTIONS ••• or "The Billy Tipton Phenomenon": Of all the communities within the transgender community, FTMs are most misunderstood 11 HotBuzz 20 THE IMPORTANCE OF OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS IN GENDER ROLE DEVELOPMENT: Only by observing those you wish to emulate -- with specific goals in mind -- can you successfully transition 24 ALT ERNA T IVE PR ESSES: Reviews of Gender Dysphoria: Interdisciplinary Approaches in Clinical Management and the zine gerbil. 26 THE DIVA OF DISH 28 HORMONES: ONE PERSON'S EXPERIENCE: What can you reasonably expect from hormones? 29 THE BEARDED LADY: Transgendered hardware? 30 COMICS 32 GREAT MOMENTS IN TV HISTORY 33 THE TRANSSEXUAL DYKE ISSUE, Part Four: The concluding installment of a cyberspace discussion on lesbian transsexualism 38 HOTLINES 39 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
-Talk (ISSN 1070-6852) is Copyright 1995 Kymberleigh Richards, Publisher and Managing Editor. Permission is granted Cross d . bl" . f . . I . I . . C -r I for the reprint in any non-profit transgen er commumty pu 1cat10n ~ _any _ongma . artlc e appearmg m ross- •. ~ k, provided proper credit is given to the author and source. For subscnptmn mformat1on, see page 40. For adverllsmg information, telephone (818) 907-3053. Fax: (818) 347-4190. Internet e-mail: [email protected].
ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Linda Peacock, Virginia Prince, JoAnn Roberts, Paula Jordan Sinclair. COVER ARTWORK by Le Vaughn.
Cross-Talk is printed entirely on recycled paper using soybean oil-based ink by Arena Press in Point Arena, California. Lately, all that's kept them from working are flood-related power outages. (Thank heavens they don't have too many of those.) You can call them at (707) 882-2833, but they won't * answer if the power's out. KVMBERLEIGH'S CLIPBOARD TAKING THE NEXT STEP TOWARD EDUCATING THE MASSES
by Kymberleigh Richards Publisher & Managing Editor
We, as a community, have had a love/ hate relationship when was lhe lasl lime you saw a talk show about us that with television. Since 1987, when a few brave members of wasn't entitled "My Parents Don't Know I'm A the Tri-Ess Chi chapter ventured before the cameras to Transgendered Person"? -- I am encouraged by the recent appear on Do11ahue, we have repeatedly allowed our appearance of transsexual characters and storylines on lifestyle to be probed, questioned, and even attacked on the episodes of two CBS prime-time series. air m the name of gelling information out to the many Last season, an entire episode of Picket Fences was based <======around the town's reactions to the revelation that a much-loved female teacher had been 11 We have for many years wished in born male and had sex-reassignment surgery vain for venue that both reached a prior lo moving there. The uproar and furor of the masses and presented a factual some members of the community were discussion of the subject." countered by an equal number of residents who had a "live and let live" allilude, and transgendcred people who we knew were out there ultimately she was allowed to r.emain in her post despite watching but who we didn't have any other way of the protests of the former clement who had wanted her reaching. removed from her teaching position. Through those countless appearances, we also Several weeks ago, Ch icago Hope had as a sub-plot the implemented a public outreach program of sorts. Although difficulty of a post-operative transsexual who wasn't sure there are undoubtedly many viewers of Sally, Phil, Jenny, how to lell her doctor boyfriend that she had undergone Monte!, Jerry, and their talk show colleagues who believe the surgery lhrec years earlier. (The plot was complicated us lo be a "bunch of weirdos" (and who could blame them, by the fact thal her boyfriend had played hockey with her given some of the topics the shows have dreamt up and when they were both young boys.) When she finally some of the guests they have booked to illustrate those mustered up the courage to tell him, his misplaced topics), there arc also undoubted!~ many v i e~e.rs who look homophobia surfaced and -- despite a very accurate beyond the hype and sensationalism and d1sllll the truth explanation of transsexualism from his colleague, who had about the transgendered from these programs. performed the operation -- their relationship ultimately fell Unfortunately, there are far more of lhe former type of apart. (I was crying for her at the end.) viewer than the latter, and thus we have for many years Both these shows have D avid E. Kelley as their executive wished in vai n for a venue that both reached the masses producer, and I am heartened that he has chosen to take and presented a factual discussion of the subject. While we lhe subject and inlegrale il into the programs' sto ry~in es in have hoped for this, we have always known deep inside a sympathetic manner. While he does create conflict and that this would never happen on the daytime talk shows: I antagonism, he plays lhe unacceptance of some peo~le found myself answering "yes" to the cover story of a recent against lhe enlightened nature of others to make the pomt issue of TV Guide, "Are Talk Shows Out Of Control?" and that we are, after all, human beings first and I suspect many in our community had a similar reaction. lransgendered second. Even as I called upon the producers of these talk shows What is important to note here is that this is prime-time back in Crnss-Talk #39 lo treat us with more respect, with entertainment programming. No, it's not a documentary more dignity, with less tabloid-style theatrics, I knew I was produced by CBS News, and some have criticized the preaching lo the choir and I knew that even as I sent decision to casl a genetic (and rather culc) female as the copies of that editorial lo those producers, nothing would transsexual in Chicago Hope, but if the audience gets the change. They have nothing to Jose by exploiting us and they message that we're not "a bunch of weirdos", these are have every ratings point to gain by doing so. minor complaints. Having long ago given up on these purveyors of conflict -- The fact is that we arc presented in a (co111i1111ed 011 page S) 2 was 11, he could do all the parts from the Broadway musical Gypsy, including Gypsy and Mamma Rose. In fact, The NewsQueen John was so interested in showbiz that his nickname was Brenda Starr Eyes.
by Paula Jordan Sinclair ••• Actor Charles Busch credits his childhood with starling him on the path that has made him the theatre's leading drag playwrights and one of its leading actresses. Although he is The extensive (excessive?) coverage of the O.J. Simpson currently starring in the play You Should Be So Lucky (his murder trial by supermarket tabloids -- as well as almost first non-drag role), his drag roots were acknowledged every other media outlet -- seems to have pushed recently at the annual Women of the Theatre lunch in sensational crossdressing stories from their pages with New York City. one exception. That was the claim by one tab that 0.J.'s Resplendent in a Chanel suit, Busch thanked all the father was a drag queen and died from AIDS in San actresses who inspired him to dress well. Francisco. (Ms. Sinclair apologizes to her readers for missing this scoop, but she has an near-aversion to all Ms. Sinclair agrees that wea•••ring just the right frock for the things O.J.) Anyway, the Simpson family has denied that occasion is so important. That is why she was thrilled to the elder Simpson was a drag queen and that he died from see Lizzy Gardiner wearing an ankle-length gown made AlDS. They admit, however, that he was gay. from 254 American Express Gold Cards when she accepted her Oscar for helping to design the costumes fo r The Simpson trial itself h•••ad a cro ssdrcssing moment last Th e Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of th e Desert at the month. A burly man in drag was escorted out of the Academy A wards in March. courtroom after he momentarily disrupted the trial by (The only other drag-related Oscar went lo Ed Wood for shouting at another man for "silting on my dress" and makeup.) "socking me in the face". The Gold Cards each carried Gardiner's name, and were William Beckingham's outfit brought smiles to the faces of provided by American Express because the company had a the jurors as two deputies lead him out. Beckingham was financial interest in the film. Even though the cards were wearing a pink miniskirt, an opera-length strand of dime invalid, the company asked for them back almost store pearls, a pink hair bow, and mismatched Lennis immediately aft erwards. But Gardiner was not upset by shoes. having to surrender the gown that garnered her so much Earlier in the trial, Beckingham won admission Lo the attention. Besides, she can't wear the dress again __ courtroom through the daily lottery for seats. That time he everyone has already seen it. was wearing a swimsuit, and that time he was ejected for But her first choice of gowns wouldn't have been any more loudly complaining that he had wet himself. permanent. As her design partner and co-winner Tim Chappel noted, "we were going to make Lizzy's dress from seafood, but we didn't think it would last the evening." In more normal times,••• the confirmed report of a Chappel was no slouch either; he wore a long black skirt Hollywood celebrity's crossdressing would make the cover with his tuxedo jacket. of the tabloid that uncovered the talc. But these are not normal times, and that is why the story of John Travolta's ••• childhood crossdressing adventures were relegated to page A man taking those kind of liberties with traditional 15 of the Globe. feminine garb hardly raises an eyebrow in Hollywood. But A former neighbor from Tenafly, N.J. says that John was they don't cotton to such things in Normal, Ill. Things there the baby of his family and was "absolutely coddled" by his are, well, normal, and so school officials had no choice but mother and three older sisters. "They treated him more to send Josh McElwee home when he showed up for like a little girl than a little boy, even decking him out in classes at Chiddix Junior H igh School recently wearing a their dresses," Eileen Fanning was quoted as saying. fl oral print sundress and a pair of black boots he had Childhood friend, Larry Delaney, confirmed that "the girls borrowed from his mother. would dress him up in the old clothes and do these little It seems that Josh is not gender dysphoric, but he is an plays. They would do John up and treat him like a doll - experimenter. H e got the idea of wearing a dress from a and put make up on him too." Delaney added that Travolta class exercise in which other ninth grade students dressed had "more of an interest in the things that girls did." like natives of other countries to see what it would be like As he got older, Travolta continued his interest in female to look and be treated differently. Inspired by tales about impersonation. His eldest sister said that by the time he crossdressing in Chicago, Josh and his friends talked about 3 earing dresses to school, and Josh accepted his buddies' producers are waiting for space to open up in the dare. audience's memory. "People really didn't care," Josh said, "except some of the seventh- and eighth-graders" and principal Ed Heineman Summer is the slow season••• for the legitimate theatre, but who sent him home when he refused to change his clothes. that is when the producers of a musical comedy version of 111 think he was trying to make a statement," Josh's mother said of her son. But "I didn't think he'd really go through Victor/Victoria choose to debut the production in Chicago with it, to tell you the truth.11 before they take it to Broadway. As in the movie of the same name, Blake Edwards will direct his wife, Julie ••• Andrews, in the title role. Tony Roberts, Michael Nouri, If Josh had picked something from the opening day of the and Rachel York co-star. fall ready-to-wear shows held in Paris, he probably The musical will be at Chicago's Shubert Theatre from July wouldn't have gotten into any trouble. One fashion 12 through August 6. commentator noted that at four of the March pret a potter shows, "men's and women's clothes were shown side by ••• side and were often indistinguishable." Ms. Sinclair is And. ~peaking of the Windy City, the writers of the sorry to report that it's not that the men's clothes were not tele~s1on show Chicago Hope recently showed more feminine; it was because the women's clothes were considerable sensitivity regarding transsexuals. more "tough, masculine, dangerous." The. plot of a recent show centered around Billy and "It took only one season for the drag-queen dressing - ~e, two romantically-involved characters. It seems that fishnet hose, fright makeup, stiletto heels, and corsets -- to Billy. was injured in a hockey game and went to the go away," Amy Spindler commented in The New York ~spital for reconstructive surgery. Unbeknownst to Billy, Times. "As much as those clothes seemed a dare to ~urgeon ~ad performed Annie's sex-change three years would-be sexual harassers, the clothes on the runway now earlier· As might be expected, the dramatic conflict centers seem designed for the opposite effect -- to make a woman around Annie ' s d ec1s1on· · to "tell my boyfriend that I used to one of the guys." An example is Dries van Noten, who put be a man." women in various versions of tailored men's suits, softened When Annie finally decided to share her past with Billy, only by a chiffon scarf or a silky shirt. he became unglued, saying nothing could be as bad as
learning "t?at you used to have a penis. II Annie and the ••• surge~n tned to make the point that the surgery was Whoever designed Patrick Swayze's, Wesley Snipes', and essential for Annie t l" . kn ive completely m the gender she John Leguizamo's gowns for the film To Wong Foo, Thanks ° ows to ~e truly hers. But Billy wasn't buying it. He For Everything, Julie Newmar may have to wait a long time called. Annie a "thing" and a 11 mutant.11 His• strong negative• for an Oscar, even if he or she gets nominated. The reaction prompted the surgeon to confide that while she release of the Steven Spielberg-produced movie has been first felt bad for Annie, she now pities Billy pushed back from the original May 5 opening date. A The story ends with Annie and Billy trym.. g "to make i"t spokesman for Amblin Entertainment said the film may 11 work• But BillY recods· from Annie's kiss "I wish you hit theaters "later this summer, or maybe even the fall." hadn't told me," he says and th 1 · The official reason for postponing the release is the "heavy The show broaches a ' b" e coup e parts. su ~ect that many viewers still "wish competition" all studios face during the summer months. you hadn't told me " A h · . d . · s sue ' it begms to break the silence But Ms. Sinclair thinks that because the film is about three an ignorance that surround transgend . If you agree with M . . er issues. drag queens who become stranded in small-town America . s. Stnclair that such honest shows are and bears such a close a resemblance to Priscilla, the unportant, share your opinion "th h . u • WI t e Clucago nope producers: . David E. Kelley Produc t" 10ns, P.O. Box 900 , ... ..,'IS Beverly• Hills CA 90213.• Send a copY t o p eter Tortorici,. . Tapestry President, CBS Entertamment, 7800 Beverly Blvd. Los
thti }numal for ptirson• lntt1rut11d Angeles CA 90036. ' In croudrri••lng & tranuvwall•m J50+ papa of infonna.tive article~ by peen and prof~Hionala wilh updat.od liat~-~ onconvei:iliona, botlhwa, couna•linl' pvupa, Medical and Paycholosical rttfomW, and olher bolpml'prD(eutonala. And while you have your pen••• in hand (naturally filled with All for $12.00 an issue. Save$$ with a subscription at$40.00 for four issues black or blue-black ink), you may want to write Fidel ($55.00 1st class) and then you can submit a personal listing of your own as well as take advantage of Tapestry's mail-forwarding service. Castro to thank him for taking a softer line with Published by transvestites and homosexuals. Even though political THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR GENDER EDUCATION P.O. BOX367 opposition is still strictly forbidden, sexual minorities are Wayland, MA01778 (617) 894-8340 enjoying a degree of freedom denied them since the 1959 revolution. 4 Jose Luis Valera, 29, is an example. In 1982 he was other similar computer link. In March the panel voted for sentenced to six months in Havana's Combinado del Este changes in the nation's communications laws that would prison simply for being gay. Now he is a tourist attraction levy fines as high as $100,000 and prison terms up to two or sorts, performing in drag in nightclubs that are not years for anyone who transmits 11 obscene, lewd, lascivious, officially licensed but are certainly not totally filthy, or indecent" material over computer systems like the underground. Jose Garcia, another drag entertainer, Internet. crossdresses nearly all the time, even at his mother's The proposal will have to clear many legislative hurdles house. Even the traditionally conservative trade unions, before it becomes law, but its warm reception in the strongly tied to the party, are hiring female impersonators committee suggests that the measure has momentum to entertain their members. Finally, a female despite vigorous opposition by Internet users. Experts have impersonator named Margot is one of the main characters argued that policing cyberspace would be almost of the most popular Cuban television show, El Sabadazo. impossible. The result of this new spirit is that Valera has no desire to Aside fro·m the question of practicality is the question of leave Cuba. He said that outside his homeland he probably which community standard will determine obscenity? Who wouldn't be as tolerated as he feels he is now in Cuba. will decide if a conversation is filthy or indecent? Sen. Jim Exon (R-Neb.) says that his proposal to ban smut in cyberspace is not censorship but an earnest attempt to Toleration comes in the••• strangest of places. Just ask keep 11kids from being able to pull up pornography on their Krystine, a transsexual whose story was recently told in the machines. 11 Casper Star-Tribune. She was quoted as saying "Wyoming folks are tolerant." And, like Jose Luis, she sees no need to leave her home. The Republicans may have••• strange ideas about personal freedoms, but they were dead right about health care reform. Remember the horror stories they told about The Vancouver Hospital••• Gender Dysphoria Clinic socialized medicine? Shelley Ball is an example of encountered some the same live-and-let-live attitude when state-controlled medicine out of control. they looked into the problems of transsexual teachers As an inmate in a Alberta prison following a second continuing to work within their school systems. Michelle degree murder conviction in 1978, William Ball petitioned Lett of the clinic questioned nine school boards and local teachers associations as well as the British Columbia Teachers Federation. Four of the boards, six associations, and the BCTF responded very positively, and identified the obvious problems an individual transsexual teacher would face. Of course, one reason for the tolerant mood is that Canada has more inclusive human rights laws that the United States.
Ms. Sinclair brings this festival••• of toleration to a close with two words: Newt Gingrich. During his daily news conference on Capito_I Hill, the speaker lambasted the idea that gay~ an.d ~esb.1ans shou~d have protection from employment d1scnmmabon, and m the process he slurred the transgender community as well. 111 am not prepared to establish a federal law th~t all~ws you to sue your employer if you end up not haVIng a JOb because of a disagreement that involves your personal behavior 11 Gingrich said. Then, thinking of what to his mind w~uld be the worst possible example, he continued, 11 does that mean a transvestite should automatically have the right to work as a transvestite? I don't think so."
