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\Olume 1, No. 5 1993 $9.00
A Splendor of Gender
• •
Valuing Diversity in the Gender Community Surgeon General's Warning: Cigarette smoke may be hazardous to your transition.
No, the surgeon general hasn't decreases the effectiveness of If you are SAS-bound, cons really issued a transsexual hormones, slows healing after this: many surgeons require specific warning about surgery, and may act in to be smoke-free before they cigarettes, but the evidence is conjunction with estrogens in the operate, and most hospitals clear: cigarettes present a clear formation of blood clots. not allow you to smoke du and present danger, not only for your stay. the smoker, but for those who Not only that, but cigarettes are in the proximity of the contribute to premature aging. If you smoke, please cons smoker, increasing the risk of And although your non-smoking the long-term health effe emphysema, cancer, heart friends might not complain.you Slow down, or better yet, s disease, thrombosis, and other can bet that they are annoyed You'll feel better, and so conditions. In concert with and inconvenienced by the odor your friends. Food will tc hormonal therapy and surgical on their clothes and furniture better, hormones will w procedures, the danger may be and the smell of cold cigarette better, and you just might even greater. Cigarette smoke butts in ashtrays. longer.
Put this in your pipe and smoke it
A public service ofAEGIS, The American Educational Gender information Service, P. 0 . Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033 Phone (404) 939· ...... this issue ......
VolumeJ,No. 5 1993 Q u a rte r l ~
contents . .. . ' ...... ' . . . . . About this Issue
This issue celebrates the From the Publisber ...... 3 diversity oftransgendered RO. Box ...... 5 people, and their sense of Gender Happenings ...... 6 community. The cover pho Poetry ...... 8 tograph was taken by Mari Reviews ...... 42 Bits n Pieces ...... ette R:lJhy Allen in October, 44 1992 at the Southern Com ! ort Co11ference in Atianta, A Splendor of Gender Georgia. The phrase '}\ Splendor ofGender" was Of ASPs and GAPs in Gender bet Soup ...... 9 coined by Dr: Anne Bolin, Homeless Transsexuals: The Problem \'(fe Never Talk About ...... 11 who first used it in a speech Whal Is A Drag Queen? ...... 17 at Fantasi£l Fair in 1992. Wt'hen One of the Girls Goes to jail ...... 1 9 The Enemy Within Our Community ...... 21 Anne i's a member of the AEGIS Interdisciplinary Advisory Board. Man·eue is History author ofTransformations: Crossdressers and Those I larry Benjamin, M.D.: A Remembrance...... 15 \Vbo Love Them, available How I Became a Convicted Felon ...... 23 from IFGE, P.O. Bax367, The History ofa Psychiatric Diagnostic Category ...... 25 \'(fay/and, MA 01778.
\fe would like lo tbank Mr Series Karl Merri.s and .Hs. Celeste Richard for providing the Notes From The ~I/ow Brick Rood ...... 33 computer equipment which was used to produce this and the pre11ious issue ofCQ, and Feature Anne Ogborn for production, How to Start & Maintain a Gender Support Organization ...... 35 assembly, and mailing.
Chrysalis Quarterly Upcoming in CQ: Chrysalis Quarterly Number6 Volume 1, No.5, Spring, 1993 Transgender Dallas Denny, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Perspectives on the Holly Boswell, Associate Editor Andrea Bennett, Copy Editor Return of the Goddess (Holly Boswell, Editor) ISSN 1064-864X
American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc. (AEGIS) Number8 P. 0. Box 33724 Deca/ur, GA 30033 Phone (404) 939-0244 Mens' issues Oason Cromwell, Editor) Ml~slon: Chrysalis Quarterly is dedicated to the in-depth explorauon ofgender issues. Our focus will be on topics which have been ignored or only lightly /ouched upon in other forums. Our treatments will be intelfigent and unbiased. AEGIS Interdisciplinary Submissions· We welcome your stories, articles, leuers, editorials, news clippings, Advisory Board position stalements, research reports, press releases, poems, and artwork Authors should indicare whether matenals have been sub milled or printed else Anne Bolin, Ph.D. where. George Broum, M.D. We will be happy 10 exchange publications and space for small ads with publishers of \ern Bullough, R.N., Ph.D. 01her magazir12s or newslelters. We will publish for free a descriptfon ofor publtcity release for your group or magazf.ne. ifyou will reciprocate. Bonnie Bullough, R.N., Ph.D. CQ reserves the right to reprint all submissions. AU other rights revert to the individu Caroline ('Tuia '') Cossey al authors after publication. Authors should indicate whether 1heir malerials may be Jason Cromwell, Ph.D. (cand.) reprinted in other newsletters and magazir12s. Sister Mary Elizabeth Authors will receive a free issue of CQ. Delores French The opinions ofthe various contributors do not necessarily reflect /hose of/he editors David Gilbert, M.D. or ofAEGIS . The editors reserve the righ1 10 refuse submissions w/Jicb do not meet Deborah Gilbert, R.N. our editorial or aesthelic standards. Gianna Eveling Israel Submissions are preferred on 3.5" MS-DOS or Macintosh disketles, in ASCI/ or Word Ariadne Kane, M.A. Perfect formats. A printed version should be included. Double-spaced typewritten or Antbony Karpas, M.D. legibly handwritten manuscripts are acceptable. FAX or electronic transfer can be arranged by contactfng one of the editors. Media will not be returned unless accom Sheila Kirk, MD. panied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Toby Mayer, MD Subscriptions: Individual subscriptions are available for $36.00 per year. Subscrip Stephen Morganstern, MD. tions outside the U.S. and Canada are $46.00. All mailings are in plain manila Linda Peacock envelopes. Subscriptions include 4 issues of CQ. Larry Pellegrini Do11at1ons: AEGJS is a notfor-projit organi::zilion. We accepl and encourage dona· Virginia Prince, Ph.D. lions ofany amount. joAnn Roberts, Ph.D. Advertising: Please contact us about advertising rates and requirements. We Peggy Rudd, Ph.D. reserve the right to refuse any advertisement which we feel does not meet our edito rial or aesthetic standards. Eugene A. Schrang, MD., S.C. Sarah Seton, M.D., P.C Reprl11t Rlg/Jts: Except where otherwise specified, articles in CQ may be reprinted by nonprofa organizations, provided that credit is given to CQ and to /be author. Oth Morton Slutsky, MD. ers may reprint by permission only. Fran Springfield, S.R.N. Kim Elizabeth Stuart Susan Tenenbaum, C.P.E. ©1993 by tbe American Educational Gender information Service, Inc. Leo Wollman, M.D. Alan }brker, M.A.