More bad news from the••• Hill. If the Senate Commerce Committee has its way, transvestites may not be able to share their feelings and opinions on the Internet or any 5 authorities for help with his gender dysphoria. Ball Sweden is another example of a slate subsidized health recently told a newspaper reporter that a judge care system. According to a researcher at Umeaa recommended sex reassignment surgery in 1979, and the University, seven out o( ten sex change operations surgery was performed at a university hospital in performed in Sweden are successful when measured by the Edmonton and paid for by the provincial taxpayers. Yet the patient's satisfaction and self-esteem. $250,000 surgery (yes, that's what Ball claimed it cost) left Owe Bodlund attributes this high success rate to the tough her without any genitalia of any kind, neither penis nor examination process which is required before a sex change vagina. But she claims she has a scrotum. [Gosh, I hope can be approved. It takes between five and ten years for a this doesn't get on the Internet.] Since her operation, Ball person to fully complete the change. Of the approximately has been assigned to a women's prison. Yet, without sexual fifty patients who apply for sex reassignment each year, 5 organs, she says she has no sexuality. only ten to fifteen are approved. A total of 250 operatio0• "I feel terrible," she said. "I'm not a whole person. We all have been performed in Sweden, and they are evenly split have some sort of identity, some sense of our own between MTF and FTM. sexuality. But I don't have that." ••• ••• And speaking of FTMs, in March, Ms. Sinclair wondered Don't tell Sen. Exon, but at a recent conference for about the veracity of an report she had seen concerning a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered writers, a Florida couple who began their relationship as lesbians. unnamed international transgender celebrity turned heads One of them allegedly underwent sex reassignment when she announced to a roomful of participants on a surgery (SRS), apparently making them heterosexuals. gender panel that "I am the only person in this room who Then the second woman confronted her gender issues and needs both a prostate exam and a pap smear." also opted for SRS. As a result, the two now form a gay male couple . Of course, we were kidding••• about the problems associated A reader from Atlanta, Georgia used the Internet [Oops!l with "socialized medicine," and we think Hillary Clinton to confirm the item. got a bad rap with health care reform. Canada has an "If it is about Max and his beau, then it is true," PaulellC excellent health care system, and some of Ball's statements Stevens writes. "The situation there is that Max is a post-0P indicate more than a simple lack of credibility. (Ms. FTM and his significant other has also declared as a FfNi· Sinclair is trying mightily to avoid the obvious pun.) They lived together before Max transitioned, and still do, thou~ I ~o not know how far along Max's significant other is with his reassignment. Plus, they live in Florida. So I suppose that confirms it." Indeed it does. Thanks, Paulette.
This confusing situation so•••unds a little bit like the blurb Ms. Sinclair read on the back cover of a new book by ~omeone named Minnie Bruce Pratt. The book is called '/HE. and the blurb says that "when you live between opposites, you cannot escape the s/he who will follow you, who must either be wrestled with or embraced."
Being a low-tech kind 0 f · l ••• 5· lair gir (not to mention cautious) Ms. inc pre rers lo receive clip · . ,_ ' an pings avout crossdressing thro ugh the mail. You c sen d l Il etll IO her in f d !C ,_ . . ca re ° Cross-Talk. Please note the name and 3 Of Pu v 11ca 110 11.
YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALWAYS . WELCOME Write us at P 0 Box 944 W . fax us at ( · ) · , oodland Hills CA 91365; 81 8 347-4190; or send Internet e-mail to [email protected].
6 VIRGIN VIEWS BY VIRGINIA PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES HAVE THE BEST VIEW
by Virginia Prince
The trouble with being part of a minority is that, breaks down the barriers of prejudice and repression just regardless of how many of you there are, there are never that much more. In our particular case, we are all of a enough to enable the group to relax. As a result, minorities mind to set the world right on the difference between are always on the defensive, and since the best defense is crossdressing and homosexuality, and this is as it should said to be a good offense most minorities take up an be. However, contributing information and enlightenment offensive position ... and in the process some of them on these facts should not be done with an air of superiority r.======and condemnation. One who does so is very likely to find himself a victim of the statement "A victory on one little front by one "methinks thou protest too much", and is minority is a victory for all in that it perhaps guilty of the very thing he denies so breaks down the barriers of prejudice vehemently. and repression just that much more." To be specific, there are many among us who are inclined to refer to homosexual persons as become offensive. "g--d--- queers" or by some similar epithet. Gay persons Heterosexual crossdressers are a minority, too. We have to have as much right to their way of life as we do. Generally, defend ourselves not only from the majority but from being they do not understand crossdressing any more than included in another minority ... the homophile group. It is normal persons understand them. Thus they need only right and proper that we do this. A minority is not education about us, but is it not true that we equally need only a minority in numbers, it is a partially isolated group education about them? It so happens that the gay clan has by misunderstanding and misinformation. Thus Jews in a been organized for some time, has had its own largely gentile society, blacks in a predominantly white publications for a long time, has had and won many legal culture homosexuals in a heterosexual environment, etc., battles, carries on educational activities, and has seen all have' to protect themselves not only from the greater novels and plays written about gay life. We are relative numbers of the majority but from the more entrenched newcomers to the battle for understanding. Actually, we prejudices, discriminations, persecutions, and ignorance of can stand to look more deeply at the battle the homophile the dominant majority. This rapidly engenders a set of element has been fighting and see what they have countermeasures made up of explanations, justifications, accomplished and the methods they have used. Ironic as it rationalizations, etc., which solidify into a kind of defensive may seem, every battle they win is a battle for us as well as armor. It therefore happens that two minorities oftentimes for them, because it breaks down restrictive barriers in find themselves not counterattacking the main opposition society as a whole and because in the eyes of society we -- the majority -- but rather, each other, possibly in the hope are in their camp anyway. of having a better chance to win over a smaller group, Let us therefore consider the last half of the title of my sometimes just from developing a sort of case-hardened commentary. We "have the best view" in the world. We can attitude of antagonism. look at the homophile from the point of view of the Let us look at our own group. We are a minority ... one of heterosexual ... and we ought lo be in the forefront of those a number in the sex/gender field. All the subgroups in this offering understanding and tolerance, because we are not larger classification have a hard row to hoe because in a position to throw stones and at the same time we are nowhere in human relations are ignorance and taboos in a position of being on the side of the sex/gender more intensive and entrenched than in this field. minorities in the fight for survival and acceptance by the Therefore it behooves all of these subgroups lo understand large ignorant mass of society in general. Thus we do have that small-scale differences between them should be a better view than most, from our glass house, and we should make good use of it; a view · for tolerance submerged in the greater battle agains~ the ignor~nce and ' bigotry of the majority. They must realtzc that a victory on understanding, assistance, and of common cause in a one little front by one minority is a victory for all in that it bigger battle. The Army and the Navy (co111i1111ed 011 11e.w page) 7 longer have to tolerate this mistreatment. There are differences between the Picket Fences and_ VoxPopuli Chicago Hope episodes and the examples I gave earlier. Designing Women, despite its including a sc~ne w~er~ ~e boyfriend explains his crossdressing to de-stigmatize 1t, JS Letters to the Editor still a situation comedy, and I suspect most viewers did not make the important distinction that it was not simply played for a laugh. ER did not make it clear that the despondent TS was not typical of transsexualism. The ~ There were no letters to the editor submitted for in L.A. Law still wound up being pictured as a "freak , publication this month. especially since she made reference to frequenting gay bars (when was the last time you heard of a post-op TS Vox Populi is the transgender community's "town square" hanging out in a gay bar?). for the exchange of opinions and ideas. If you have a And while a case could be made for previous telecasts of response to any editorial, news item, or article appearing Second Serve (the biographical TV-movie about Renee in Cross-Talk, please feel free to contribute. We suggest Richards) as the actual beginning of our prime-tinte keeping letters to 400 words (one page typewritten or respectability, that movie was made to air in ratings 2000 characters ASCII). Cross-Talk reserves the right to "sweeps weeks" and was appropriately hyped. No such hype publish only those portions of a letter specifically accompanied the Chicago Hope episode, even though it did addressing the issue. Personal attacks will not be air during "sweeps". published. I want to publicly commend David E. Kelley for bis You may write us at P.O. Box 944, Woodland Hills CA compassion and for his obvious unwillingness to play us as 91365; fax us at (818) 347-4190; or send e-mail to Kymmer a throwaway in a cheap attempt for ratings. He is getting via Cross Connection, or to [email protected] via a copy of this editorial, along with a letter expressing rnY Internet. We also accept DOS ASCII files on disk at our personal thanks for his approach, and I hope that those P.O. Box. reading this will send similar accolades. His address is David E. Kelley Productions, P.O. Box 900, Beverly Hills KYMBERLEIGH'S CLIPBOARD ••• continued from page 2 CA90213. favorable light, and even though the ratings are not This can either be the beginning of change or a temporarY sky-high for Mr. Kelley's programs, they still represent a detour from "business as usual" in the television industrY· far greater number of viewers than the typical daytime talk Whether or not we are actually welcome in the show. mainstream is, as always, in your hands. There have been some previous attempts to "humanize" transgendered behavior in prime-time (an epis?de of Designing Women featuring a crossdressed boyfriend, a ADVERTISING TARGETED TO ene in ER where a despondent TS jumped to her death THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY ;;om her hospital room window, and the pilot episode of AT A REASONABLE COST!!! LA. Law with the transsexual secretary of the deceased law partner all come to mind), even though television history is littered with numerous sitcoms where male characters ~~@~&)~lf~{b~ We're the proven way to reach the crossdressing and transsexual were put in drag for a cheap laugh and crossdressed killers commu.nitles ... the T's who are serious about what they do ... and frequented nearly eve? police d~ama. that lasted longer we deliver at a lower cost per copy than any other gender community pubticationl than a season. But this IS the first tune, 10 my memory, that transgendered characters had scripts written around them Call us today for details ... ( 818) 907-3053 that included factual informatio? in the plot development and those characters were ultimately seen as perfectly VIRGIN VIEWS normal people. ••• continued from previous page I believe we are seeing the first steps toward a new way to may have their little differences, but they join together and educate the masses. Abandoning the tabloid talk shows do a good collective job when battle is joined with .3 inevitable once we started to become passe -- and thus c~mmon enemy. There are ways in which we can do this was . with the homophile group too. h d to be "weirded up" in order to attract any viewer in~erest __ but they were the only game in town for a long Meanwhile, back at the glass house use the stones to f and so we (barely) tolerated their corruption of the make a pathway towards understanding ... don't tbro'W them at other houses. :t: behind our "weirdness". Now, . fmding ourselves acceptable subjects for serious prime-ttme drama, we no /This column originally appeared in the FPE Femme Mirror #7, July 1962./ 8 Goodnight called the agreement "an example of what can Cross-Talk ~e accomplished for the community when differing parties Newswire sit down and discuss the issues with a spirit of mutual respect and communication," and publicly thanked Cook-Riley in the April/May issue of PPOC's newsletter News of the worldwide Girl Talk. transgender community 000 IFGE founder Merissa Sherrill Lynn has announced her The dispute between the International Foundation for resignation as executive director of the organization. Gender Education and the organizers of the annual Citing increased pressure in the day-lo-day work she has "California Dreamin'" weekend over the farmer's decision performed since founding the organization in 1985, Lynn lo stage their 1997 convention in Southern California has tendered her resignation just before the March meeting of been resolved. the IFGE board of directors. The board selected Alison IFGE chairperson Linda Buten and Powder Puffs Of Laing, a founding member of Renaissance Education California president Patli Barton made an announcement Association and current chairperson of the Outreach at this year's "Dreamin"' that the two events will combine Institute of Gender Studies board of directors, as Lynn's replacement. . lo hold "California Unity '97" in March of that year. The decision to combine was the result of discussion between Lynn says she intends to continue writing and speaking on behalf of the lransgender community. IFGE's Yvonne Cook-Riley and PPOC's Joan Goodnight this past February during the International Congress on 000 Gender, Cross Dressing and Sex Issues. There had been A proposal to convert IFGE lo a membership-based considerable concern within the Southern California organization was approved by the board of the directors at transgender community that the IFGE event would have their March meeting. an adverse impact on the annual "Dreamin"' weekend, The proposal, originally adopted in principle at the which has been held every spring since 1991. November board meeting ("Newswire", f/63), will separate
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Previously, any Ann Stuart, and transgendered author Leslie Feinberg. subscriber to the magazine also participated in the election of the organization's board. 000 The Minnesota State Legislature has proposed an Basic membership dues have been set at $25 per year, which will include a new quarterly newsletter and a 10% amendment to that state's welfa re reform biJI that would discount on IFGE books and videos. Additional higher eliminate public assistance f uncling for "gender levels of membership increase discounts on merchandise reassignment surgery". The amendment was attached to and include discounted registration fees on the annual the House version of the bill, but was not attached to the convention. Senate version, and at press time a conference committee Tapestry subscriptions will remain at $40 per year, with no from both houses was scheduled to meet to reach a discounts for members. compromise on the bill. 000 000 Recipients of the annual Virginia Prince Lifetime Service The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force has announced Award and 1995 Trinity Awards were honored at the its first ever Youth Leadership Training Institute, for Saturday evening banquet at IFGE "Atlanta Action" in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender young le~ders ages March. 16 to 24. IFGE's Yvonne Cook-Riley received the clasped-hands The week-long inte nsive program will take place August Prince award for ten years of service as the organization's 13 through 20 in Northern California, bringing together chief financial officer for both Tapestry and the annual twenty youths from every region of the country. ~o r "Coming Together-Working Together" convention. essential skills-building and community-organiZIJlg Recognized for their ongoing commitment of service to the training to activists in order to provide them the community with Trinity Awards were AEGIS' Dallas opportunity to seize the tools they need to lead and to Denny, FTM's James Green, IFGE's Laura Caldwell create change. Tri-Ess' and SPICE's Linda Peacock, ICTLEP's Sharo~ NGLTF will also hold its annual Creating Ch~ge NOW BACK IN PRINT! Conference November 8 through 12 in Detroit, bringtllg together lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered lea~ers and provides them with an opportunity to learn new skiUs, .network • an d d eve 1o p a deeper understanding of 11DP· 0 rtanl issues. HEY DAD ... Applications for both programs are available on-line in ~e DO I HAVE TO NGLTF a f . munitY WATCH THE rea o America OnLine's G / L Com Forum' by e -ma1·1 f rom [email protected] or by faxi ·n g (202) TV? 332-0207. ' by Ricky Hunt 000 Cross-Talk congratulates Martin Landau recipient of th~ Best Support' 0 . ' . Ed Woo"' . mg scar for lus performance in . f Rick Baker y N il · · nts o th ' e e 1 and Yolanda Toussieng, recipie f r 0 e Academy Award for Best Achievement in Makeu~, Cross-Talk's "Bearded Lady" offers a humorous t Ed Wood, d L' ·p ents an 1zzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel, reci 1 . factual, discussion of crossdressing from th' ye of the Award f B 0 es1gll1 per~pective of a teenager's father. Presented i~ a c or est Achievement in Costume tor The Adve11tur .rp · · question and anfstwher.format.for easy understanding es 01 nsc1lla, Quee11 of the Desert. o e issues involved. UPDAT 000 d tlJe Out of print for more than three years, it has been E: In last month's "N . " announce demise of the eWSWlfe we. . Qende! completely re-typeset and spiral bound for th' D h . U .K. transgender orgamzation uld reprint. Cross-Talk will donate $1.00 to S . P . 1.c'.~ ysp ona Trust d · · rt wo , . an 111d1cated that a full rcpo . bY the Spouses/Pa~ners International Conference f~r appear this month T h . f ditJOg Education, for each copy sold. f · e need for confirmation o e f 1e r ort~ler GDT executive director Fran Springfield 0 .:,e ar ice makes 't . . . th. v• $4.00 postage paid to: h 1 impossible for it to appear this rnon Cross-Talk / Hey Dad ope to publish her report next month. P.O. Box 944 "Newsw· • . 