2 Chrysalis Quarterly rom the publisher . . . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
I t has been only in the past five or so and The International Foundation years that the consortium of gen for Gender Education. der-related dubs, support groups, It is a remarkable thing that in publishers, information services, the nineties, transgendered men and advocacy organizations have and women can find information and become common enough and have support, buy books, magazines, and been in comact enough to be con specialty products, attend national sidered a community. Before then, conventions, and appear cross groups were scattered and commu dressed in public without fear of nication w.is limited. Many, and per arrest. Forever before, there were haps most c.ran.sgendered persons no such options. It was the birth of were unable to locate the few community which made these sources of help which were avail things possible. able. But the creation of a commu In their new book, Cross nity of transgendered persons is not dressing, Sex, and Gender, Vern an end, but a beginning. Organiz.a and Bonnie Bullough trace the rise tion makes political change possi of organized aros.5dres.5ing in the ble. It gives the consumer a voice in United Scares ICO Virginia Prince. In the surgical and hormonal treaunem the si>..1ies, and even before then, which is necessary for sex reassign in the fifties, she labored alone, ment It makes it possible to and often in the face of criticism, change public attitudes, and edu to help crossdressers put to rest cate lawmakers and educators and their guilt and fear and come helping professionals about gender together for mutual support. Her dysphoria. It creates culture. It outreach had two prongs: a nation builds friendship and alliances. A discussion ofthe diversi.- al magazine called Transvestia, What transgendered people 1)' of the gender communi and a local support group called do with the community they have ty would not be complete The Hose and Heels Club. The created is entirely up to them. without a mention of the ultimate outcome of her efforts is There is a long way to go before the Tri-Ess, the Society for the Sec societal bias and widespread misun men- 1he female-to-male ond SeJf, a national organization of derstanding about gender dysphoria cros.sdressers, transgen and for heterosexual cross is replaced by tolerance and under derists, and transsexual dressers and their significant oth standing. Certainly, decades of work persons. Tbe past decade ers. Bur Virginia's significance is lie ahead. bas seen them come for much more than that: her courage This presumes, of course, that ward in larger numbers, in the face of adversity laid the transgendered people can and will and it is time fo r 1hem groundwork which enabled other work together, putting aside their pioneers like Ariadne Kane and differences for the greater good. andfor that matte?; for the Merissa Sherrill Lynn to found , Transgendered people are a late Lou Sullivan- to respectively, The Human Out· varied lot. They come in all sizes and receive the recognition reach and Achievement Institute shapes and varieties. They have a they deserve. See page 14 (which sponsors Fantasia Fair) multitude of needs, a wide range of Chrysalis Quarterly 3 lifestyles, and all types of sexual ori and transgendered people are on entations. But for all that, they are their list. If they are not yet flying in not all that common. To effect the face of transgendered persons, change, they must work coopera it is only because they have been tively. Otherwise, the numbers will busy attacking gay men and les not be sufficient. bians and attempting to criminalize To obtain the needed nwn abortion. bers, the community will have to It would behoove uansgen grow to include the full range of dered persons to realize this and Tbe gender community, gender variation- the "splendor of stop the endless squabbling and gender" Anne Bolin talked abouc at name-calling which characterize like any other field of the 1992 FantaSia Fair. So far, this their community. It would behoove human endeav01; is plagued has not happened. Whole classes of the community to actively recruit with tu 1fwars, petty squab transgendered persons have not yet blacks and other racial minorities, bles, and smolderingfeuds. found their place in the community. gay crossdressers, female imper Organizations and individu In some cases they are absent sonators, female-to-male cross als square offalong ideologi because they have not yet discov dressers, new men, and prostitutes cal lines, aLtacking those with ered the communiry. ln some in order to achieve goals for the cases, they are absent because they common good. different philosophies, differ do not care for the community. And 1t would also behoove the ent sexual orientations, dif in some cases, they have received community to ally itself 'With other f erent lifestyles, and, yes, an active message from the com exploited and devalued minorities. different colors. But the ene munity that they are not wanted. Transgcndcrcd persons have much mies oftransgendered per The gender community, like in common with gay men and les sons are not transgendered. any other field of human endeavor, bians. Legislation which criminalizes is plagued ti.~th turf wars, petty homosexuality or enables discrinl.i squabbles, and smoldering feuds. nation against gay people will have Organizations and individuals an immediate and dramatic negative square off along ideological lines, impact on transgendered persons. attacking those ~th different Certainly many transgendered per philosophjes, different sexual orien sons are not gay, but the general tations, different lifestyles, and, yes, public does not understand this, and different colors. But the enemies will never understand it until gay of transgendered persons are not men and lesbians stand alongside rransgendered. Nor are they care transgendered men and women and givers (who have also been much say, "This is how we 're the same, maligned). No, the real enemies and this is how we're different." are those who would deny all trans Simwly, there is much to gain by gendered persons the right to exist, standing with the womens' move ex, if they must exist, would deny ment. And certainly, the many pro them the right to dress or behave fessional men and women who have as they please. They would outlaw worked hard on behalf of transgen hormonal and surgical sex reassign dered persons should be consid ment, make crossdressing illegal, ered allies, and those who do not force thcir own notions of appropri educated so that they can better ate sexual behavior on others, and understand gender dysphoria. otherwise impose their notions of This issue of CQ is a reminder propriety on transgendered per to all of us that transgendered per sons. Such people are out there, sons come in all flavors. g:1.