000 cts• Woodland Hills CA 91 365 •re is compiled r . . . nc\vstc 11 wire sc · rom Hems in transgcnder community 1n1 Add 75 cents postage and we'll donate thatto S.P.l.C.E., too/ rvtce reports tcascS 0 be mail d ' press releases, and the Internet. Press re 365. e to Cross T Ik, > · I CA 91 e-mailed • a I .0 . Box 944 Woodland I-1 11 5 10 10 kymmer@ . ' '); C01111. c o111, or faxed to (818) 347-4190. THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER by Victoria Lynn J he title of this article should be instantly familiar to the poor guy to do? Most genetic women don't look that those of you who are as old as the author. For those of you good! So here he is, on the one hand, society is trying to who are not, I will explain. pound him into a Steven Siegal mold (which 99% of us In the early 1960s (Yes, I am old enough to remember the don't fit). On the other hand, he has a feminine side which early '60s but I don't remember them well ... ) a Syracuse tries to pound herself into a mold that 99% of genetic University alumnus named Rod Serling gave us a women can't fit into. Ninety-nine point nine percent of us landmark television series entitled 17ie Twilight ITTm~~ITTffil:l!=='------ Zone. A particularly poignant episode was "The Eye of the Beholder." The story line revolved around a You know the old saying young woman whose face we can't see. The setting is a hospital and we can overhear doctors and nurses but what about passing (whose faces we also can't see) discussing how being in the eye of the unfortunate she is, everything has been tried, nothing beholder? seems to work, etc., etc. The impression you get is of someone who has undergone a great deal of plastic surgery to correct some type of horrid facial deformity. As crossdressers haven't got a chance. Instead of feeling good the surgery has not been successful, she is to be sent away about his crossdressing, he now (consciously or to some sort of home to live out her life in the company of subconsciously) feels as though he has to measure up to a others who have suffered the same fate. Needless to say, crossdresser who spent a quarter of a million dollars on the young lady is heartbroken. The viewer is given every plastic surgery, makeup and clothes, not to mention the indication that she is, for lack of a better phrase, "uglier fact that he just finished a makeover by a Hollywood than sin." makeup artist. Not only is this an unrealistic ideal, it's an In the closing seconds of the show, we are finally brought unattainable one! face-to-face with the poor girl only to learn that she is, by How many of you know a TV who won't go to support our standards, beautiful. The key phrase is "by our group meetings because they don't think they will "pass"? standards." When we see the doctors and nurses we What does that mean? It can be anything from looking understand that they are ugly by our standards and the 11good11 at a meeting, to passing at high noon on Park lesson is that what is beautiful to one, may or may not be Avenue. But how many of us can do that? beautiful to another. It clearly illustrates the point that The conclusion that we have to draw here is that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. regardless of what you look like, its not fair to compare What does this have to do with crossdressing? Have you yourself to another who, for whatever reason, may appear noticed the increase in television shows that deal with more 11 female" than you do. Beauty is in the eye of the crossdressing, transsexuals, and so forth? One thing that is beholder. If you can look in the mirror and be pleased with obvious when I watch these is that the young ladies what you see, then it is enough. If you can be realistic in involved are for the most part, gorgeous! your values and not compare yourself to some Madison The message that men get when they see "handsome" men Avenue ideal, then you are doing fine. Perhaps a new on TV is that they are the ideal to aspire to. The problem definition of "passing" is in order. Now it seems to mean is tha; not all of us look like Burt Reynolds, Clint not being spotted as a man. To hell with the other part. Eastwood, or Charles Boyer. Women face this same So, ladies, enjoy the TV shows. Appreciate the beauty of the situation but it is increased by several orders of magnitude. people who are involved in them, but make no If they don't look like Christie Brinkley or Cindy Crawford comparisons. Rejoice in the fact that we as a group are then they are second class citizens. We all h~ve getting some sort of positive publicity but don't think that preconceived ideas of what we are supposed to look like you have to be a perfect size six before you can enjoy it. Go and as a society, we spend billions of dollars a year to to meetings as a way of interacting with others who share achieve "the look." your love for things feminine. Don't go in with the 11 am I What happens when this dilemma is applied to a good enough?" attitude. Of course you are good enough. crossdresser? A fellow who is perhaps six feet tall and You're better than good enough. You are who you are and weighs 200 pounds flips on the TV to watch Do11ahue. He that, ladies, is a little piece of perfection. is suddenly faced with a panel of crossdressers who all look like they just stepped off the cover of Vogue/ What's [Reprimed from The EON Accord, Expressing Our Nature, Syracuse NY.] 11 ----~------~------~----~------T NOTES A COMMENTARY ON PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES by Anne Vitale, Ph.D. Having been to several HBIGDA conferences over the no parly girls being chased naked lhrough the halJs, but years where I always felt like a lab specimen that has erepl lhere was plenly of lestoslerone (or its traces) and a very out from under a copy of the Diagnostic and Statistical male way of looking and expressing only the surface of Manual, I was looking forward to altending lhe what it means lo be a woman. I guess it is no coincidence International Congress on Gender, Cross Dressing and lhat those who decide not to take lransition through to sex Sex Issues as a conference of my peers. As it turned out, reassignment surgery carefully preserve their strategic attachment to the male world. Perhaps it was the high price I paid ~o r "With the exception of the transsexuals admission or perhaps I've become somethUlg present, what I was experiencing was of a prude in my midlife, but I found the not really gender diversity but exposure surface incursions into my fem ale world by 11 to a hypermale world clothed in satin. some to be offensive. In fact I wa~ experiencing the same discomfort that wives ~ the conference was far more interesting and illuminating some of my clients share with me when they see their lhan I expected. Therapeutically, there was nothing new: husbands take on only the surface aspects of femaleness· Although I was glad to hear lhat the program at the Of course, most of my clients have only recently University of Minnesola was finally catching on to the acknowledged that they even have a gender issue. They call non-pathological approach Lo treating gender issues rightfully claim lhat the clothes and make up are all th~Y clients, nobody was doing anything that we in lhe Bay know of being female. However, the people at thtS Area haven't been doing for the last ten years. However, I conference were all pros. They all knew exactly what theY did learn a great deal about what everyone was calling were doing. "gender diversity". An element I did not expect to find was a clear I I I Before step up on my soapbox, want to say that lhink anli-transsexual bias. Because this bias extended to both lhat gender diversity and its healthy open expression is Male-to-Female and Female-lo-Male transsexuals, I can essential to everyone's psychological well being. I also only assume Lhal lhe bias was against anyone who was ~ o t need to address what well may be a source for my personal in the middle. Virginia Prince was especially vitu per a~ve biases. The social psychologists have a well tested theory of againsl those who take crossliving to the point of havUlg personal allitude called "cognitive dissonance". Essentially SRS. She even publicly admonished her co-honoree, pr it states lhat, conlrary lo popular belief, the more a person St a nley B"b1 er, al the awards ceremony for performm· g sRS· suffers for somelhing the more he or she wilJ positively b t the vir· g.1ru .a cerla .ml y has a right lo her opinion a ou evaluate it. Apparenlly we need to find a way to justify · of SRS fo r herself ... but by all . 01 eatbCns having paid a high price for whatever il is we have bought appro pn ~ten ess folks, let s keep SRS pro-choice. To me, embracing e into. Wilhoul gelting into the details, the price I paid for concept of "gender diversity" implies the acceptance changing my sex in the late '70s was as high as anyone has of -~ entire range of gender expression. That most cerlaJ y paid for anylhing. Needless lo say, I value highly my ·m e1 u des l h e extreme poles and people who aspire to those privileged position in the world of women. poles. That said, back to the conference. After the first day of There were olhers there who were also out of control . f. ol greeling old friends and meeting people I had only known s~eak ing here of therapists, anlhropologists and sexologists through correspondence, I quickly began to feel a distincl w1 th · · · · sollle sense of discomfo rt. At first I couldn't put my finger on il a prurient interest m transgendered people ... of whom actually gave papers extolling those interest. r heY but slowly it was becoming clear; with lhe exception of the 5 transsexuals present, what I was experiencing was nol all made it seem like a very hip thing to be doing. A a therapist I live with the specter of suicide over the verY really gender diversily but exposure lo a hypermale world . h . go issues t ese people fo und "interesting". Routinely, Jives clothed in salin. No, lhere were no cigars and there were "uni' -d" · · . e J4) ive ' marriages and families are (co111i1111ed 011 pag 12 WOMAN TO WOMAN LOVE IS NOT PERFECTION by Linda Peacock In loday's world, we live surrounded by the angers and man -- that certain something that catches your eye, that sorrows of others, as well that of our own. The media is makes you want to know that person better. There comes a filled with war, pain, political disagreement and strife, liking for that person, for the things he or she does, the crime thal is dominating all segments of our society, emotions that person expresses. Then there comes love, hunger, tragedy. How rare it is to read about or watch and the passion, although often it is reversed -- the something that brings happiness, wonder, awe. If we look passion, and then the love. In the first part of love -- the IQ early moments, we are often blinded to the entire person -- we see only what we want to W "How easy it is to judge others, but how see. There is a form of denial in first love - 11. difficult it is to honestly judge ourselves. denial that this "perfect" being is completely How easy to blame but how hard it is to human. This human, who has strange habits, be blameless." who can feel anger, fear, intolerance, bigotry, seems, al first, Lo be the most perfect creature beyond man's destructiveness, we can occasionally grasp ever created, and our life suddenly is so wonderful, we live the splendor of creation, of nature, but it is daily moving in a dream world of perfect love. away from us as our society continues a downward spiral However, love is not about perfection. No relationship is from values, beauty and peace. perfect, just as none of us are perfect. Instead, love is If our world is so imperfect, then how about ourselves? about perfecting the relationship -- seeing what it is about How easy it is to j udge others, but how difficult it is lo your partner that makes you want to live with them, to join honestly judge ourselves. How easy it is Lo blame but how your life with theirs. Love is the renewing, the building of hard it is to be blameless. lhat relationship, accepting all there is to that person, So it is with relationships. This is especially so in the world accepting their whole being. of transgendered relationships -- that of a transgendered Love is the nurturing of a fragile emotion, so that it man and his woman partner. becomes the strongest, most dominating emotion in each In the capacity of leader and peer support person in the partner's life. This emotion of love must flow throughout gender community, and especially with women who are in the relationship, fertilizing its growth, providing the a relationship with a transgendered man, I am sometimes strength that is needed when outside influences threaten slruck speechless by lhe inlensity of the pain I hear in the the relationship. It is the sun that lightens the morning, voices of those who call me. The aloneness, lhe fear, the lhe stars lhat brighten the night. Love is the one key that unknown is devastaling to these women -- and Lo the men can make two people find worth in sharing their lives, and who Jove them but cannot control their inner, gender the nurturing of it bonds them, creating a powerful fo rce to voices. The inability of these couples to communicate is face the adversities that life deals them. astounding in that it is so widespread. They can talk Lo me, In the Lransgendered relationship, the couple faces more they can talk to you, but they can't talk to each other. Or if adversities, simply because of the transgenderism of the they are able to talk, they are not able Lo listen! man. He has been caught in a lifetime of guilt, fear, This morning, the minister at our church talked about the self-loathing -- a darkness that lives deeply within his soul. "marriage" relationship he has with the church -- in that it He is all that "society" says he must not be, and he feels is a give and take proposition, that he must not. only learn unloved. Too often, transgendered men allempt to be what to speak but to listen to what the chur~h says to lum. and who they are not, thus creating a facade, an escape. As I Jislened to his sermon, my mmd wandered m the And, unfor lunalely, loo often it is this facade that we direction of the love relationship of a commilled women fall in love wilh. Oh, there are some special things partnership belween woman and man. And especially lo about him lhat he can't hide -- the sensitivity, the sense of the relationship of woman and lransgendered man. humor -- but lhere is often an innate sense of sadness There comes first a mutual allraction between woman and which makes them even more attractive to us -- and we're 13 convinced that we, in our love, can erase that elusive communication to work together to find the limitations, tQ) 1 sadness away. set the boundaries, to find the way that you can li\t He is thrilled with the love relationship with the woman, together. If there is no love, there is no hope. A couple h~i but fearful that revelation of his "terri~le" secret will drive got to have love, has got to have mutual respect in ord~r t.Ql her from him and makes him keep it within himself. So, begin the nurturing, the rebuilding of their relationsbi~. l~ we, the woman, love and live with someone we don't know is the love that gives it strength to work, to grow -- and JUS~, -- he is hiding an inner part of himself -- and he is as each of us is imperfect, so is the relationship -- but ~~ cheating us by not sharing his "whole" with us. love binds it, strengthens it, gives it the chance to survive, Is there any doubt why many women react so angrily when and to be mutually satisfying to each partner. they do find out their partner is transgendered -- that he wants to wear feminine clothing -- it is the anger that his {Linda Peacock is tile Tri-Ess director of wives' and partners' co11cerns, an /FGE board membe1~ and chair of the SPICE board of directors. She a/SO love was not strong enough to trust us with his secret - publishes the quarterly newsletter for spouses and partners The Sweeth: with his whole being. We have been cheated and we face a Connection, and may be reached by mail at P.O. Box 24031, Little R Ol) real loss. He is not who we thought he was, his love was AR 72221, by e-mail to [email protected] or by phone at (S not strong enough to include trust. Our own love for him 227-8798.J seems a sham -- and far too often, we blame ourselves for his secret, when we are, in fact, blameless. Again, I go back to the notion that love is not about T NOTES ... continued from page 12 tak e,· d perfection. Love is being willing to accept our partner torn apart and careers lost. None of us can affor to entirely -- the good with the bad. Again, I say that love is any of this lightly. ~c • State the building of the relationship, and it is the renewing, Conferences such as this sponsored by Caluornta ... nurturing factor that allows us to live together. University at Northridge can make a valuable difference m: There can be happiness in living with a transgendered the lives of the people in our community. It is our chan; man -- but you have to be willing to work for it. The first to both legitimize and take control of our lives froJll · ~ thing is to understand that you are blameless -- he was non-transgendered medical model that currently defl? r transgendered long before you came along. The second what society is to consider normal gender role behaVlO • thing is to realize your own self-worth and to accept I'm afraid that we did not do ourselves proud this thne· . ·l yourself, the good and the bad. The third thing is to put There is talk of having another conference next year¢ 1 your anger aside and have compassion. You cannot see his sincerely hope that the backers of such a conferen ~ d d · · nts sh0 p~n un~il your anger is let go; and he cannot see your eman more professionalism from the part1c1pa ' h ~ 1 . · d to a·· ~am u~til y~u let down your defense of righteous anger. It more d1screllon in choice of speakers (they seeme b t the. is at this pomt that communication can begin. accepted everyone who asked to present) and t ~ ...111 0 And communication leads to compassion and willingness parltctpants· · who speak of gender diversity honor theJJ' "P. to hear what. he was. so a~raid to share. I am not saying philosophy. that he was nght to hide this part of himself, for I think he iS'' {Co · l ,n1C/1othertlP was wrong, and he wronged you in doing so. Howeve ~yng, 11 1995 by Anne Vitale, Ph.D. Dr. Vitale is a P·r D 5,etJ' spec1a/izi11g ;11 d . 0 F 1/:e ,,,. before you c~n begin to understand or accept or tolerat:: ge11 er related issues and is a11 associate 'J 111 ay ,,. Coimseling G ..,.. ,., 01 S/te .. t1 I vllp, 610 D Street San Rafael CA 9., 9 . t llf you ha~e to bst~n. You are angry because he didn't share reached b ' b /nterne .11t Y teleplrone at (415)456-4452 or ~ .pror 11011 all of himself with you, but is it fair to him to be an anncv@ewortd · · anY · it h" c b · gry at .com. TlllS column may be rep1inted "' with ' im ior em? who he is? Unfairness should not give birth organization's l . annears rl news el/er if Dr. Vita/e's name and address rr .t coPY ~ to more unfairness. Otlrer publicatio . D Vttaf e. n ns must obtam written permission from r. He cannot control what his inner callings are· to k h" anyr, · . c • • , as 1m epnms must be sem to Dr. Vitale.] t o d eny hts ieelmgs 1s wrong. However 't · ' 1 is part of a - fJJ1.a~ c::I\/ !Boofa Adult Computer Bulletin Board Richardson, Texas (214) 437-0688 (All Nodes) All Lifestyles lnterbbs Games 24 Hour Operation Nat'I Echos -AIDS/HIV Info Systems Operator 120(}.28800 Baud . Aaron Davis Voice - FAX: (214) 994-9314 14 (procecdn bcncflt the DEFAULT ASSUMPTIONS ... or "The Billy Tipton Phenomenon" by Jason Cromwell _A. s an anthropologist I am interested in how FI'Ms are as a man and nobody had discovered the truth about her perceived by society. What I see happening is what until she died." The default assumption here is that the Douglas Hofstaeder calls "default assumptions." In a 1982 truth is Monaghan was female and thus really a woman. article in Scientific American,, he defines "default Greenwald vividly reveals her default assumptions when assumptions" as something that holds true in the "simplest she concludes in the interview: "Women discover or most natural or most likely possible model" concerning themselves -- and this is so much a part of feminism -- that ~par&~ar~picms~~t.He~esoo~~~~ ~~~~~~------~-----~ "the critical thing about default assumptions is that they are made automatically, not as a result of If a female chooses to live as consideration or elimination." To some degree or another, we all make default a man, society should not assumptions. For example, a 1993 Seattle newspaper think of him as a woman in headline reads: "Police officer files complaint against co-worker. Sex harassment case involves 2 men." male drag. Without thinking about it most of us assume this case involves a female officer and two male officers. The first paragraph of the Post-Intelligencer article states: "A they don't have to be fake men; to be strong; to be federal police officer in Keyport has filed a discrimination powerful ... Jo becomes a woman, not a man. She passes complaint accusing a fellow officer of sexual harassment. through a phase to survive, ultimately to be a woman." Now Both are men." It is not surprising that we make the let me get this right: Monaghan lived as a man, no one assumption that sexual harassment cases involve females knew otherwise until death, but "ultimately" was a woman. being harassed by males, because this is what is most Another default assumption is -- as Greenwald states -- "It familiar to us. would only be extreme incidents that would make a Now I'd like to provide some examples closer to home. A woman decide to live her life as a man." These "extreme couple of weeks ago while flipping channels I caught a incidents" always involve socio-economic explanations. In stand-up comic's act midway through her routine. the case of Monaghan, an out-of-wedlock child was born Unfortunately I did not catch her name but I did catch and Monaghan was disowned by family. According to one something relevant to FfMs. Leading up to her punchline male movie reviewer, Stefan Ulstein: "With no family to she talked about the differences between men and women. depend on, Josephine [note the use of Josephine instead of Then she said: "There's one thing men do that women Little Jo], had to find either a husband or a pimp. Instead don't. Men change sex. I mean, has anybody here in the she decided to pass for a man and live on the edge of audience ever heard of women becoming men?" The Western society." For those of us familiar with television's audience agreed they had never heard of this. Then she Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, who is not married and not a delivered her punchline: "Do you know why women· don't prostitute, the producers obviously forgot that a woman in become men? Because it would be a demotion." While the Old West had limited choices. there are several things going on here, I want to focus on One article accompanying a review of Little Jo is two of them. First, although it is supposed to be a joke and headlined: "Women posing as men pursued better humorous it clearly points out our invisibility (I'll come opportunities." Quoted in this article is Julie Wheelwright, back to thls point later). Second, it is a default assumption author of Amazons and Military Maids, who states, "very that females do not become men. Related to this are three often it was a pattern of women in working-class other default assumptions: (1) Females become men only occupations who would take on male attributes to further to take advantage of male privileges; (2) depending on the their careers." Going back to Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman author's perspective, females quit assuming male identities for a moment, I find it interesting that Dr. Quinn is in the mid-nineteenth or mid-twentieth centuries; and, (3) clearly a feminine woman in a male occupation. I don't know if the television show is based on any real person females can't become men. I'll illustrate these default assumptions via comments made but I do know that many females pursued so-called male to the press by the director of the 1993 movie The Ballad of careers without changing their sex. I call this default . Little Jo. Maggie Greenwald states: "I stumbled upon assumption "the Billy Tipton phenomenon." The same some information about the real Little Jo Monihan [sic], article even uses Tipton as an example of career about whom almost nothing is known except that she lived opportunism when author Linda Lee says "in 1989, when ------15 Billy Tipton dic Other HotBuzz at the ·~·congress was the rather loud whining and complaining from the organizers of the Texas "T" Party because the LA. meet was held on the same weekend. It was much ado about nothing since reports from people attending the "T11 say there were more people there than ever. I believe the "official" count was 340. ~e~, they keep score. Apparently "mine is bigger then yours; important to them.) So my prediction that the L · congress wouldn't impact ' the "T" was correct. What were they complaining about? No one "owns" the calendar. A n d , speakmg· of calendar,••• mark Sprmg· 1997 as the tentative date for the Second International Congress thon KRIS C ross Dressing, Sex and Gender Issues. Several of he reps f ram transgender groups urged Dr. vern ~~,. h he Publications co-ch air · o f the first Congress, to do ·it agam,· whic . f d I. d . E c Dtr. o ec me . But, both he and Dr. James Elias, xe · would the Center for Sex Research at CSUN, said the~ or. WHATS ON THE TV TONIGHT? support and endorse a similar event at another site. ·al Cartoons by Christine-Jane Wilson Bullough even polled some of his colleagues for potenU al A book of nearly 10? canoons drawn by Chnsbne.Jane ':"•Ison. In !he maganne 'Forum·. edolor 't A . lk' to sever Isabel Koprowski wrollr: - the answer IS nor Eost·Endns. you II be glad to hear. but de/rcrous /emon•ne si es. n mformal steering committee is ta mg is clothing such as lacy brm. SIX tnch mlettos ind the sheerest o/ stoclungs · "Whats°" the TVTon1ghl?is a channrng arroon book d11p1cting lransvesnres in a vanety of amus. acad · · · · o ce there ing situations. Because 1t 1S the ere.soon ofa 1V, non11 other than Chnsone.Jan• W./son. the 1td1toror T>re em1c mstttullons as potential hosts. n d staY Glad Rag. the book always laughs with. nor at. lr.Jnsvesores. The aulhor dra..., on her own expenen:e as Wfll/ as her1magin11aon. to product/ carroonsshOW1n'! lhe dn11dfuUyormbaM.SSmg lhrngs lhar can nap· agreement on the site, a date will be announce · pen to 1Vs. whelher m soaa/ or /11m1/y comm. But 11 snot blushes 111/ the way: some pages glow ..,th the pos1tiw1pnde11 cross·drnser may lee/ when found our un11Xpected/y tuned. "Transva:ita ..~u idenaly IAlflh the aulhor and frnd the book r11assunng u Wfll/ u amusing fvetyOne wrU be touched by the sensi11111ty and de/racy With which Chniane.Jane 1reais the drlficumu of being a TV'. USSS.00 / £3.00 posi free ·~· • II of 0 n . t f as h"ion news ... I think this "recons truct1on. at the HELL - IT'S HEAVEN! ? . More cartoons by Christine-Jane femiruruty is being taken too far. I sit here loo~! of is: Not trnnsvesbta lh!J lime. (wdl - one sneaUd In!) but an unguided lour of her Vision of lhe afte clothing ads in the fashion rags and all I can thi vertlY populated by sexy demons 11nd wickedly Innocent angels! Vou"ll meet such characten as The A 111 1 e - Angel. Mephlslophela. and Saints Pcrer. MlchAcl Joan /ze lnsuffodblel and frnnas (and ;:".'f'~9 Yuck! A shapely suit or chemise is one thing, but oh It's frlenm'/. Now and again the Managm of both Establishments rumble disappl'O\l\ngly hem !he sodeh~:e bul are resigned that. as soon as the echoes have died. misch1d and dirtv tncks Wiii re-commence! · corseted clothing with froufrous and frills is a bit• Jl)UCfi l se-cf,• USS9.00 I £5.75 post free okay for a woman to want to look sensual and ee like a FUTURES EXCHANGE it is not okay to try to make her iP it A FANTASY OF CROSS-GENDER by Sarah Wood how~ver, ~oo:d Charles Merdiant. a li/e·long t:rrmsucsll~. awakes in si:range arcumsranccs - in the body ofh. pasonal oubfanr, Jenny Page . .. and from lhae. Sarah weaua an intriguing and wefl·w~ aararn~-e marionette. Some of the waistlines are so I11PP drink· bmudfullv 11/uswud w11h dtowtngs bv the ralml«I Emma. !fen szory, must be h d . 'bl t eat or USS9.00 / £5.75 ?Ost free ar to breathe and 1m poss1 e 0 Come on designers, get back to the real world! MANDY'S ROBERT to MANDY ROBERTS CROSS-DRESSED - PERMANENTLY? .. bv Sarah w d lnuo/ued rn inucsdgoltue Joumaltstn. Robert- mmq1.1erading a.s Mandt!-ftnm Iha! Cln: m 00 ••• one fl lmposstblefor him IO rewr1 IO his male self With mixedfttlings. he /aca lhe ddemm: f ~nca make the ra1 af his /If• tn the fanale role. Anolhl!T absorbing story by Sarah Wood. ii/..,trarectoby £:.,"!': /1ue The new £ · . . . k rteraIIY· d cm10101ty can make you sic , 1 • a year USSI0.50 I £8.oo PDst fru octor has · d h uents fi sai t at he treats as many as 25 pa re to0 KRISMICE ?rh gastrointestinal distress because their pants} a Loofll . . . a sort of dictionary . . . . or somethiino t Cartoons by KRJS - his Inimitable miu, Ulusiral'Jng such words a.s "/arnoiac• •enomio • anJ;; • •g t. Ima · h "t of tte 82 paliaps too e>omv Of'conlrlucd for worrbl Grmtfun for louai of mice and s11i,, humour~ • oth~ gme w at a corset could do. Frut that USS3.00 I £1.75 llOst free conducted a survey of 100 women and roundd y percent "d h · a · Order from: KRIS Publications sai uncomfortable underwear ruins t eir Rear of 239 Preston Road Wembley, Middlesex HA9 8PE, U.K. It's not . AT A n extreme U.S. customers: Price includes surface mail postage. Add $2 look JUst clothing. Eye makeup has taken o been in book for aimzail postage. I11clude $5.00 per check bank 50 per clzarg~. b bs. Most of the models in ads look like they've 111akiP8 ar rawls or b I 111 not I'd fun of d een date-raped. (And, no a better, 18 ate rape.) Jeez, if I didn't know anY A think most of the models were transvestites. (And, yes, I accumulating in wrinkles which makes the even more am making fun of the way some transvestites dress.) noticeable. The newest foundations use silicone carriers A.YA. and special pigment that claim to hold the makeup "above" the wrinkles so they are not so visible. Check out Revlon's If you want to see my idea of sexy and feminine, look for Age Defying Makeup. Personally, I still like Max Factor's the recent ad for Florence Cromer. It's a simple ad with a Active Protection best. sultry blonde in a cream colored leather suit. Both the blonde and the suit are knock-outs. Simple, yet elegant. A.YA. A.YA. I've noticed another retro-trend: lining the inside lower eyelid with black. Didn't they tell us not to do that just a The recent trend in real world makeup is to combine and few years ago? If you wear contact lenses like I do, lining layer colors to add depth to the face. One such layering the inside lower lid is a sure fire way to goo up your trick is to prime lips with a shocking fuchsia and then layer lenses. with burgundy or deep plum. The effect can be amazing. Makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin was able to create a perfect A.YA. tomato-red by combining blotting a deep red base and I caught a quick sound byte about a one day, throw away then covering it with lemon-lime lip gloss. Cool! Similar contact. You put in a new pair each day. The piece said tricks are performed with eye shadows, like iridescent blue they were expensive, about $700 for a year's supply. Hell, over black, and gray and brown finished with a shimmery that's not expensive. At just under $2 a day, that's less than gold. The combinations are endless. Experiment and have most smokers spend for cigarettes in a year. My nicotine fun! habit runs almost $900 a year. So, "expensive" is a relative term. If you wear contact, ask your optometrist or optician A.YA. about throwaway contacts. The March issue of Allure has a "Trick of the Month" that we've known for years, thanks to makeup maven Jim A.YA. Bridges. Le Jim taught me to use baby wipes to remove Here's a trend that won't last long: Gun-Moll Chic. Fueled makeup a couple of years ago at FanFair. Well, guess what by the success of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, some 11 trick11 Allure came up with for March. Yeah, girl. That one. designers want to make every woman look like Uma Toooo slow. Thurman. Not. A.YA. A.YA. Women of color are finding more and more cosmetics Getting back to the femininity craze ... Getting into that designed just for them, and that of course helps feminine retro-'40s suit may mean some serious dieting. I've done transgendered people of color too. Lots of companies and the majors -- Nutri-System and Jenny Craig -- and they adding shades of black to their product lines, and while work ... for a while. Then, bang, you've gained it back and anyone can use these products, they work best on spent a lot of money for what? I've found that the only real African-ethnic skin. Check out Bobbi Brown's Black Berry way to lose weight permanently is watch what you eat, lipstick and Navy eyeshadow, or L'Oreal's Sangria nail especially fats, and exercise at least three times a week for polish, and Dior's Precious Green eyeliner pencil (almost twenty minutes. I lost eight pounds from just after Christmas to the end of February by doing just that and green-black). I'm going for another eight to ten the same way. But, there A.YA are some recent developments concerning how our bodies The trend for foundation is away from the make and store fat. The latest Buzz on fat is Chromium ultra-sophisticated matte face and toward sheen, bordering Picolinate which can be purchased at any health food store. on shine. The idea is that no one's skin is matte so why It is thought that the chromium helps the body metabolize make it look that way? Newer base makeups look de~ on fat more efficiently. Who knows, maybe it does work. the skin. But how can we take advantage of that smce many of us need heavy coverage and those thick concealers AYA. must be set with powder. Try fusing the powder into the Copyright 1995 by Creative Design Services. All rights rcseJVed. Opinions expressed are those of the author. If you don't like them, go write your base with a solvent like water, witch hazel or alcohol. Take own column. a wad of cotton and soak it with the solvent, then carefully press the soaked cotton into the face. The pressure plus solvent will fuse powder and base, restoring some of the INTERESTED IN WRITING FOR US? Send for the Cross-Talk style book first! natural shine to your skin. To receive your free copy with full guidelines for A.YA. article submissions, send a #10 SASE to P.O. Box 944, Woodland Hills, CA 91365. Once a woman comes of a certain age, she has to be concerned with wrinkles. Foundation has a nasty habit of 19 THE IMPORTANCE OF OBSERVATIONAL SKILLS IN GENDER ROLE DEVELOPMENT by Rebecca Auge, Ph.D. his article concerns the development of observational 'd ff d J v1 eo o an listen to the audio portion alone. Observe skills as they relate to gender role development and the be~avior of people in airports and shopping malls. change. A view of some important processes in human What dif'"1erences m· t h e behavior of women and men do behavior change is presented. Then a number of questions y~u s~e or hear? How do the two genders handle similar are suggested that may increase your understanding of the s1tuatmns? r gendered world all humans, to one degree or the other, A second part of learning to blend and feel comfortable in l ~~~lg~ili~~Pfil~W~~~~~b~o ~~~~~=-~~--~=~~=~=~=~===~ are working on various gender issues, gender role flexibility, or gender role transition. Your observations and comments are welcome and can be Before you can pass as your sent to me by either snail mail or E-mail; my chosen gender, you need to addresses appear at the end of this article. A person in the process of changing a gender role observe the people already in gives up certain ways of behaving and replaces those that gender for behavior clues. old forms of action with new behavior. Learning to blend with other women or men requires that you learn to become a good observer of the various ways people your environment is learning to sift and sort the appear and behave in different situations. Hence, sharpening your observational skills, especially seeing and information obtained from observing. You'll want to listening, may prove very helpful as you modify your gender separate your observations into those things that will work role. Observing the appearance and behavior of others will for you and t~ose things that won't work or may even, alas, provide you with a variety of looks and behaviors from make your life more difficult. This sifting and sorting is which you can construct and practice the person you wish not a~ easy task but rather something that only comes with practice and a w·11· . 