4 Chrysalis Quarterly I often get behind in my reading, so ii We are hardly proponents of was on¥ cecendy Iha I li:>und the time to surgery or hormones on demand, and read the Winter 1992 edition of Cbryralfs have in fact warned against such in Quarterly. Becau!e Jam a therapist who the public seroice advertisements deals with transgender clienis, I under· which have appeared in the inside st.and first-hand the Iss ues and con· front covers of CQ. We believe that cems that most flee. The an icles in this the HBIGDA Standards of Care safe - is.sue dearly demonstrate that many clin· guard both consumers and care - 1ciam simp~ do not have the necessacy givers, and should be strialy adhered tninm8 in human sexuality that would to as mtnimal gutdeltnes for bormon · aim- lllCID to adequately and appropri al and surgica l treatment. We agree :nely deal .,.ith gender issues. In fact, with you that many therapists are from s wdies 1 ltwe read, most clinicians not trained in transgender issues and get YUlually no training In even the rro st t bar t be consumer should shop care · bas c aspects of human sex,.gender fully for help. However~ we also i.ssues So, in many instances, these pro believe that b istorically, some care - ~s5ionals have no more understanding givers who have held themselves of these intricacies than the average per forth as expen s on transsexualism son_ In my opinion. the basic tenet of have been needl.essly obstructionistic arry therapist should be, "First of all, do and have done considerable harm by oo harm.. Fol.lowing from that is the cru - filling the professional literature ci3l nee1 ior the therapist to undersond with pejorative descriptions of trans · his ber OT. n b~s so that they do not sexual persons. The reason for "The ·get in the ••ay of treatment. Unfortu Politics of Diagnosis,• however, was nalety. eg~ oien get 11 the way of treat that t be university·affi1iated gender ment ..-ch the effects so vividly described clinics saw themselues, generally in rour article. 1'be Politics of Diagnosis speaking, as the vanguard in the and :i Diagoosis of Politics." treatment of transsexualism, and yet I do n - Roger E. Peo, Ph.D. Concluded on page 7 Chrysalis Quarterly 5 The following appeared on JO October, 1992 in the AJlanta Journal/Constitution Teenager Missing School Because He's Not Allowed to Dress as a Girl by Pat Burson ATri-Cities High School senior fighting new idcnticy not be disclosed. I-le said for his choice "to be a girl'' has remained he plart~ to have a scx-dungeopei:ition away from school for nearly three weeks in a few years. because of an impasse with Fullon Coun· Ms. Baber acknowledges that pan of ty ~chool offk:ials, who have ruled that heranger at the school is from frustra· he cannOL come to school any more tlon over her son's behavior. ''I v.•an t to drel>Sed as a girl. beatthem upfornothelping mt'., [but J I PrinCi!Xl l Hersche l Robinson recendy know it's not their fault.'' infonned t\ic holas Ricks! 17, who has School of fi cia Is and icholas say thev been cro~ressing since ast spring and have discussed the pa;sibilily or his goirtt considers himself a pre-operative tmns to an altemati"e sc hool district for stu· sexual, that he ·would have to dress dents who have difficulty in traditional appropria tely until the medical ard legal school setting5. But Ms. Baber, whose per documeniaLion came in to state thathe mission is n.'Cjuired for such a trans (er, is w.i.'> a girl.'' worried abt)u t whac might happen there, Dr. Heishel Robinson sa id prtll'isions and said she wants reassurance from ha\'e been madt: for Mchola~ to use school officials. restroolll.'i in the admi11istra1ive suite and School spokeswoman Elizabeth Ack to use the cooches' office to change if he ennan said this case is unique, but a sign takes physical education. However, the of the Limes. "I Lhink it 's the beginning principal said, the student will be allowed of what we will see more of in schools." to dress as a female only if he has the Dal la s Denny, "ith ihe Atlanta-based medical and legal documentation. American F.ducatiooal Gender Jn forma!lm Meanwhile, Nicholas's mother, Ka th· Seivice, Inc (AEGIS), a national infomn· leen Baber, Is ii-ate with Dr. Robinson tiun publisher and r:eferr.il service, sug :1 nd o ther school officials for not gested that ihe family seek counseling responding to her pleas for help last a nd include school officials so th2t a spdng, when she first diseovered her son compromise might be struck. was dressing as a girl at school. lntenllonally using the f emini~ pro She Is still disrraughL "ll's like noun, Ms. Uenny said of Nichol:ls, She's w:itching your son die, and nobody will e ntitled to an e ducation, and sne help you," she said, crying. shouldn't have to be a boy to gee it.· Nicholas savs he wants the freedom to Local lawyers say the U.S. Suprrmt' express himse'lf as a fema le, espccia lly Court has ruled repeatedly that student> do now that he is undergoing honrone thera not have unlimited rights in public schoob py. altering hL~ physique and voice. " I think it's a haro case," said GeoJ'8IS ·1 ft>el just llke a girl," he said during State University law i:xofessorStephen an imeivlew Fdday at his family's home. We nniel. "I think che coun. s that h::nbeard from •Ni cbolas." Nicholas now uses a female name she was back in school. altending at and a new surname, but asked that his an alternative localion- Ed. G Chrysalis Quarterly P013ox (Continued from p. 5) may know, our publications are con· that their needs and thought proces~s cemed with t ht> facts s urrou rrli~ the are much the same as those of imle-to· s urgerles in Trinidad and Brussels and female crossdresseis. It will take time to not the experiences traveling to each work with our new female-to-male mem fmgralified LO know that Af.ClS has particular site of surgery. ber.;, learn their needs, and respond to becoire heir w Lhe original Frick.son I thank you for your help in this s il· them appropriately. The first female- to· f.ducationaJ Foundation's Guideline ualion. I very much respect the work male crossdresser to break the barrier and UJfonnalimaJ booldeu;. Zelda Sup AEGIS does and hope your organiza· then, must be a person of deep under· plee, E." Cbr1:salis Qua11erlv 7 Themselves about her body as a long black cape ...... 