1 d to be. What you see and hear, in combination with your 1 mgness to expenment eva uate, an make Use of feedback from others. , own creative talents, will enable you to put together a nearly endless variety of possibilities that you'll be able to In a~dit~on, you may wa~t to consult various books for specific inform t · . . . k test until you find something that feels comfortable and . a ion or even lillage spec1al1sts who wor with color styl . · works for you. As you make progress your awareness of ' e, cosmetics, walk and posture, and voice. However aft · who you are and what you can do will deepen. You'll learn ' er you 1earn what you can from observmg to creatively copy parts of what you see or hear and then peopl.e and their behavior you'll still need to regularly practice what y ' h put those parts together to compose something new. . ou ve 1earned every day Approach c ange In the beginning, keep things simple and uncomplicated, !chv~ly. In lhe early stages of transition this will mean •ocusmg on be· · work on matching or approximating the basics. Go slow. mg aware of your behavior and what is needed to blend ti · · · d Focus on blending with others who have your same • . com ortably, and then practicmg it, an d omg 1t again and . d 't general characteristics, for example, age, hair and eye agam. If something you do oesn work ... don't d . . I color, height and weight, and so on. As you become more 0 it agam. Do something different. n contrast, promptl b comfortable and confident in your chosen role you may • • Y say good things to yourself as you ave positive exper· If wish to become more adventurous and experimental. Don't • •ences. Learn to regularly give yourse comphments · l rush things, change a step at a time. You'll gradually as you make progress. This immediate l personal recogniti f t develop a style that fits and feels comfortable. Remember d on o your progress is very importan the foundation for this change process is developing good an cannot be under emphasized. Keep the critical remarks you m k h observational skills. This will include learning to observe variety of . a .e on your behavior to a minimum. T e others and learning to observe yourself. Become a good somethin social situations you encounter will each require observer of differences in verbal and facial expressions, th· g somewhat different Be flexible and do new mgs. Let go of · h t hand and arm movements, body posture and walk. Observe blo k any actions, thoughts, and feelings t a people as you go through your daily activities, while c your progress This is the tim · d watching television and films, listening to the radio, etc. experun· e to be playful, to pretend, to relax an ent. Summ · all the Try observing the nonverbal behavior of television playful er . _ on your actmg skills and rec characters with the audio off or look away and turn the be ! eattve times of childhood. You'll find yourself commg more flexible, innovative and varied as time 20 ' ~~--~------~------· -·------·------and experience builds. Just as learning to ride a bicycle head? A man? How do head nods differ for the two was once a very conscious, planned, step-by-step activity genders? that eventually became fluid and automatic, so will the How does a man wave good-bye? A woman? How do expression of your preferred gender role become. women and men say hello? SOME QUESTIONS YOU MAY ANSWER BY Are there differences in the ways men and women OBSERVING OTHERS: terminate phone conversations? Casual conversations? What are the differences that distinguish the way men and Business conversations? How about opening telephone woman walk? Do men and women of the same conversations? approximate size tend to walk about the same speed? How do the ways a woman uses a tissue or handkerchief Do two women walking together tend to walk differently while in the presence of another person differ from that of than a man and a woman walking together? If so, in what a man? ways? Does a woman position her hands on the steering wheel Is a woman's posture, body position, orientation, etc. the same as a man while driving a car? While at a different from that of a man while sitting at a table having stoplight? coffee or a meal? When with a man? When with another Are woman as inclined as men to place their hands in woman? When alone? their pockets? Under what circumstances? Do men generally make more or less eye contact with the Estimate the percentage of women between the ages of 20 person they are talking to? Are there differences in eye and 30 who wear miniskirts. Between 30 and 40? contact when speaking as compared to listening? How Between 40 and 50? Over 50? Answer the same question about women? for people wearing shorts. Do women and men tend to smile equally frequently Is the behavior of a woman more like a man's in a formal during casual conversation? While conducting business? business setting? How about a casual social situation with What are the differences in the ways women and men business associates, or at a party? position their arms when sitting? How about their hands? Are men or women more likely to lean forward while engaged in conversation? And their legs? How do men and women differ in the ways they tend to What are some conversational strategies or devices by position their bodies in chairs or on sofas? which women seek to build cooperation and community? If pitch alone is not as important as some people might Do men generally have similar styles? believe in differentiating a woman's from a man's voice How do women and men differ in being verbally then what speech characteristics are especially important?. competitive? Are both genders likely to behave the same Do women or men drivers tend to look around more while when competing, expressing differences in opinion, asking waiting at a stoplight in a car? Are there age, social class, questions, etc.? Are there differences in the frequency of statements of or ethnic differences? Are there differences between the ways men and women move their eyes and mouths during conversation? Do women and men differ in the ways they stand and leave from a seated position? How about initiating a seated position? If a woman touches her nose when with another person or during a conversation in what ways is she likely to do so? How does a man touch his nose? Ladies Shoes What are some ways in which men and women use their . ? hands to express themselves during conversat~ons ·. . Sizes 9 - 15 Are men or women more likely to touch their hair when m Widths to WW the presence of another? How does their touching differ? 11 Do women and men· differ in the way they clap? Sneeze? Heel Heights up to 5 Laugh? Cough? . How is a women likely to bold a phone? Is 1t the same as FREE CATALOG a man? Shoe Express Are there any differences in the way a woman walks when P.O. Box 31537, Dept. C wearing slacks as compared to a skirt or dress? Do women and men stand at a curb differently while Lafayette, LA 70593 waiting to cross the street? P"-one: {318) 235-5191 When listening during a conversation are men as likely to Fax: (318) 235-5359 nod their heads as women? When does a women nod her 21 ------·------affirmation or denial as compared to the frequency of woman is wearing too much makeup or jewelry? Are there asking questions in the daily conversations of men and times when a certain amount of jewelry is actually women? needed? Do women generally dress differently in various parts of What are the differences between men and women in the different communities in your area (e.g., in the Bay holding and drinking from a cup or glass? Are women as Area, San Francisco vs Palo Alto, Berkeley vs Concord, likely as men to drink directly from a soda or beer bottle etc.)? How about men? What are the differences for in a restaurant? What kind of restaurant? What time of different communities in your geographical area? the day? What are some age, social class, and ethnic differences in Do women and men differ in the way they eat popcorn, a the ways women use cosmetics, style their hair, wear hamburger, an apple, etc.? jewelry, etc.? Answer the same question for men. How do hair styles and the length of hair for men and What do the two genders do with their hands while women tend to change over a person's life span? standing and talking to another person? While just What are some topics one is likely to find women standing and looking or waiting? discussing with each other in casual conversation? In a Do women and men look differently when riding bicycles? business conversation? When with men? Answer the same How do women and men athletes look while riding question for men, when together and when with women. bicycles? On the street? In competition? Are there differences between women and men in their Do the two genders differ in the ways they talk to tendency to look at other people who are walking toward children? Play with children? Discipline children? Teach them from the opposite direction while, for example, children? walking down a sidewalk or shopping mall? What can you learn about hairstyles, makeup, grooming, How do women and men express disagreement? Anger? jewelry, various types of clothing, etc. from observing Happiness? Sadness? Joy? women and men models in newspaper, magazine, and Do men or women swing their arms more while walking? television ads and catalogs for clothing? How do these Are there differences in pacing, speed, and rhythm in the various features of a person combine to produce an effect, ways women and men move through their daily activities? . generate feelings, etc.? What are some differences between the two genders 10 Notice the many different approaches women have in various forms of touching another person of: a) the same wearing jewelry and using makeup. How do you decide if a gender, and b) the opposite gender? Is it true that women speak one way when with other women, another way when engaged in business or professional activities, a third way when with men socially, and still a fourth way when with children? Are there differences for men under similar conditions? Gl obal Ma i l is a lislin9 of .a r~ and book projects. zines. Observe the expressions communicated in the eyes of men archives. acti ons . ema1 I 11st111gs. e~changes. ne t.works, sound and video project s , collaborations, and mail art and women in various advertisements for clothes, sports events. equipment, cars, cosmetics, and foods. Notice both Free sample of back issue av~l lable for 2 ~S _.32 cent stamps or two I R~ ' s. C~ rrenl issue has 500 list ings from expr:s~ions depicted in magazine and newspaper ads a~d 45 coun tri es and is available f or three US dollars . Global television commercials. What differences do you see Ill Ma il , PO Box 597996, Chicago. IL 60659, USA . ;varm~h, power, softness, aggressiveness, attractiveness, Tales of Crossdressing mtensity, and various other emotions as suggested by the TV fantasy fiction magazine appearance of peoples' eyes? Also notice how the expressi · ' b' to 56 pages ofstories which you on Ill a person's eyes and mouth com me . wish were true! pro~uce a certain look. In those cases involving act10n Stories about girls like you! notice how the eyes, the brows and the mouth work A year's subscription (two editions) costs just $18, including airmail together to communicate differen~ emotions and feelings. postage & packing. What. . other att n' b utes of a person contnbute. to d1'ff e rences CONFIDENTIALITY ASSURED. The ~;:~::7'fii m facial exp ress·ion s ·m the two genders? magazine will be sent in a plain manilla t:=:~=~~:..!:..!:=.;__-LI Gender role b h · . . . f 1 guage envelope, addressed as you wish. e av1or, hke music 1s a form o an and henc . . ' your send $18 cash (bl/ls) or an lntematlonal money order, cheque . e commumcat1on. As you sharpen or banker's draft tor £12 Sterling (made payable to Fantasy 1 observational. s k'll1 s you'll learn some of t he forrna Fiction Group) to: d1ffe rences · . · and Fantasy Fiction Group (Dept USCT), . m gender roles that exist in this time 1 P. o. Box 36, Chesterfield S40 3YY, U.K. P_ a~e. All women do not behave alike in the same or Single copies obtainable by sending $10 (£7 Sterling) to the suutlar situat' . f r men. . ions. The same, of course, 1s true 0 above address. This raises . re the an mteresting question: What a 22 appearance and behavior characteristics that define a particular gender role? An Et/1110111etlzodological Approach by Suzanne Kessler and Expecl your observations lo elicil a variety of emotions and Wendy McKenna; Language and Woman's Place by Robin feelings. If you're nol comfortable with what seems lo be Lakoff; and two books by Deborah Tannen, Tlzat's Not rather traditional gender roles you can formulate your own Wlzat I Meant! How Conversational Style Makes or Breaks personal, androgynous mix of feminine and masculine Relations/zips and You Just Don't Understand: Women and behaviors that more comfortably defines who you are. The Men i11 Conversation. various possibilities are considerable. Eventually you'll [Rebecca Auge, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and may be contacted by decide what fits for you. /111emet at [email protected] or by mail at 3637 Grand Ave1111e Suite C, Practice your observational skills: Observe others and Oakland CA 94610. Her last article for Cross-Talk was "Passing Tl10ugl11s observe yourself. Be aware of how you walk, talk, and in On Ble11di11g /11 " ill issue #59. Tl1is article appeared in slightly different form general behave in different situations. Compare whal you via the l11temet cd forum mailing list in November of last year.] say and do t~ the behavior of other women and men in your area. Everyday pick a couple of the preceding DEFAULT ASSUMPTIONS ... continued from page 16 questions to answer and see what you find. Whal other we are, others will define us. differences in gender role behavior, not suggested here, do Having said this, I have one last concluding remark. Lee you see as you observe the behavior of various men and asks this question: Would there be any reason today -- with women? females wearing pants wilh impunity, serving as police Sharpening your observational skills will provide you with officers and going off lo war -- for a woman to pretend lo information lo construct a gender role Lhat feels be a man?" I have a simple answer: Some females are not comfortable and works for you. Hence, you define your women. We are not pretending to be men. We arc men. gender by the way you appear and behave. Your goal is to [Jaso11 Cromwell is a former preside/I/ of the board of directors of the develop a presentation that helps rather than hurls you as !11gersoll Cc111er, and may be contacted in care of same: 1812 E. Madison you change. Ave. Suite 106, Seattle WA 98122-2843, or at titmouse@u.washington.edu You may find the fo llowing books interesting as well: via !11temet. 171is article -- which is reprinted from the FTM Newsletter -- is Femi11i11ity by Susan Brownmiller; Gender Blending: based on a paper prese111ed at the 1993 So11tl1em Comfort Co11vemio11, and Co11fronti11g Tlz e Limits Of Duality by Holly Devor; Gender: portions appeared in a letter w the editor of the Seattle Gay News in 1989.j Qeen Cushion Shoes Gorgeous Ladies Shoes M ade o n 1 Men's S hoe Form in M ens's· i zes M en's Sizes 7·-' 14,< >"'·• Custom Mad~ inFrance All, leathe r u5~ir and sole, leather & su ede, beading;~ur,t rim, lace, and .;1 J ..: ' much, much· more. ··· For Free Catalog: We try to ac o mmodate special n eeds We try to fit the }\ard to fit Call 1-800-42COMFY (26639) • 24 hrs Inquire ab?ut our f er: onal Listings QUEEN CUSHION SHOES Ca l end~r and VHS Sh'Qpping 735 Delaware Road #124 .... ' I ...... " ...... ,.. Buffalo, NY 14223 23 - ----~-- ·------ Identity Disorder and that a major side discussion of same concerned describing post-operative sexual orientation; ....t::I Alternative that the apparent conflict in many areas between the Q .r+.... Presses Benjamin Standards of Care and the DSM has caused more confusion among helping professionals than previously thought; that many professionals attempt to use o! by Kymberleigb Richards the term 11gender dysphoria" as a catch-all phrase for all types of transgendered behavior (erroneously, according to Docter and Fleming); that less than 2% of post-operative 1 originally wanted a copy of Gender Dysplzoria: MTF transsexuals regret having SRS, and that the Interdisciplinary Approaches In Clinical Management percentage of FfMs with regrets is almost too low to be (Haworth Press, 1992) in order to read the results of my measured; the difference between gender dysphoria and friend Richard Docter's ongoing research on crossdressing genital dysphoria; and more about the causes of FfM (he discusses the conclusions -- along wit? his c?lleag.ue gender dysphoria than I ever knew previously. . James Fleming -- of the 692 responses to his quest10nnrure Gender Dysphoria is written for the professional of the early 1990s in the book). community, and so many laypeople will find it ~ What I found, once I had it in my -- GEN. ·o e·R-= and clinical, but for those who are interested lll hand, was that Gender Dysphoria ==---= ·--- - · · - · · =- the "why". aspect .of transgend~rism, it is a ::c1~s=~re tro-:y of fac::v::~ _ __y. _.. .. ·-p·_H_ _._R______A___ _. . .. well-orgaruzed overview of the subject. researchers who have stu~ied _ _ _ _. . . _. - _ : _ . c c , D•D crossdressing and transsexualism 0 5 0 1 Back around Christmastime (which should give over the past several years. you some idea of how backlogged I get with the Beginning with Ira Pauly's lnterdt'sc'1p\'1nary "in" box for this column), I opened an envelope 11 Terminology and Classification ____ from upstate New York and a pile of. w~od of Gender Identity Disorders", Approaches shavings fell out. This was of no minor irntatton which discusses the effort to to me, as I had just vacuumed the carpet the remove all transgendered . er . I previous day, but I dumped the rest of the . behaviors from the Diagnostic and In In Ica magazine over my wastebasket and retrieved both Statistical Manual throu?h two ~ A'::l n '::lgemen1 a cardboard cutout of a gerbil and a zine of the contributions by LoUis J.G. ---!'ll.Ol-1.U - same name. 11 1 Gooren ("Hormone Treatment Walter O. BocKting Ors. . gerbil is billed as a "gay man's arts zine , and in Transsexuals11 with Henk Hi Coleman '~hD editors presume it takes its name from a joke about a Asscheman and "The Influence ' · certain male actor that has been making the of Hormone Treatment on Psychological Functioning of rounds for the past five years or so. Content-wise, it is a Transsexuals with Peggy Cohen-Kettenis), "Regrets after compilation of commentary fiction poetry artwork, photos, Sex Reassignment Surgery" by Friedemann p farn·10 and and ?ther material; appearance-wise,' ' it does ' have a qua n1 Y "Clinical Management of Gender Dysphoria in Young art zme feel to it. Boys" by L.M. Lothstein, this book is a broa~ cross-secti?n Two items in the first issue are of interest to the of the many variations of transgendensm and its transgender community: a somewhat cathartic narrative associated professional concerns. . . about a straight man's evening in a small suburb of The book does not ignore the FfM commumty, either: Rochester crossdressed and an interview \\ith two of np male Gender Disorder" by Jeremy Baumbach and Rochester's best known drag queen performers, Darienne L euisa Turner offers some excellent insights into this and Veronica Lake. I was quite pleased to nute that in the o~en-overlooked segment of our community. The editors of first, the introduction included the 5ratement that the book, Walter 0. Bockting and Eli Coleman, have ust~tistically more straight men are said to don female included their own overview of the subject, "A athre than gay men"· while semantica!l) incorrect Comprehensive Approach to the Treatment of Gender ("feminine" rather than '"female" unless of course, t~e Dysphoria" as the last paper in this 155 page compilation. clothes themselves are capable of having 'sex), to find ~hist Even as a non-professional observer of our community, I statement __ indeed, to find a narrative by a straigh learned from this book (and confirmed s~veral of my crossdresser -- in a gay-themed magazine could go a long Suspl.ci'ons as well). Among other thing. s, I discovered that way towar d um·ry· mg our communities. most of the professional objections to removing On the other hand, I wish the interview with the Lakes "transsexualism" from DSM-W were based upon the lack of had omitted a segment where they talk about going into a cross reference to the new preferred term, Gender straight bars to pick up men, as I feel it does both the 24 transgender and the drag communities injustice. (I'd be interested in what kind of response the publishers got from the gay community over those remarks.) The zine comes out quarterly; l found no references to the contents of upcoming issues, nor have I received the second issue, so I don't know if there will be continued transgender content. However, they will send a sample copy anywhere for $3.00 ($3.50 outside the U.S.) postage-paid, so the cost for you to check it out is pretty reasonable. You can also e-mail them at gerbilzi11 [email protected] (they claim gerbil is also available by e-mail, FfP, or on disk by hypertext, although l don't think it would work as well without the arl zinc layout and graphics) or write them al P.O. Box 10692, Rochester NY 14610. D• D One last comment before I sign off for the month: One of our incarcerated subscribers, Pat Earl, sent the first copy of her new zine and information on "World Anarchism through Crossdressing" in which she proposes the creation of a new world order through crossdressing and a reduction of world population and tension through "same gender sex". Before you dismiss all this by claiming Pat's been behind bars too Jong, I suggest you send her a couple of bucks to cover xeroxing and postage for a sample. pnofEssiONAl COSM ETol oqi sT Address correspondence to Pal Earl 20149-148 C-1-12, l 5 YEARS EXp ERiENCE P.O. Box 1000, Lewisburg PA 17837. WHY PAY HOURLY FEES JUST TO CONNECT WITH THE ON-LINE TRANSGENDER c COMMUNITY? R CONNECTION INTERNET electronic mail USENET discussion groups Multi-User CHAT On-Line SHOPPING MALL s Transgender PUB LI CA T/ONS (818) 786-8887 Community NEWS s INFORMATION resource library Fantasy FICTION STORIES Adult PICTURE LIBRARIES Tri-Ess & Renaissance FORUMS "No one connects our community better" 25 didn't appear in April. I spoke with the show's producer and he informed me the crossdresser show will run in May The Diva 0£ Dish during sweeps week. Well, if you've got a show about men in dresses and the women who love them, get the most by Angela Gardner bang for your buck and run it during a rating period. Makes sense to me. FUNNY FELLOW IN A FROCK••• : Alison Laing handed me Is it my imagination or has that old chestnut among a copy of a story from an English paper about a lad named comedy shows, Saturday Night Live, been watching a lot of Eddie Izzard. It seems Mr. Izzard has been selling 'em out The Kids In The Hall? Just recently they did a show that in the West End for simply months and months with a had one of the male cast members doing a fairly good stream of consciousness comedy act. I'm not talking about Ricki Lake impression. Then there was the show from last some dinky little comedy clubs but real theaters with year that John Travolta hosted. He must have done the audiences in the 800 to 1000 person range. The really show live right after Pulp Fiction came out and in an effort interesting thing about Eddie is, he's an openly to show his feminine side appeared in a "Linda Richmond transgendered man. (Oh boy, that's just like, "an openly Coffee Talk" segment as a Barbra Streisand impersonator. gay man." Now we're makin' progress.) He was kind of cute but he kept losing his fake fingernails Eddie is very off-hand about his crossdressing. Sometimes and of course, they had already been doing the mall chick he does his act in "bloke" clothes, sometimes he wear a characters in several shows and David Spade does make a dress. He says "the funny thing about people going on great girl. I guess it's a last ditch attempt to save the show about me wearing dresses is that I really don't consider but, come on boys ... you're just off of a controversy over not myself to be a transvestite. People say I wear "women's utilizing the talents of the women in the cast. Now, the clothes" but I don't, they're my clothes I'm wearing. Sure I women in the cast are the men. (Place rimshot here.) And wear_ dresses and makeup and stuff, but I'm simply now -- the steamy sludge of script that worms its way out of wearing what I want to wear." my word processor, yes, the latest addition to the There is a photo of Eddie in the article and he doesn't look continuing ramblings of The Diva of Dish! (Is that any as. if. he's made a great effort to "pass" as a woman. His name for a column? I ask ya.) half _1s short and his face looks manly, with some subtlety applied makeup, but the point is, here's a guy who has told I RU MY REPORTAGE:••• Okay, I'm not omniscient. I ~ II of England, "I like to wear dresses and makeup." And, thought Ms. Charles would do the Brady Bunch guidance mstead ?f shunning him or reviling him, the British have counselor gig in butch mode. Wrong! She did it in a cute made him a star. He has done straight acting roles in little business suit and she said, "You better work." I wasn't several plays an d ·is now d'1scussmg · a telev1s1on· · series· w1'th that far off, though. It seems Mister Charles will make his the BBC · ("It's ca iied The Cows. Great name isn't it? Its' a debut in A Mother's Prayer, coming soon on the USA surreal series about these cows who move into society after Network. It stars Linda Hamilton and RuPaul plays a ~he general strike, gradually demanding the vote and full mtegration.") preppie guy in tweeds. He does have a problem with the label "transvestite but heterosexual " H ,, ' · ·10 HAS ANYBODY SEEN SHIRLEY?••• Of course not, silly. The · e says, That's what they're always usmg the newspapers about me. I'm not "but" anything. I'm a Shirley show I told you about last month hasn't aired yet. I transvestite wh 0 · h 'd b mention this just in case you thought I was nuts when it JUSt appens to be heterosexual. I e happy to fancy men, but for some reason it just so happens CATALOGS $10 DRAGAZINEll I One issue for SS 95 Two ISSUCS for SlO 95. I Complete this form and send you check Of money order 10 I DRAGAZINE • PO BOX 691664 • DEPT C WEST HOLLYWOOD. CA 9()069 I NAME I I CROWNING GLORY WIGS ADDRESS CITY I 3775 PARI< BLVD" SAN DIEGO,CA .. 92103 I ______STATE ______ZIP .. ..- .J 26 lhal I don't. I happen lo fancy women." girls like us were rewarded fo r our beauty and grace. Take I love the word "fancy." It's really a better way to say you us out an treat us right, you rich guys. Who knows, maybe are attracted lo someone than, "Boy she gel's me hot." it's inevitable. If aJI women decide they no longer want to Really, we Americans arc so crude. Sorry, I transgressed be golddiggers, we may have to carry the art forward into for a moment. Eddie went on to say that one lime he was the next century. An awesome burden but one I'm sure our performing for an audience of drag queens and when he lip gloss and blush will stand up to. said he was heterosexual one of the disbelieving ladies expressed her opinion in a crude (almost American way) BIG CYBERSPACE FINISH:You••• can reach me by e-mail by shouting "Liar!" at the stage. "That's the sort of thing you with any comments or questions at: [email protected]. expect from some Nazi in the audience, not from a drag That's it kiddies! Keep those cards and electrons coming. queen." Yes Eddie, intolerance and ignorance are everywhere, even among our own ranks. Give that queen a label maker. She can put them on everyone's forehead and jLydia's TV Fashions I then we'll know what we're dealing with. Of course, Eddie Celebrating our 15th year doesn't need a label. He's just wearing his own clothes. 1 think we all are, aren't we? Let's hope Eddie hops the - CLASSIC PUMPS - WE CARRY - STAGE PUMPS - Dresses -Skirts - Lingerie -Shoes - Wigs pond and does some shows for us soon. SIZES 9TO 15 Beard Cover - Make-Up - Garter Belts RED & BLACK LEATHER Waist Cinchers -Corsets - Bras -Maid Uniforms OR PATENT LEATHER Breast Forms -Nylon Hose - Panty Hose GOLDDIGGERS WITH A TG TWIST: Michelle Lynn (aotchless & garter belt) ••• 5" HEELS $95.00 Thigh High, Knee High, and Ankle Boots Available handed me an article from the February issue of 6" HEELS $115.00 Ge11tleme11's Quarterly entitled "Golddiggers Of '95". 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After going over archetypal golddiggers from the movies, like Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell, she talks about ANNOUNCING real life practitioners like Pia Zadora, Mar~a Maples and her predecessor, Ivana. Having given us ~is background, PM PUBLISHERS IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE the author postulates that since transvestite dancers are PUBLICATION MAY I, 1995 OF: becoming mainstream attractions and many a sugar daddy CROSSDRESSERS: And Those Who Share Their Lives has found his golddiggcr by haunting the b~ck s t age door, by Dr. Peggy Rudel author of MY HUSBAND WEARS MY perhaps the trophy wife of the eighties may give way to the CLOTIIES, CROSSDRESSING WITII DIGNITY and LOVE CALENDAR. trophy TV of the nineties. She says, "Will the corporate world, which took the trophy Sixty pictures and numerous true stories depict the transformat ion of successful men from the masculine to the feminine persona. Their stories wife lo its bosom and boardrooms, open the field to a provide an intimate view of their lives. Dr. Rudd carefully details strategics for coping, both fo r the crossdrcsscr. and those who share their wider range of candidates? Will it even . put g~nde r lives. . d. .d d en the field to transvestites, mmdful PreJu ice as1 e an op 126 pages. 60 photographs. bibliography. hard and soft bound. of the fact that, for pure display, nothing could bet.ter .alte.st pre-publication prices: hard bound $12.95 (Sl4.95 after May I. 1995) soil bound $10.95 ($12.95 after May I. 1995) + S2.00 P & H lo the might of the leveraged buyout tha~ a SIX-SIX (111 heels), jewel bedecked beauty?" Ms. Garma1se goes on to PM PUBLISHERS mention TG showgirls Peche Melba and Cr em ~ Brule~. Dept. KR PO Box 5304 They appear in a show called Kaplain Bana~za ~evidently m Kaly, TX 77491-5304 the Big Apple) and she says "it would be mce .1 f these .two could enter the trophy wife stakes and take their place. 1~ a new society ... the sort of society we can only re~re t D1vme is not here to lead in the manner of a Gilded Age dowager with a rope of pearls dropping over her stout monobosom to her ankles." Well, anything's possible, and I for one think it's high Lime 27 HORMONES: ONE PERSON'S EXPERIENCE by Phyllis Randolph Frye 3 've heard so many myths and uncertainties about For at least six years after the hormones began to alter my hormones that I decided to write about my personal body, people said that I looked as though I was losing experiences. These are mine only and are not intended to weight. All the while I was putting on weight, but my face be advice of any kind. was thinning out. My best memory is that I began hormones in early 1978; Yes, breasts will come (their size will be as to your therefore, I have over fourteen years of experience. I family's genetic disposition), but even more of a pleasant began on Premarin, then went to Ogen and am now ffir:!Dffimmr:!~:::::i------ on Estinyl. I quit Premarin because it lowered my blood iron count and also caused me to have an unwelcome reaction to the cold -- skin hives. I quit Hormones, hormones, and Ogen because it simply became too expensive. I've been on Estinyl for over two years now and am hormones. pleased except for the recurring leg cramps. What can you really expect As a transgenderist (or a non-op TS), I found that from them? neither low dosages of Premarin nor of Ogen even got my testosterone level down to what a low dosage of Estinyl has done. I have never taken a large dosage. It surprise will be the development of a tush or derriere. never was necessary. Currently I have been on 0.5mg From the rear you will no longer look like a long haired daily. guy in pants. However, the key is time. I repeat, the key is As to the electrolysis, which I completed about twelve years time, even with the low dosage that I take, everything did ago, any suppression of testosterone will do two things. happen. One, is that hairs weakened by the needle will remained As to sex drive or libido, it too will drop. For me this was weakened and more vulnerable to the next treatment. also an unexpected surprise. From about age nine or ten, I Two, is that surrounding light hairs (peach fuzz), that was constantly horny with a demanding libido that would otherwise be stimulated in future years or by the required release on a daily and sometimes· thrice daily electrolysis needle, will remain light. Yes, electrolysis will basis. Sex for me was a need, an appetite, almost a go faster because the treatment is not having to also distracting obsession. overcome testosterone re-stimulation of the weakened hair Now sex for me is a pleasure that I can usually access or new stimulation of a nearby hair. when it is convenient and desired: occasionally, rarely, it Even so, the single biggest factor is that your operator is a need. Yes, even a "non-op" who has been on must use enough heat for a long enough time increment or hormones as long as I have can have sex. The details are else your operator is simply tweezing your face if using personal and will remain so. But I will say that early either insufficient heat or insufficient time. during my initial transition, I was voluntarily sterilized via As to muscle tone and body fat distribution, hormones will v~sectomy. To do so made great sense as I did not want t~ change things given enough time. The skeletal frame will srre another child (I have a terrific son by the way), as 11 remain, but the muscle mass will reduce. The skeleton is would relieve my spouse from the associated risks of for the most part fixed and rigid by the time we come to chemical birth control for many more years, and terms with who we truly are. The larger muscles over the ~aking ~s it removed any later accusation against me of "rooster 1ll shoulders will diminish, but that does not mean that you the henhouse" when I used the restroom. Over the years, will be a weakling. Indeed, many women who are proud of the hormones have caused an atrophy of the genitals, but their bodies are strong. as 1 stated above I can have sex and now sex for me is a Fat distribution in the face will also change. This was very pleasure that I can usually access when it is convenient interesting for me as I had a broad face and a wide nose. and desired. - HAVE YOU HAD A REAL-LIFE ADVENTURE THAT OTHERS CAN LEARN FROM? Please send it for consideration to Cr~ss-Talk P.O. !3°.x 944, Woodland Hills CA 91365. ' (Subm1ss1ons on MS-DOS or Macintosh disk preferred.) 28 - The Bearded Lady by Ricky Hunt Illustration by Rita There are several difficulties to be overcome in the design of self-crossdressing hardware. This paper will enumerate them and offer suggestions to remedy the problems. I) Determining the sex of the hardware. ActuaIJy, determining the sex of the hardware is not a formidable task. The primary problem occurs because design engineers have no discernible knowledge of sex. After all, anyone who spends their day in front of a computer screen rotating images of some machine and eagerly punching in digits on their scientific calculator can hardly be expected please don't ask me lo speculate on how Data dresses in to pay any attention to biology. Anything so messy and private. I can only say that the incredible physical speed of undefined isn't worth bothering with anyway. This is why an android is highly valuable when the door chime sounds. engineers cannot function without technicians, who are 4) Fetishistic tendencies in mechanical hardware. The Worldly and can translate engineering abstractions into author has noted a marked preference for rubber and realityAmong mechanical devices it can be taken as given plastic coverings on the part of many mechanical systems. that bolts, rods, shafts, sprayers and pneumatic actuators Automotive engines and steering systems in particular are male in nature, while nuts, collars, vacuum devices, adorn themselves with a confusing array of rubber clothing drains, and clamps are naturally female. In the electronic and. accessories. Mechanics may try to tell you this is field things are more confusing, with circuit boards having because of all the anti-pollution equipment required by the primary male plugs but possessing numerous female EPA, but we know better. And just what does a car do with sockets for the insertion of chips. This essentially dual all those belts and hoses when the engine isn't running? nature of circuitry is fertile ground for gender confusion 5) Hardware and hormones. The equipment used in on the part of electronic hardware. pharmaceutical processing presents special problems. 2) Outward expression of cross gender tendencies in Constant bathing in shifting hormones causes wild swings mechanical hardware. This is .a problem as most hardware in gender identity. Rather than reveal to its operators that is prevented by function and convention from dressing at it is simply the wrong time of the month, engineers all. However, adroit use of motion detectors and heat invented Murphy to explain these seemingly random mood sensors lo detect the presence of human beings will allow changes. Physical or psychological therapy could help, but hidden springs and solenoids to deploy skirts, brassieres as yet no company has extended its insurance program to and pantyhose when no operator is present. Careful production machinery. '.11aterial selection and programming will allow these 6) Non-industrial applications. Perhaps the most famous items . to be quickly disguised as oil boots or other application for crossdressing hardware can be fo und at Disney World. The publicity people will deny it, but some functional protective barriers if anyone should approach. 3) Outward expression of cross gender tendencies in very strange things have happened in the animated Hall of electronic equipment. Modern programmable contr~ ll ers the Presidents after the park closes, but a hint can be have been an inestimable boon for gender conflicted taken from the recent Mad magazine back cover depicting electronics. With complete control of visual displays a George Washington crossdressing the Delaware. You modern computer can present any gender it wis?es. No~ might also be fascinated by the ghosts in the haunted house lhat the series Star Trek: The Next Ge11 eratio11 is over 1l (those spirits are not wearing pants) and the wardrobe at can be safely revealed that the computer aboard the U.S.S. the Country Bear Jamboree. Design problems arc minimal Enterprise was actually activated as Charles, but was able as these are totally automated exhibits, requiring no lo convince Star Fleet and the entire crew of the interaction with an operator who might catch on. Who's Enterprise that it was female by skillful manipulation of going to notice another wardrobe closet amongst all the VocaJ and visual output. The only one to catch on was Data, machinery anyway? but as an enlightened android he didn't care anyway, and 29 THE ADVENTURES OF KAREN by KAREN ANN MICHAELS FE"BR.U,O.RY, 1q34 : KA~EN 15 r-::======:--i AUDITIONIN6A$ A \/o:.AUSI l 11V\ REALL'< A MAN! FoR ' FAIS'' WAUER'S SAND .. • WHAT'S ON THE TV TONIGHT? by Christine-Jane Wilson THE_PASSING SCENE by Kay Lightner Tasha's World by Tasha Barnard I COOKED IT IN TH( 'OISHWASllE R. NOW EAT YOUR GREEN SALAD BE"FORE IT <;e ~ COLD . '"Excuse me Miss. Do you ~ think my wit~ would like this?' I don't think you have to worry about passing anymore!" 