8 Chrysalis Quarterly diversi~l' ... • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • f • • O 1992 by Billie j ean ]ones Billie jean is one of a kind. Her newsletter, "GenderFtex• (fonnerly "1V Guise), All Rights Reserved can be obtained by writing her at 3430 Ba/moral, Sacramento, CA 30033. A Splendor of Gender OfASPs and GAPs in Genderbet Soup by Billie jean ]ones Here and there in the A B C D E F G - now I know my X Y Zees. Oh, the alphabet (you bette<; yoo "Splendor ofGender" bet, you bet), these letter sets (and associated subtexts)- Oh language, theme articles we've thou foul seducer of deducing minds (if I can just 6nd mine I'll be fine); thou stinking cauldron of mucky mire (one moment please, I'll soon tire); thou placed quotes from Wendy shrieking semblance of sentience (there, I'm done with this sentence). Parker's "The Gender What's it ail about, Alfie? Co mmunity: Where are QW#@HBFDCXZlll we going in tbe nineties?" Come again? which first appeared in Excuse me, I just needed to get that out of my system- a little blast of IFGE's 1V-TS Tapestry. In energy to stir the alphabet soup- gee the Letters all stirred up, some forming it, she discusses the divi tantalizing strings, acronyms, abbreviations, words. I was getting lost in the musings of what they might mean- that is, if words had formed I would be siveness in the gender getting lost in their meanings, but when they are partially formed I tend to get community, pointing out, lost in what they might form. as did Benjamin Franklin You definitely lost me- what the hell are you talking about? at the signing of the Dec I wasn't, actually. I was just getting started. See, I needed to shift the 'ol laration ofIndepen transmission from the whirling motor of emotions, images, feelings, thoughts dence, u~ must all bang and transliterate them into firute letterS and words, even though much will be together, or assuredly, we lost in the translation-language, after all, is just an abstraction. Could you just skip the abstract transition and get to the point, please? shall all bang separately. " There may not be a point because everything is a process, so at best, this is just ~ recall thal Franklin a point in the process, and since the process is constantly evolving, the point... also said, "Persons ofgood Come on, I see the letter lying right next to the keyboard- you're sense, I have since supposed to be writing an article on gender diversity for Chrysalis observed, seldom fall imo Quarterly- like, cool it with the transm'ission, transliteration, transla disputalion, except tion stuff and get on with transgender; transsexual, transvestite stuff. lawyers, university men, Yeah, that's true ... ya know, if there was a lotta diversity I could be writing about something more meaningful than the limitations inherent in a "Good and men ofall sorts that '01 Boys" (GOB) dub- Hey! that's a good one for the gender alphabet since have been bred at Edin gobs and gobs of\Vhite Heterosexual Identified Males (WHIMs) keep the burgh.• 'iXf! don't necessar Genderbet soup stirred up all the time any...... ay ... ya know, sometimes I think I ily share Franklin's see some cr~esser bored outta their gourd walk over to a notebook and prejudices, nor Billie start scribbling-a WHIM, mind you, one-o-those pale penis people who, on a jean's about "WHIMs. • whim decides they got it together and need to "set the world straight"- ChrysaJts Quarterly 9 some kinda acronym/abbreviation, new derland, and are in fact, experienced sense of "revelation" seems LO compel word thing that defines who every Gender Explorers, most of the voices we action- but rather than continue with body else is (or should be). So any· listen Lo and read are rather WHIMsical deconstructi ng the entire "act" of gen way, this half-imagined pinhead, who (as is our entire culture). During some der, TlPs switch roles and book passage only exists somewhere in the wispy of our early explorations we scratched coast co coast through the mists of tendrils of what passes for my mind, up the patriarchal filters of our lenses, Genderland. carves their logo on their sword and and since then we don 'l see things the Into this twilight zone of Gender· shield and sets fonh co slay the drag way we used to. In our early daze, we land, a non-transsexually inclined GAP ons lurking just outside, or, at any were excited that this may have hap· explorer encounters massive inOexJbili· rate, to slay the imagined dragons that pened to other Gender Explorers, but ty- the transcendental polarity of the threaten world peace and the virginity more and more this seems to not be the "changer/changed" and the "natural" of maidens everywhere. Yes indeedee. case at all. polarity of the "organic" both pointing And, not only will this WHIM protect We were at a loss as to why more to the culturally foundational assump the maidens, who embody the spirit of people didn't explore the vastness of tion of binary gender- a flimsy founda· the Goddess Of Our Femininity Genderland rather than quickly lion to build rigid role rules on. (What (GOOF), this WHIM 'Will guise itself in traversing from one coast LO another. is the gender of a true hermaphrodite?) the Image of the Goddess so as to fool We could understand the dysphoric In our own gender explorations, we the dragon into an early demise. Soon, traveler making passage pose haste, have acted variations within the two the WHIM warrior believes, the grateful but the greater number of formally written roles , and we have populace will erect GOB cascles across traveler/explorers we have met here glimpsed ourselves as different aspects the land and gather within Lo sing and there have not been dysphoric of the same "person," regardless. We songs of praise to the GOOF, and the just somewhat confused. have also caught sight of ourselves co· Purity Of Cross·dressing (POC) will be The more we explored, the more our mingled and questioned what, exactly, protected evermore. lenses got scratched, and soon we we saw or perceived- what gender are Excuse me, I don't think that's the could see that gender was just an we in