30 18}~0~ CROSS-TALK COMICS ADS WE'D LIKE TO SEE by Karen Rusnak here in the (un)real world by Nancy Wilson SO ... TIGHT SHOES, TIGHT BRA, GIRDLE AND DRESS ••• AND MY•• 5e>-enrr,y HAS'NT KICKED IN r Behind these closet doors are wonders the real world has never seen! The Angorasaurus The Braeceyourneckonyourhighheelsasaurus and The Tranasexual Rex! CARTOONISTS! We're still looking for a couple more comic features to fill the bottom half of this page ... If you've got some talent for making transgendered people laugh at themselves, send us some of your stuff for consideration! Kymberleigh Richards Cross-Talk P.O. Box944 Woodland Hills CA 91365 THIS MONTH, to fill some space until someone takes us up on the above offer, we present a bonus cartoon in strip format by Nancy Wilson. We hope you enjoy it. And if you're a cartoonist, send us something to consider filling this space regularly with! ,, \ VANISHING CREME' NOTE: The comics and cartoons appearing In this section are separately copyrighted by their creators, and may not be reproduced in any form without their permission . 31 r GREAT MOMENTS IN TV HISTORY from the archives of Ralph Judd 11/13/68: ~a ul Lynde and Julie London trade barbs with Maude Frickert (Jonathan Winters) on The Jonathan Winters Show, CBS. 3/ 12/77: Shirley Maclaine (center) ---- ·· - --- T k d · th · appears With roe a ero m e special Shirley MacLaine: Wh ere members of Les Ballets 32 Do We Go From Here?, CBS. THE TRANSSEXUAL DYKE ISSUE Part Four Edited by Kymberleigh Richards ~his is the concluding installment of last September's obnoxious as you expect from men. discussion on transsexual lesbianism from the Internet Samantha: If you do see us as womyn I think the need fo r mailing list sappho, in the aftermath of several "TS dykes" that monitoring or perceived need will go away. I find that being allowed to enter the Michigan Womyn's Music most of us, if anything, don't ask for the attention and Festival for the first time in MWMF history. energy that we should. The discussion is presented in "roundtable" format; that is, Fe: In the queer coalition spaces, I guess I think that responses by a list participant to another's .------....:..______comments have been inserted to appear in The concluding installment of a proper context. Participants are identified roundtable discussion in cyberspace only by first name. except where a last initial Was necessary to further differentiate. by lesbians about transsexuality. Comments which stray from the main topic were excluded; other edits were to correct spelling and to expand Internet "slang" into full transpeople are equal to me in terms of the amount of definitions. Where a contributor preferred the term time and energy they demand -- though I hope they will "womyn", it has been left intact. want to gain an analysis of sex-role stereotyping -- but in women's space I hope that they will support the need for Samantha: Many of us go through a period of trying to live women to be self-caring and self-nurturing and not up to some notion of what a woman is in our society that demand extra attention, time, emotion and energy. we have picked up and dreamed about all of our Sandy: I object to this stereotyping of all women as pre-transition lifes. Unfortunately the shape of that woman nurl~rin~ and caring. And are you willing to allow any is often a very sexist one, as we have not had the chance by special mterest group of women Lo demand attention experience to learn better. So many of us will go through a time, emotion and energy as long as you perceive them t~ phase of trying hard to live up to some fantasy cheerleader be women? or June Cleaver image that we have dreamed about from Samantha: If you don't think we demand a the time we were very young. Most of us do get over it and disproportionate amount of time in one place then why do take a hard crash course in what it really means to be a you think we do in the other? Woman in the world. Most of us take a blitzkrieg course in Karen K.: Are only TS women allowed to speak up here feminism and redefining what it means to be a womyn in for their rights to be included? the process. But we do go through this stage first quite Chel: Plain and simple bigotry is bigotry. MTF often. Personally I never presumed lo tell any womyn how transgendered are women by choice or by necessity, just as she should present herself but I did go through a phase ~f all of us are lesbians, by the grace of the goddess, for always wearing dresses and skirts, makeup, etc., that is whatever reasons. If MWMF chooses to exclude women actually foreign to me, because I was trying too hard to based on gynecological or genetic testing -- which is shift myself closer to home and had weird ideas of where ludicrous at the best and probably illegal -- if certain home was. It's funny. If you showed me my "soft butch" separatists want to avoid MTFs, bisexuals, S/Ms and present self back then I would probably look on it as a whatever, they can have their own space, but the common failure to make it. areas should be open to every woman. What if certain Fe·· I am aware o f someh ow moru·l onng · the amount of women were offended by differently abled people? After attention and energy that trans people demand. But at the all, they want to have space free of anyone different from sarne tirne it's maybe. jusl a realistic response to living in a themselves. Women of color already have their own tents. World which has had and indeed often slill does have such Where will we go to see Lhe diversity of our community lethal altitudes and actions against women. when no one ever wants to see anyone not like Sandy: There are many groups at the Festival Lhat demand themselves? We are all women in women's space no a lot of attention: sober dykes, single women, disabled matter what we were born. This includes color, ability, women, S/M dykes, and on and on. It sounds like you're sexual identity, or sexual orientation. Who is the ultimate singling out the "trans people" because you're thinking of determiner of what is a woman? them as men and then making generalizations about their Why are so many w?men defending MWMF's bigotry? If behavior. Lots of these other groups can be just as you bar any one who is a woman, it is bigotry. 33 Debra: What I experience when I look at average woman tell our friends or that we will make a slip. That leads to is a longing to be what she is, that is a woman in both having to edit our personal history, which is not a way to mind and body. I make this statement because I want to make close friends. Close friends might catch emphasize that regardless of the condition of my body, it inconsistencies. does not accurately show who I am inside. For some, the Hillary: Does this mean that it's less acceptable to most physical "evidence" that was present at my birth presents folks to have the surgery than not? I would have thought an insurmountable barrier to understanding. For others it just the opposite. isn't. Robyn: No, what I meant was that post-op TS women Some women have a penis. Some men have a vagina. We sometimes blend into the landscape of women and ne~er try to correct the problem, or at least learn to live with it. mention it again. But there is always the fear of bemg Michelle: Although I personally believe that gender is outed about being transsexual. essentially a social construct, I don't think this has any real If you are asking me exactly why people can't handle it, 1 implications for how we treat or react to transgendered don't have much of an answer for you. I wish I ~e~. 1 folks. Like it or not, and whatever the ultimate cause, our mean, there are some who feel it violates their religious society is gendered and we're not going to be able to beliefs, there are some that think that if they are friendly change that overnight. Gender dysphoria must often be toward us it will bring stigma upon them. I've bad friends extremely traumatic and we owe it to our fellow humans to disassociate themselves from me because of rumors that we open our arms and say "I accept you as you need to be were sexually involved, at a time when I was celibate. accepted". It is true that transsexuals in transition are rather Marnie: If male and female are merely gender identifiers, self-involved at times. Some of this comes from the fact that a way for society to place a person in specified roles, then, r before for that person to be attracted to the same gender as many of us were very unconcerned about our ives d transition and when we finally come out of our shells an themselves, be it, as female or male, they would be a 1 homosexual, right? The fact that they are able to switch learn to love ourselves, we tend to go a bit o~erboard, d from one gender to another isn't the issue, is it? Isn't it suppose. Some of it is because the transition is difficult an that the body of the person feels attractions to the same presents problems that seem to require self- involvement. and opposite sex? Therefore, the person's body is Erin 0.: And those with teenage girls will tell you thosde . h If bsorbe bigendered. This is so very complicated. ragmg ormones will tend to make a person se -a t ' R f hormones Kymberleigh: Remember that in Elizabethan times that oo. emember that getting used to a new set o men wore clothes we now associate with women. The roles can be quite a trial. b are more arbitrary than you give them credit for and Ariel: I've noticed that many of the TSs are trying t~ ·e . d bat 1t JS society drives the concepts of what is 11masculine" or mvolved in women's spaces. I've also notice t d 11 "feminine • usually in lesbian-dominated women's spaces. I've ~e:t 0 Woody: My question is, what makes us so uncomfortable? discussions, on both sides regarding acceptance and. a •• 15 My lover is uncomfortable with it; she was raised as a boy th e reasons why we should' be accepting. My que suon· ht"• and gets very offended when people call her "sir" and think H ave many of the TSs tried to get acceptance 111· "straig of she is a man. She is a woman, a lesbian, very intelligent women's spaces, and what has been the overall outcome and very strong, very comfortable with her body and self those attempts? of Robvn· I h · . . en spaces confident. "··· ave tned to gam acceptance m wont all Caitlin: I figure it this way: Anyone who'd want to go several varieties. Not having any interest in men a~e.o through all that, just so they could end up taking a tumble P~ts me at a disadvantage sometimes with Jll~ wo d 00 on the societal power scale frorr: het male to dyke female __ friends who are, but otherwise I have gotten fairlY !:,es, treatment I' . . .. inf~- 1 at tw~ heck, from male to female at aH -- as far as I'm concerned, · m not saymg 1t hasn't been P(UU w that's proof enough for me of being committed to one's because it has t One ifi · . Circle 3 female identity. I mean, why would one lie about that? To spec 1c exam pie I can think of was Sister uld 1 go to all that trouble ... the slings and arrows of the Rainbow Gathering in July of 1993. As far as ~~bi. ascertain th · tly bet outrageousness, if I might be permitted a badly-misplaced ' e women there were predomman t verY pun ... all for the sake of ending up with a more difficult The first t• . . · was no reac ion to my request to JOlll m t back life -- and don't we all know that that's true of any ~::d and. I ended up feeling very depressed. 1 we:ne. woman's life in this society, let alone a lesbian's -- speaks 1 h next ntght and did feel accepted, but not by every ed irtY to me of a fairly evident sense of certainty about one's . ave not had as much luck locally. I have e,q>resls b on identity. mterest · · · . 's C u •n JO•Dlng the University Women . I airt Robyn: Many transsexuals never tell anyone that they have campus and h !-f rnatIOll· I ave yet to be sent any uu0!1.u halld, had the operation and sometimes it works fine. But we apparently persona non grata there. On the other ter - always have to be afraid that someone will come along and was temporary president of the local NOW chap 34 mostly non-lesbian -- over the summer. I am joining the Association for Women in Mathematics am I ... who am I? A transgendered gay man who loves and hope to become active in that organization. femme women? I love that gay man look and that's how I I'm not sure if this has any relevance to your question. want to look, act and be seen, as a "nice" man. I don't Susan: I was at a presentation by the Ingersoll Gender want these female "parts". If it was simpler, less expensive, center here in Seattle. O ne of the FTMs said that when he less scary, etc. etc. I would really want them out of me. was perceived as a woman he liked men. After his sex That's it. That's all there is to it and so it's pretty strange. change he still liked men. His wonderful quote is "they I don't know if there really is a safe space anywhere. operated on my body, not my mind". That might explain Erin O.: I do a bit of girl drag or high femme in a man's why many MTFs end up lesbian ... they were always three-piece suit -- I'm into this suit thing lately with my attracted to women. hair in a french twist and dark lipstick -- but I'm not very Karen T.: One of my co-workers is a transsexual gay man, fl amboyant. I've been accused of being elegant ... it's the and I have had issues with him. H e exhibits sexist behavior, french twist and black velvet. I also think that drag queens and it really pisses me off. I find myself thinking he should and drag kings are really special, but then I hang out in a drag community where the boys do boy-drag and girl-drag know better. He was in a group with some other FTM and dyke-drag and fag-drag and lots in-between, and then transsexuals and was telling me about some of the the girls do it all too! And I can't tell some people are the meetings he went to. He was really obnoxious about the same when they change their wigs and clothes and I get fact that he "looked" good, and that they didn't. He mocked the fact that some of the men in the group weren't sure teased about it ... Liz: I sometimes feel sorry for men because they can't take how to "act" male; while he felt pissed because he did. I makeup or leave it like women can -- men who aren't drag realized about a week ago that I'm so pissed off at him queens, anyhow. Actually, I have known men who wear cause he is such a guy. very, very, very subtle makeup to enhance their appearance. Woody: I have been in a transgender discussion group on The merest hint of liner, a whisper of blush ... the Net for a little while and the more I read, the more James: I feel that drag queens are all very dignified, confused I get. Originally my only complaint was that I elegant, and should be respected simply for being a drag feel very uncomfortable in my body. That's it, that's all, no queen. The fact that I am stereotyping these queens, one ever mistakes me from a man. In fact, the more means something about what I want to see. I feel so much "masculine" my clothes the more people caJI me "ma'am". compassion and empathy for a drag queen who is treated Perhaps its all the intensified "femininity" training I had like a freak, like the bigot is missing on something so While in the church cult I was a part of for five years. important, that s/he can't see how wonderful the queen is. 1 don't like macho bullsh*t, I have a phobia of men, and I I'm not sure why I feel this way, and I'm sure there are feel uncomfortable in my body. No one ever thinks that I drag queens who are real bitches. I'm sure this has ~ "butch" in anyway. Everyone sees me as fem me. So what DRAG IN THE MOVIES • A LTERNATIVE• has been going on as long as the movies LIFESTYLES themselves ... . And you can enjoy some of the great cinematic DIRECTORY drag moments with Ralph Judd's books Drag Gags and Drag Gags Return, both of which Issue 2 is now available!! A comprehensive ~eature old movie photos show ing female directory of hard-to-find publications from irnpersonation. The 60 photos in each book all mild to wild, mainstream to taboo. ~ave had fictional humorous captions added, a~d Information includes name/address include identification of the actor, title, studio, telephone/fax, iss ue/ad cost and a review of an d Year. Or order Ra lph's new ten po s~card set Gender Pending , featuring vintage movie lobby contents. A must for the open minded adult or cards with drag scenes. adult busi ness owner including 800/900 To order , send $ 7 . 95 for Drag Gags or $ 8.95 information providers. More than 375 listings, for Drag Gags Return (pl us $2 per book S & H) or 130 full-sized pages for just $10 Pl us $3 Priority $4.95 (plus $1 s & H) for Gender Pending to Mail Shipping US, $14 Canada and $16 Foreign Ralph Judd Communications via Air Mail. Send cash or money order (checks 1330 Bush St. # 4H held until cleared) w ith signed statement San Francisco CA 94109. stating you are over 21 to: Winter Publishing, PO Box 80667, So. Dartmout h, MA 02748. Credit card orders, call (800) 637-2256. Callfornla residents, a dd your local sa l es ta x ...... 35 • something to do with why I feel so happy lo see two men guess it's that same feeling which has made me being affectionate, knowing they must be feeling very uncomfortable when TS women go through what others strongly about each other, to overcome society's pressures have referred Lo as the "adolescent" phase. That was useful against male affection. A male married couple seems, to to know -- I went through a similar phase while trying for me, to be more precious than straight or even gay women about ten years to impersonate my idea of a straight couples. I know this isn't fair, but women, al least, are woman. W e're all the victims of stereotypes. allowed Lo hold hands and hugs their female friends. I also Debra: I am reminded of something Kymberleigh posted in know it isn't always true, but it's the romantic in me I alt.tra11sge11dered once: "Look between your ears fo r who guess. you are, not between your legs." To me, that is the only Liz: There's maybe something profound here. Vanity vs. definition of myself that I consider relevant. It is the Pride? Vanity being attributed to women? The pleasure of obsession with labels that has resulted in the torrential being Looked At and subsequenlly Admired? I'm still flood of senseless logic over gender. , pleased when I remember the moment at Wigstock this 1 Kym -- again in alt.tra11sge11dered -- also sai·d : "The rea year when I, while lighting a cigarelle, realized that one of answer lo the man vs. woman, male vs. fema Ie, s l rat· ght vs. the many photographers there was actually taking my lesbigay, genetic vs. transgendered, is to find where ~~ picture. I'm fem ale, about 5'3", was wearing black velvet feel you really belong and then be that person. The res leggings and black platform hi-Lop sneakers making me the world will adjust more easily than you think o~c: 5'5", a man's jacket and Ray-Ban sunglasses ... in short, you're giving off the 'vibes' that you're comfortable wit pretty cool but I'd thought nocompctition to the many who you arc ..." extravagant drag queens on parade ... Susan: I think that Kymbcrleigh is right on. I have a ma1 ,e For that matter, I still remember silting in the sculpture . · He s fn cnd who wears dresses Lo work sometunes. . garden al the Museum Of Modern Art on a school field f 0 How his trip when I was about 17 and some stranger Look my comfortable wilh himself and others seem to I d ears to picture -- I even remember what I was wearing, platform ca · It lakes some of us lots of work and many Y shoes maybe, a pastcly fl owered dress and a very femmey come lo being really comforlable with who we are. . W d I · erspective, straw hat. oo y: come al things from an interesling P f h ysel to Lisa: I've always been one who found drag shows prelly as an ex-born again that has really had to stretc m d . such as offensive in their glorification of female stereotypes. I un ersland things and not be afraid of l hings, d w·icca, . women with short hair, lesbians, transg~~· THE ORIGINAL, DEFINITIVE sooKS Ll\HGE SIZE ON CROSSDRESSING!! SHOES DlllECT "UNO ERSTANDING CROSS-DRESSI NG"'. Thea first b 00 k · . ·ng frorn FHOM . of its kind. Discusses crossdressi the :\ IANUFACTUHEH viewpoint that wil l inform and educate bot ~ des crossdresser and t he helping p rofessional. inc~ rn 0 TO YOU .•• many of ~ irg in ia Prince's "V irgin Views" columns r ~rans vest1a magazine. $1 0.00 LE": HOW TO BE A WOMAN THOUGH MA ser Covers t he ent ire spectrum of what the crossdresan : we are a leading large size shoe manufacturer's representative needs t 0 k a worn Cl . now to p ro perly emulate h viors. selling DIRECTLY to the transgender community at othing, makeup, jewelry, wigs, attitudes, be : 194 unheard-of low near-wholesale prices! 1 egal aspects, and f u l l-time change of statu · w e know what it takes to make a large size shoe for crossdressers and transsexuals -- sizes up to 15 -- and have P.~A~ ~~useful information. $12.00 E"· Virginia the experience to give you a shoe that first properly and P. ANSVESTITE AND HIS WIF · s the comfortably, with quality leather uppers for long life. Plus, nnc~· s ground-breaking book that a ns~e r th eir questions a d . ernin9 because we work directly with the manufacturer, we can even n concerns of w ives cone ves. 1 provide custom color shoes to match that special outfit! Partner's c rossd ressing Contains letters frorn ~ritual as Wei I as • · g sp1 Please write us for brochures on our product line , featuring a 1etter from a priest addressin pumps, slingbacks, d 'orsay-style ankle straps, sandals, and concerns. $11.00 boots ... taFcmmc Footwear (Dept. XT) TO ORDER· t r total of b · Send check or money order 0 and oo k s orde d h·ppin9 P.O. Box 788 h . re plus $ 1.00 per book s 1 LO S Aandltng to V irginia Prince P.O. Box 3G091 ' Sun Valley, CA 91353 ngeles, CA 90036. ' Looking for something in particular? Please write to the above address, Attn: Monique Deveraux, and we will do our ALSO AV 11st. best to fulfill your needs from our manufacturer's available SANDY T AILABLE: Send SASE for price styles. DIFFER E ~~MAS lV FICTION PM Pue us:~~ PRESS 36 etc. etc. Perhaps I see it in that light. As a born again I TGs. Perhaps even women have privilege. Privilege to be had II pn•vii egen and I lost that "privilege" when I left and able to report a rape or sexual abuse without being came out. I lost everything, but even I didn't lose as much laughed at. Privilege to cry in public and get support and : a, transgendered person. I didn't lose my job for it ... I hugs rather than being yelled at for being a cry baby and dn t become alienated from society for it. maybe beaten up. What is male privilege? Is it the privilege to be forced not Samantha: Even as a woman in the world I still question to e~er cry or ever to let anyone see you cry? The privilege gender roles -- as opposed to identity -- much more to hide your pain, even to the point of being viewed as cold strongly due to having experienced attempting to align and. callou s.? C omm1ttmg· · a v10· lent su1c1· ·d e, comm1ttmg· · myself with both sets and several variants at different VIolence. agamst· oth ers, or dymg . of a heart attack? Society,. times in my life. Gender roles as such are very obviously 1 think sometimes, is to blame for "creating monsters" out quite socially constructed to me and I take it as part of my ~f men. It used to be that lesbians were viewed as angry job in life to learn to be myself as the woman I am and b: obnoxious feminists, separatist, etc. etc., so who would not as society defmes a woman should be. As a lesbian I e them for all the hurt that society put on them by fmd that there are role and identity signals in that world arresting them, molesting them, committing them to that I am mostly h~ppy with but occasionally they feel :ental institutions, etc., etc.? I wouldn't be surprised if artificial ... like the whole butch/femme thing: I threw here Were some angry transsexuals out there, and we away my makeup when I understood the bill of goods ~ ould understand their pain. No one likes being forced Madison Avenue has sold women about never being good enough as we are and selling us overpriced and generally :to a .~old, any mold. So what did these TG women have harmful remedies for that. So some people would see me e Privilege of? Being beat up being hated, being stared without makeup, in pants and with short hair as being at ' bemg · forced to be in a body they' hated and to dress and Undre · b "butch". Then they would see the soft really sweet parts of ss in front of men -- they are women, remem er -- 11 me and consider me "femme • I confuse some lesbians and and ~o go to the bathroom in the men's room. Think about h most straights as a result. The point is that I am not in one thow scary that would be for some of us wo~en. I never of those boxes or the other. While I have gender identity as th ought about it a lot before, but I'm beginning to realize 11 a female as far as roles go I don't act (cominued on page 39) -...,at perh aps "m al e privileges"· · are not reall y prlVl• ·1 eges" to For the con . h ly recently discovered Cross-Talk (and those who rejoin our readership after an ab vernence of those who ave on . ublished in magazine format 1 ~ence), we have maintained a stock of most issufe$s.f' Including the following re~ent issues: 995 0 00 issues are available at the regular cover pr1 ce • ' , 11 • ------#S If b ryJ· Personal growth and moving ahead; The four 'whys ~f cros~dressing; 4 8 rua ffect community politics; Part one of roundtable d1scuss1on of ~~@~~ ~ '' j· 1 <.21<=» u~lb~ When pers~nal ~0 1 ::i:ns· Exploring sexuality In the context of shifting gender roles; Avoiding ~:~~~~~u~e=~nl1 your dedislons; Review of Sta~ate. . . g • C Ir the transgender community by its logical · #65 .<~a~~~)yo:r ;~~e path amidst peer pressure; .suppressing NEW ENGLAND/NORTH ATLANTIC REGIONS: CD Network, Rochester: (716) 251-2132 Ouad-C?ity Society for Sexuality Ed., Davenport: (319) 324-9641 Chi Delta Mu Chapter Tri-Ess, NYC: (201) 439-9618@ St. Louis Gender Foundation: (314) 997-9897 Connecticut Outreach Society, Hartford: (203) 657-4344 Sunday Society, Chicago: (312) 252-7024 Cross Dressers International, NYC: (212) 570-7389 Wichita Transgender Alliance: (316) 682-9131 East Coast F2M Group, Cambridge: (413) 584-7616 # SOUTHWEST/MOUNTAIN REGION· Eulenspiegel Society, NYC: (212) 388-7022 % Alpha Chi Chapter Tri-Ess, Amarillo: (S06) 359-7714@ Expressing Our Nature, Syracuse: (315) 475-5611 Alpha Rho Chapter Tri-Ess, Salt Lake City: (801) 553-8141@ Gender Identity Program, NYC: (212) 969-0888 # Bluebonnet Coalition, San Antonio: {210) 656-4163 Gender Talk North, New Hampshire: (603) 924-8828 Boulton & Park Society, San Antonio: (210) 980-nSS Girls' Night Out, NYC: (212) 794-1665 ext 202 CrossDressers International, Tulsa: {918) 582-6643 Images, Hartford: (203) n9-9708 First Saturday, El Paso: (505) 434-5144 Imperial Queens of New York: (212) 580-9858 Gender Crisis Help Line, Tucson: (602) 293-3456 lnt'I. Foundation for Gender Education: (617) 894-8340 Gender Identity Center, Denver: (303) 202-6466 Lambda Chi Lambda Chapter Tri-Ess, Utica: (607) 547-4118@ Gulf Coast Transgender Community, Houston: (713) 7804282 Long Island Femme Expression: (516) 283-1333@ Help Me ... Accept Me, Dallas: (214) 416-6632 Metropolitan Gender Network, NYC: (718) 461-9050 Metroplex CD Club, Dallas: (214) 264-7103@ Outreach Institute, N. Portland: (207) n5-0858 Second Image, Austin: (512) 515-5460 Reflections, Boston: (617) 323-6082 TS Pee~ Support, Houston: (713) 333-2278 # Renaissance Greater Philadelphia Chapter: (610) 630-1437 ~:u Chi C~apter Tri-Ess, Houston: {713) 347-8747@ Renaissance LSV Chapter, Harrisburg: (717) 780-1578 W xas Assn. of Transsexuals, Houston: {713) 827-5913 # Renaissance S. Jersey Chapter: (609) 435-5401 P:cstlFTleCxas Gender Alliance, San Angelo: {915) 944-1381 Sigma Nu Rho Chapter Tri-Ess, Trenton: (609) 586-1351 @ NORTHWEST: Silent Passage, Rhode Island: (401) 438-7417 ~merald City, Seattle: {206) 284-1071 Tiffany Club, Boston: (617) 891-9325 ~~ersoll Gender Center, Seattle: {206) 329-6651 TransGender Educational Ass'n, Arlington: (301) 949-3822 Alliance, Portland: {503) 646-2802 Ro=~~tyst~ender1 TransGenderists Independence Club, Albany: (518) 436-4513 . ender Center, Portland· {503) 230-1036 Transpitt, Pittsburgh: (412) 231-1181 ~lmacis Feminist Social Society, Eugene: (503) 688-4282 Washington-Baltimore Alliance: (301) 2n-5475 rans-Port, Portland: (503) 774-8463 XX (Twenty) Club, Hartford: (203) 646-8651 # THE SOUTH: +~~~ual Lesbians & Friends, Seattle: {206) 292-1037 # American Educational Gender Info. Service: (404) 939-0244 Al ha ST COAST (CA & HI): Atlanta Gender Exploration: (404) 875-9846 # P!er ~hapter Tri-Ess, Los Angeles: (213) 876-6141@ Black Rose, Arlington: (301) 369-7667 % Andr~ ranssexual Education Center: (213) 389-6938 # Carolina Trans-Sensual Alliance, Charlotte: (704) 551-8838 And gyny, Santa Monica: (213) 467-8317 Eden Society, Pompano Beach: (305) 784-9316 # Bor~ogyny-~ast, ~iverside: (909) 360-5584 Fantasia, Orlando: (407) 425-4527 # CHICF~ee, R1vers1de: (909) 278-0958 GOA North Carolina: (704) 642-1914 Diabl~ :s Ang~les: (310) 420-2580@ Gender Information Network, Gainesville: (904) 332-8178 Educatio~~y Girls, Concord: (510) 937-8432 Grace & Lace, Mississippi: (601) 362-6335 FTM, Oaklan~ Channel, San Francisco: {510) 549-2665 Louisville Gender Society: {812) 944-5570 Hawa" T · (510) 287-2646 # Montgomery Institute, Augusta: (404) 603-9426 # Neutr~I ~nsgendered Outreach, Honolulu: {808) 923-4270 Montgomery Institute, Gainesville: (904) 332-6638 # Powder p rner, San Diego: {619) 685-3696 M.0.R.E., Ft. Lauderdale: (305) 966-2138 Rainbow ~ffs ~California, Anaheim: {714) n9-9013 Mu Sigma Chapter Tri-Ess, Arkansas: (501) 523-2466@ Sacrament~" er Association, San Jose: (408) 984-4Q44 Phi Epsilon Mu Chapter Tri-Ess, Central FL: (407) 6n-954Q@ Sigma Si Gender Association: (916) 482-7742 0@ 246 Phoenix, Asheville: (704) 253-9882 Society f~rma Beta Chapter Tri-Ess, Lake Tahoe: (916) 544- Serenity, Hollywood: (305) 436-9477 Swan's lnn~he Sec?nd Self (Tri-Ess) Nat'I.: (209) 688-9246 ® Sigma Epsilon Chapter Tri-Ess, Atlanta: (404) 552-441 5 @ CANADA: r Sorority, San Jose: (408) 297-1423 Starburst, Tampa-St. Petersburg: (813) 527-1012 Tennessee Vais, Nashville: (615) 664-6883 ~~~~~=~Montreal: (514) 528-8874 Virginia's Secret, Richmond: (804) 222-6796 F.A. T.E., v:e, Quebec: (418) 529-1132 # MIDWEST & VICINITY: Gender Mos couver: (604) 254-9591 Beta Gamma Chapter Tri-Ess, Minneapolis: (612) 870-8 @ 536 Illusions Soc~lc, Ottawa: (819) no-1945 Central Illinois Gender Assoc.: (309) 444-9918 1 Chi Chapter Tri-Ess, Chicago: {708) 364-9514@ U.K./REP. d; 1~~~Cal?ary: (403) 486-9661 Chicago Gender Society: {708) 749-1202 Beaumont So . ND. Belfast Butte ciety, London: 081-756-1782 City of Lakes Crossgender Comm., Minneapolis· (612) Cross-Port, Cincinnati: (513) 474-9557 · 229 -3613 Crosslynx G~ly, Rep. of Ireland: 849-469715 FTM Netw~rk~sgow: 041-221-8372 Crossdressers & Friends, Kansas City: {913) 791-3947 0 Crossroads, Detroit: (313) 537-3267 Gender Dys · ~61-432-1915 # Crystal Club, Columbus: (614) 265-7488 GenTrust L~~na Trust, London: 032-364-1100 # G on: 071-730-7453 Gender Dysphoria Support, Kansas City: {816) 753. 8 Grampia~ 7 16 Indiana Crossdressers Society, Indianapolis: (812) _ : Liverbirds u~~~er Group, Scotland: 033-988-3695 876 5 Minnesota Free~om of Gender Expression: (612) _ 35 New Tran~e pool: 051-709-4745 220 90 Scottish 026-858-3761 . N.G.D.0., Detroit: (313) 842-5258 # 72 TV ~ex: 6 Paradise Club, Cleveland: (216) 586-9292 [For a list ~f S Group, Edinburgh· 031-556-4049 ·ntain hotltflto numbers pl organizations in other countries that md one /RC Cross-T~lk ~~e send a pre-addressed envelope an 38 ' · ·Box 944, Woodland Hills CA 91365.] CROSS-TALK COMIC REPRINTS EVENTS The To'1i Compendium: Cartoon adventures of a transgendered high school CALENDAR student plus four single panel cartoons not published during the series' run. -... ..- At Worst, We'll Wind Up In Therapy!: The first five years of "The Adventures of Karen" plus five unpublished strips and a new two page ~ay 17-21, 1995: "Esprit '95", Port Angeles WA, sponsored by Emerald story. v~ty, NWGA, and Cornbury Society. Details from P.O. Box 873, "'rkland WA 98083-0873. ~ay 18 -~l, 1995: "Paradise in the Poconos", Canadensis PA, produced / Creat ~ve Design Services, P.O. Dox 61263, King of Prussia PA 19406. nforma1ton by phone: (610) 640-9449; via Internet: [email protected]. June 7-11, 1995: "Be-A ll '95", Cincinnati OH. This year's host ~ganiza~io~ is Cross-Port; other sponsoring organizations arc Chi p ~pte r fn-Ess, Crossroads, Paradise Club, and Transpitt. Details from J · · Box 54657, Cincinnati 45254 or by calling (513) 474-9557. yune 14-18, 1995: "Transgen 95: Your Jobs, Your Insurance and Health, our Rights, and Your Documents", Houston TX. sponsored by the pIntc .rn~llona · l . Conference on Transgcndcr Law and Employment t 0 hcy · Details from ICfLEP, 5707 rirenza, Houston 77035, or by c1 cphonc: (713) 723-8368. ~ly ~6-30, 1995: "Spouse/Partner International Conference for p ucat1on (SPICE)", Memphis T N. Information from Linda Peacock, S~O. Box 24031, Little Rock AR 24031, or by telephone: (501) 227~7?8· Khen-Draa, Transgendered ptember 14-17, 1995: "Paradise in the Poconos". Sec May 18-21 hs1tng. Warrior: A female alien 0 ctober 15-22, 1995: 21st Annual "Fantasia Fair", Provincetown MA, warrior transfers her powers ~ponsored by the Outreach Institute of Gender Studies. Registration and fo rm to an earth male. ~formati on from Fan Fair, P.O. Box 941, Southeastern PA 19399-0941. b cto~er 26-29? 1995: 6th Annual "Fall Ha~cst", St. Louis MO, sponsored Y Mid America Gender Group Information Exchange (MAGGIE) and All comic books are $5. 75 each, postage paid in the U.S. (Add 25 1~osted by St. Louis Gender r oundation. information from StLGr, P.O. cents additional postage per book outside the U.S.) (California ox 9433, St. Louis MO 6311 7. residents, add 8.25% sales tax.) Send orders to Cross-Talk Comics, P. 0. Box 944, rlease send information on national transgender co111111'.111!tY events to Woodland Hills CA 91365. ross-Talk, P.O. Box 9.J.1, Wo odland Hills CA 91365. Listmgs must be accompanied by a 111rit1en a111horizatio11 by an officer of the sponsoring organization or be listed in their group ne111ste11er. /11for111a1io11 will not be accepted via e-mail.) TRANSSEXUAL DYKE ISSUE ... continued from page 37 rn.ale or female. I simply am the woman I am and to hell COSMETIC WORKSHOP With what I "should" do to be accepted. I think I would feel ON THE ROAD th'• s way and bend gender roles even if I was not born TS. But back to the main point. Are we "real" women? LOOK FOR JIM AT THESE UPCOMING NATIONAL TRANSGENDER EVENTS: Depends on what you mean. Arc we like XX females? In ESPRIT'95 s~rne ways yes, in some ways no. Arc all XX females BE ALL WEEKEND ahke? More so in some of the ways we aren't like them menstruation, some sex organs, XX chromosomes, FALL HARVEST socialization as females than us but they are not uniform. SOUTHERN COMFORT Do we need a separate category or sub-category for us? TRl-ESS HOLIDAY EN FEMME Don't know. On the one hand we are diffc rent and TEXAS 'T ' PARTY ~erh aps should respect and affirm that. On the other hand IFGE "MINNESOTA PRIDE" if look at the difference as being simply a medical 1 CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' accident it doesn't seem like there is much lo be gained fr om going around feeling proud of having suffered this com plication. From that point of view it may be actually WHEN VISITING THE LOS ANGELES AREA, STOP BY THE JIM BRIDGES BOUTIQUE: curative to "go into the closet" in the sense of trying to 12457 VENTURA BLVD., SUITE#103 forget about this past as much as possible and just look al STUDIO CITY (co mer of Von nm1 end Whllson, no > I ). The Transgender Community News & Information Monthly If you've been looki~g for a serious magazine about crossdressing and transsexualism, you ve found 1t. cross-Talk has built its reputation on over six years of providing news, information, and commentary to the transgender community, and we're reaching more _and more people.every month as our distribution expands into an increasmg number of mamstream bookstores and newsstands, complementing our already extensive network of transgender retailers and gay/lesbian booksellers. Cross-Talk is the o'?IY monthly magazine in the transgender community that is dedicated to pavmg the W"!Y t!Jward the 21st Century and beyond. our commitment to the community 1s unequalled. A ma_il subs~ription to Cros~-Talk not only ensures that you get every issue as it 1s published, but als!'_give_s ~ou a 40% (or more) discount from the cover price. Plus ~ur mai!mg list 15 kept completely confidential and mailings in plam envelopes with only our P.O. Box return address to furtherare protect yourmam~a pnvacy. we hope you'll join us. ------Cross-Talk CONFIDENTIAL SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION FORM Mailing Name NOTE: We cannot ma1·1 d tor" ~-~~-~~------~ ''Occupant" / ''Boxhol e Mai 1 ing Address ------C1 'ty -~~~--~------State z· [] One year (12 issues) $54 [] Tw l.p ----- o Years (24 · Mail to: Cross-Talk issues) $96 P.O. Box 944 Woodland Hills, CA 91365 Non-u.s. subscribers: Add $12 per Year II for internat1'onal 40 postage. MAIL ORDER REVOLUTIONIZED WORLDS LARGEST SELECTION OF TV/TS MERCHANDISE we have over 1500 books, magazines, videos, and Audio Cassettes from all over the world . We carry a complete line of products from SANDY THOMAS, RELUCTANT PRESS, EMPATHY PRESS, INFANTILE PRESS , SWISH PUBLICATIONS of London, CREATIVE DESIGN SERVICES, MAGS INC, and many mo re WE SPECIALIZE IN 24 HOUR TURNAROUND IN PROCESSING ORDERS, TRIPLE SEALING OUR PACKAGES, MAILING EVERYTHING FIRST CLASS PRIORITY MAIL, AND GENERALLY ADHERING TO THE PHILOSOPHY THAT "THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!" CONTEMPORARY TV FICTION &om to Serva • Whyo man at;O')"I 1.Miln9 o mo id JENNIFEll"S GJRlS . * * * * • * * * * • * * * * * * * * A eles visit our two Io ca tron s ~ * * * * • • * * * When in Los ng Qur San Fernando Valley office 464 _wntown Store . ) 4645 van Nuys Blvd. , #1 01 Lo 1/2 S. Main St. (corner of 5th & M~in Sherman oaks, CA 91403 (818) 784-9559 s sA ngeles, CA 90013 (213) 629-20B GS INC end for our FREE catalog to: MA x 5829 P.O. 8 o CA 91413 Or She rman oa::x. us at (818) 784-9563 ca 11 us TOLL FREE at (800) 359·2116 or ma iii add ng na~rm:_.:e--======------======ress:__=-======--~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ l a rn ov er 21 years of age (sign) . . . cos has PERHAPS WE CAN HELP.1nformat1on 1s the key to taking control of your life. Smee 1985 ssing, been providing people with informative publications like Art & fllusion: A Guide to Crossdre eech "ols 1 and 2 ($15ea.), Coping With Crossdressing ($15) and the only book on fem1 rn ne .sp with v1 . $ . Speaking As A Woman ( 10). CDS also has video publications like Basic Makeup, Dre~~ius $3 F. Sh ion and Style, and Ladylike Deportment. All our videos are now one low price of $30, P rnid shippinga and handling each. Wnte. , call or surf the net today for a free catalog. Cami·ng in 1995: our own CDS WWW site . Watch for announcements. CREATIVE DESIGN SERVICES /~ PO Box 61263, Ki_ng of Prussia, PA 19406 ~-!"''' 610.640.9449 or e-ma11: [email protected]