transition? And because we are kind ofarticle Dallas wants for CQ. arbitrary, binary division of people by intermittently Lransposing, and co·min· Well, what do ya think about the earlier WHIM warriors to enforce CON gled at times both in the presentation GOOFy image of GOB castles POC-mark· TROL by first Dividing and then Con sense and in the perceptive sense, we ing the landscape of WHIM CD turf? quering. Without our filter we "read" call us "it" because we can not be gen Jn a literary sense, you are out on the st0ry of Noah's Ark as a historical der-specific; we know we are "other,• the edge, if not already over the edge. account of the drowning of Ambigu· whether that is "the third sex" or "the Maybe you should rest and start over. ously Sexed Peoples (ASPs) and Gender third gender" Is less significant than I don't feel cranky, so I must not need Alternative Persons (GAPs) so that the knowing we are not either-or, and that a nap. Besides, I'm having fun, which is binary "purity" of defined sex and we don 'l have Lo be only either-or. an indicator that I'm on my path- per gender could be "cleansed" and main (What clothing and accessories would a haps it is you who needs a nap. tained as an absolute-and, absolutely true hermaphrodite possess?) Brat. dominated by WHIMs-without any Marjorie Garber, in Vested interests, Killjoy. gap in either-or. We tried different makes and reiterates the point that Airhead. lenses, no lenses, bifocals, trifocals people look through the cross-dresser (or Okay, okay, I've had enough- wha t we tried many times but have not transvestite) rather than at them. Many else can you show me? found much "Truth" behind the veil of people seem to look through I can't show you anything- I Jive gender. We hold gender to be a con· Lransvestism to see gender; many more inside your head, remember? You're the struct; a masking device; an "act"- a look through to see sexuality; some one who •shows. •So show. requirement to participate "on the see through to theater. When one Dear reader (genlle or otherwise), stage of life" (where each muse play looks (if one can) directly at a cross· please forgive this display of dialogue their part). dresser, what is it? between myself. We have this proclivity Many Transsexually Inclined Persons Sometimes we take our selves out to interject our selfness omo the uni· (TIPs) reveal this by staling, "I always lO "Genderland" and mix it up with verse as if we were the center (which we felt like I was 'acting' the man's/woman's other ingredients in the Genderbet are) without allowing for other perspec role." We hold chat every person "aces" soup-- but we don't find much diver· tives (which we aren't) when we are a gender. Those who begin Lo perceive sity because the active clubs/organiza· writing. We often believe it is because their own act are "seeing" Lhe pup· Lions, publications and especiall y the we don't have anyone else living with peteer behind the puppet; they are events, are orientated toward and us, and the best exposure we have Lo "hearing" the "real" voice coming from dominated by GOOF WHLMs, whether other perspectives comes from listening the lips or the ventriloquist; they are they are CD-1V, TG or TS. The real diver and reading. While we are immensely "sensing" the thinker behind the sity in Genderland is excluded by che interested in news and events from Gen- thought. For many TIPs this preliminary Concluded on page 41 IO Chrysalis Quarterly diversity . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • amstme bas worked in a l)Qriety of mental bealtb settings, rangmg from bigb/y tradit1or.af day A Splendor of Gender N'Mbl"~J programs, baifaJay bo!lSt:S, trr.d msis f acililies ro bigbly nor.-rra· Homeless Transsexuals: d&Jional ptogram.s such as tbe Ter.der/&ir: Self Help The Problem We Never Talk About Cen:er. Add!hOr.alJy sbe atter.dedJFK l:m~ in Onr.tlil Californ:.3, u.bere by Christine Tayleur sbe rr.ajGnd m 1rans-per sonal ps;cbology. Sbe is currently a Counseling Supen;uor witb tbe Tender· loin SelfHelp Center. H omeless people are treated like pariahs by this society. The welfure depart· ment blames them for being poor; the police treat them like criminals and assume that they are drug addicts or, if female, prostitutes, and the general populace avoids them whenever possible. Along with the usual problems homeless people face- discrimination in employment, hygiene problems, finding shelter and food- the male-to-female transsexual faces many addi tional burdens. (I have confined myself to the male-to-female here, because she is usually the most visible, though most of these problems are applicable to the female-to-male). Because they are perceived as being lower in starus than other persons, transsexuals are especially at risk as victims of violence. It's assumed that the police don't care what happens to them, and this is unfonunately all too often the case in a patriarchal, sexist, and homophobic society. On the street, the transsexual is subject to harassment, rape, and other kinds of violence. Peo ple become very threatened by a male dressing as a female, and so transsexu als are subject to a rather intense fo rm of homophobia that I call "trans-phobia." \Vhen transsexuals become victims of this tranS·phobia, rhere are few services to assist them. The homeless transsexual is particularly subject to discrimination in get ting her basic needs met. She faces all the problems of other homeless women, and in addition has facial and body hair to deal with- and, because she is homeless, it is difficult to obtain the hygiene supplies, soap, shampoo, razors, makeup, and other supplies she will need to maintain a presentable appearance. The transsexual woman needs cosmetics to cover facial hair. She has to try to find and maintain a hormone prescription, for she needs estro gens to reduce body hair, slow down beard growth, and maintain a feminine body shape. Similarly, the female-to-male needs androgens to maintain a male appearance, stop the menses, create a male voice, and develop other male secondary sex characteristics such as facial and body hair. In our culture, a woman is expected to maintain her appearance to a much greater extent than a man. And a trans.5e>rual has to work twice as hard to be considered half as good as a non-transsexual. Chrysalis Quarterly 11 There are only two shelters in San system has a few beds, but this may be Francisco that have a formal policy on inappropriate for an :addict who needs The TSHC: the admission of transsexuals. These drug or alcohol detoxU'ication services. shelLers segregate Lranssexuals from These are just some of the prob Every City Needs One the general population and assign them lems faced by the homeless transsexu specific beds (separate but equal, any al. The discrimination and harassment one?) They require the individual to that she faces makes life panicularly The Tenderloin Self-Help have identification for the gender in difficult, contributes to mental illness Center is a nontraditional, which they are living. If you are home and substance abuse, and may force less and penniless, the six dollars her into drug-dealing or prostitution. alternative community resource and counseling Fear and ignorance together create a catalyst in society for violence. agency targeting the needs Street Queens and Gay prostitutes in drag are usually ostracized from of San Francisco's communi most gender groups- Wendy Parker ty. The Tenderloin is a required by the Department of Motor There are possibly more trans· densely populated, multi Vehicles, which issues identity cards, gendered people in lhe Bay Area than ethnic inner-city neighbor can seem like a fortune. Furthermore, in in any other metropolitan area of the order to get identification in the appro United States. In the desperate hope hood with a significant priate gender, one has to have a physi· of finding help for their problems, transsexually-identified cian 's signature, and a doctor's visit many transsexuals come to San Fran minority population. The costs around forty dollars These shel· cisco because of its reputalion for Lers do not have the same requiremenLS being a "gay Mecca ." Unfortunately, TSHC offers one-on-one for nontranssexuals. This seems patent Lhey find that most of the services are peer-oriented counseling, ly unfair and discriminatory. privale, or are oriented to gay men Homelessness can cause many and don't want to deal with them. community education and types of mental tllness, and It exacer· The vast majority of San Francis· support groups, referrals, bates existing conditions. Some trans co's transsexuals a re hard-working, sexuals, like other homeless people, are stable members of society. Some are and advocacy services. former mental patients. Many were engineers, computer programmers, Transgender support ser turned out on the streets because of auorneys, psychologists, or physi vices include a general sup the closure or reduction in funding of cians. Others are waitresses, beauti· many transitional housing programs for cians, or laborers. These people who port group and an addiction the mentally lll that took place during can pay have access LO the many pri· support group for transgen the Reagan era. Many homeless people vate services available for transsexual suffer from war-like stress symptoms ly-identifled people. Those who are dered women and men, and similar to Post-Traumatic Stress Disor· homeless and penniless don't. several peer counselors who der. or "Vietnam Veteran 's Syndrome." San Francisco has a long history Transsexuals have these same pres and a great reputation for tolerance are themselves transsexual sures, in addillon to the already stress and respect for diversity. It was the people in various stages of ful burden of being gender-conflicLed. site for the signing of the UN Charter, transition. In early 1993, the Furthermore, many homeless transsexu· which was supposed to guarantee als are themselves Vietnam veterans who food, shelter, clothing, and medical TSHC will begin outreach were highly decorated combat veterans, care for the citizens of the signing services to the transsexual and are themselves suffering from Post· countries. However, San Francisco is Traumatic Stress Disorder in addilion lo not living up to its great historical tra· prostitute community and gender dysphoria, and sometimes from ditions, and is doing a great disser· an employment service for substance abuse or mental illness prob vice to this Vtilnerable minoriLy. The transgendered persons. lems as well- not LO mention all of the city needs more services specifically problems attendant on being homeless. targeLed to and sensitive to the needs Transsexuals who have problems of gender and sexual minorities, as with subslance abuse have limited well as other minorities. Tenderloin Self Help Center options, as few public inpatient pro The lack of human services for 191 Golden Gate Avenue grams will accept Lhem. Mo.st programs transsexuals and other gender and San francisco, CA 94102 don'l know how LO work with transsex sexual minorilies is nothing short of a (415) 554-0518 uals, or simply won't. The memal health violation of human rights. g:1...... 12 Chrysalis Quarterly dreamed of a breast operation and sex Elisabeth Is a 32 year-old Caucasian Case Vignettes reassignment surgery, but the money transsexual woman. She stands about was never enough. 5'10 and has beautiful brown eyes and Jo-Ann Jo-Ann became addicted to drugs dark blonde hair. For almost two-and· and alcohol. At age 19, she moved to a-half years she has been in recovery Jo·Ann is a 20 year-old transsexual San Francisco, where she kept getting from a heroin habit of long standing. 11.'0man who Is often homeless. She inlO abusive relationships with men. She is a strikingly beautiful woman. suffers from AIDS Jo-Ann is a beautlful The men were themselves often alco· .Elisabeth comes from a middle-class person· warm, intelligent, thoughtful, holic or drug-addicted, although family from Santa Clara, California. Her and couneous. She is an attractive· sometimes they would ostensibly be father was an Air Force officer who looking worrun, especially when she ln recovery. They were always abusive, divorced her mother when she was seven. m2:CCS an effort She stands aboUL 5'7' and would beat her severely. Elisabeth always blamed herself for the :md ~'Cigt\5 about a hundred and Last year,Jo·Ann got into recovery. divorce when she was growing up. Iler sixty-five pounds She has straight· She was diagnosed with AIDS al the mother, a recovering alcoholic, works al a coed hair, light chocolate skin. and same time. She ran off to New England, major department store in San Jose. loog feminine eyelashes. where she became involved with two Elisabeth spent four years in the Jo-Ann Is from Kemucky She has lesbian women. They took advantage of Navy, where she learned computer pro tvo·o siblings-a brother slightly older her, stealing her money and involving gramming. It was in the Navy that she lhln her, and a sister ~·ho is even her in a variety of mllegal and dangerous began to use hard drugs to ease the oldcs-. When she was growing up, scams. Finally, after a terrible winter, pain of feeling like a woman trapped in duos Y>-as king l:J her famil} Her unable to maintain hormones or get a man's body. She had joined the Navy fat.her, an illilCntc alcohoUc and the adequate health care, she returned to Lo try to "make a man out of herself," dcsccmhnt of share-croppers, physi San Francisco. Since then, she has con· for she had been crossdressing In her cally and sc:xtnlly abused her tlnued to spend lime In bars, and occa· molher's and sister's clothing since throughout her childhood and early sionally gives in Lo temptation and gets she was a small child. During high adolescence. Her mother was a hyper· loaded. She periodically engages in school, she had started drinking and religious fundamentalist Christian who prostitution. She slill feels the need for hanging out with the "stoners," the conveniently overlooked the abuse. the auention of sleazy men and the drug-using crowd. She indulged in Because of her feminine appearance stage lights of the Black Rose, a filthy alcohol and marijuana and occasionally and mannerisms, and because she was and dangerous Tenderloin hangout for used other drugs, but it was in the mili· a person of color in an almost all-white transsexual prostitutes. tary that she started using heroin. school, her early life was traumatic at Jo-Ann at least uses condoms on a After being discharged in 1984, Elisabelh best. The bullies would beat her up, regular basis, which she gets from us at moved into the Tenderloin and started tak· and she got suspended from school the Tenderloin Self-Help Center. We lng female hormones and doing female for wearing v.-omens' dolhes. Her par· have connected her with various AIDS impersonation in bars. She continued cnts had her committed to the sme agencies, from which she gets free AZT, using drugs. She became caught up in mental hospital because of acting-out and which offer free counseling. We prostitution, and the drugs continued to in school and crossdressing. When have helped her to get Supplement.al dominate her life. She was often homeless. she came back, nothing had Security Income, although it doesn't In 1989, Elisabeth came to the TS/IV changed- the [amily was still as dys· provide her with enough money to pay Addiction Group at the Tenderloin Self· functional as C\'er, if not worse. rent and utilities and still eat, and so Help Center. The group saved her life. When she "came oUL" to her family, she turns the occasional trick. Because of the non-traditional, alternative Jo-Ann's parents both rejected her. Jo·Ann checks in with us once or approach, and because of the other She was kicked out of the house at age twice a week, when her lifestyle and transsexuals there, she was able to auend sixteen. On the streets, she was forced disease threaten to overwhelm her. and graduate from a 30-day VA detoxilka· into prostitution in order to survive. She knows that when she Is finally lion program, which she entered as a man Life on the streets is hard for any· ready to commit herself to a serious (it would not have been available to her body, but for a teen-aged transsexual course of recovery and get help, we as a woman). About six months later, she prostitute of color, it is fraught with will be there for her. gave up prostitution. danger. Jo·Ann was at risk for victim· These days, Elisabeth is working as a ization by the other street people, the Elisabeth computer programmer for a major firm customers, the police, pimps, and in San Mateo County. She is consider· others. In the midst of her stress-mled Not all transsexuals who live In the Ing returning to school Lo get a mas· and often violent life, Jo·Ann tried to Tenderloin are condemned to misery, ter's degree in psychology so that she maintain hormones, learn to dress poverty, and addition. One young can work with other transsexuals. She and present herself as a woman, and woman, formerly troubled, is a gen· lives in a nice aparunenL in Oakland, save money for electrolysis. She uine success. and is now 2 1/2 years dean and sober. Chrysalis Quarterly 13 Billy Tipton He didn't give Billy was was a jazz up anything, married, with . . muszczan. for he wasn't a three adopted When he died, woman . sons. His in 1989, .------. family did Billy Tipton was a (choose one): television not know of and a. woman his female b. lesbian newspaper anatom~ c. crossdresser sources AEGIS but they '1 d. man P.O. Box 33724 proclaimed.______D_eca _1ir,_cA_30_03__,3 knew him to have The gay something the been a woman community neiuspaper who had lived was quick to and television as a man in proclaim Billy and gay press order to be a as a lesbian. didn't- that jazz musician. They were Billy Tipton "He gave up wrong, too. was a man. everything," Billy wasn't a Billy Tipton lived and died as a man. His life was not an they said. They lesbian, imposture, and the notion that he was anything less than a man i5 a denial of everything that he was. were wrong. either. Hands om He's one of ours! 14 Chrysalis Quarterly history . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Harry Ben}amm began trealing transsexual people in New York City at a time when ii was impo.Wble tofind trealmenl atl}-U.bere else in the Ur.i~ Sla1es. His 1966 te.xtboo«, 7be Transsexual Pbe--~ ·was the first Harry Benjamin, M.D. i..'1111~ in tbe U.S. 1be ~~for prof~.:!.s a: ~field of A Remembrance ger"'*r~ u r.arr~ afinbm. by Henrietta Thom11S Stephen Jay Goold, a brilliant and inlluential sdentis~ wrote In the September 1991 issue of Natural History, "Ultimate judgment must reside on a criteri on of utility. All good science is accumulative. No one can get everything right the first time ... " Further along in his article, "Unenchanted Evening," Gould adds, "We must have visceral contact in order to love." These quota tions describe Dr. Harry Benjamin and his relationships with patients. After a long practice which began before World War I, Dr. Benjamin, by then an established, though maverick, endocrinologist with a particular interest in geriatrics, was approached in 1948 by his friend, the eminent Dr. Alfred Kinsey, to e.xamine an individual who did not fit into Kinsey's perceived scheme of sexual orientation. Reports have it that this person was very feminized, but was not a physical pseudohermaphrodite- nor, apparenciy, a transvestite. A decision was made co send the person ro Europe, where it was possible to treat his;her condi tion, which Dr. Benjamin felt was causing unrelieved mental distress. In this way, Dr. Benjamin began a new practice of treating transsexuals, and for quite a while no one else seemed to take on such patients. In 1954, when I made my fir.;t appointment, his total transsexual practice was an awkward squad of dissonantly different sorts of gender-confused patients which had scarcely passed the two dozen count- not nearly enough for conclusions or classifications. An interjection is necessary at this point. In 1949, a physician who devoted all his time and energies ta research issued a shon monograph in which he described a syndrome identifying certain very rare persons as having been oorn female, albeit incompletely, and whose postnatal growth and devel opment masked or erased much or most evidence of feminization. Because of some undisclosed genetic cause and anomalous embryological events, neurological differentiation was somehow inhibited. Thus, a female nervous system-a female brain, as it were, developed, incubating the present notion of "being a woman trapped in a male body." David Cauldwell, M.D., was the insightful ex:plicator and theorist. He coined the word transexual. Chrysalis Quarterly 15 By his term lransexual, Dr. Cauld Dr Benjamin ext0lled Wi th great career as a guidance counselor, hav· well meant a bridging of genders wilh emphasis the virtues of being male: ing a cllentele of children and youth. no direcl reference lo sexual preference greater polential power, grealer likeli· While this seems a paradox, most of my or orientalion. I gathered that the syn· hood of superior earnings, greater work actually was with adults- par· drome was a form, though newly esteem In the eyes of significant oth encs and school personnel- includ described, of intersexualHy, bu t with· ers, more upward mobility, and hence ing top administrators. Dr. Benjamin ou t the obvious features of such eso more satisfaction and reward- nol to encouraged me enthusiastically. I was teric curiosities as hermaphroditism mention being in command sexually. hell-benl to succeed and establish a (exceedingly rare) or peudo While conversation with him was easy reputation; I began to find it difficult hermaphroditism (rare enough). At that and forthright, 1 was really under a to gee over to New York from another lime, the medical literature was begin· spell of lelling persuasion. After all, lhe state for checkups. ning to pay auenlion lo chromosomal doclOr was male and proud of it. He For a dozen years or more it was mysteries like Klinefelter's syndrome was astonished lh al I revealed no one rung up the ladder followed by and Turner's syndrome. Dr. John erotic drive or desire. another, With opporrunities to travel, Money ofjohns Hopkins University was "Do yo u have erections in the publish, and to become known as a and is the authority on such cases. morning?" risk-taking maverick, after all. Into dis I did not come across Dr. Cauld Taken off guard, I responded, card went ties , suits, shorl hair and well' s contribution until 1954, but "Are you supposed co?" hiding a developed bosom. once I did, I lost no time in contacting The doctor was incredulous. However, 1 am geuing ahead of him. Dr. Cauldwell was a compassion After further probing, he came to real· myself. After I had made a more-than· ate and generous man. He mid me he lze I was asexual, likely congeniLally, fair effort as a guinea pig, Dr. Benjamin believed there was no cure for crans· and sterile. He was all for a two-prong decided 1 was incurable. My physiolog sexualism, only alleviation and coping. remedial action. I was to be under the ical self rejected the maturation As he did not care to have a care o r a psychiatrist, and also to steroids and androgens. I remained patient practice, Dr. Cauldwell sug· receive masculinizing and maturational unaroused in the morning or other gested that I make an appointment treatment through powerful injections wise. No muscularity developed. with Dr. Benjamin. of androgens and steroi ds. I had By that time the doctor had Tragic it is when someone of stopped maturing at age 11 or 12, he examined many patients with gender empathy, of innovative synthesis, and concluded. Well, better than "making a dysphoria, and he was in the throes of who gives generously of his time, man of me" by joining the marines. and separa ti ng the wheac from the chaff. passes away quite young, with much far less hazardous than purging via He of course eventually developed and left undone. Dr. Cauldwell affected the marriage, both frequenl to-this-day published a taxonomy to accommo· course of my life profoundly. Inciden disasters for transsexuals. date what he regarded as types and tally, for the sake of historic accuracy, Was Dr. Benjamin's two-pronged possible permutations of gender dys his coinage had one "s": cransexual approach a stumbling block? It was a phoria- the six stages. As a true sci ism. My call to Dr. Benjamin's office veritable boulder in my palh. Madame entist, today he would no doubt scrap was rewarded with a friendly voice. psychiatrisl had little Interest in hls table in favor of new findings His nurse scheduled an appointment. exploring my feeHngs. I was then sent which are being empirically eslab· The venue was a Park Avenue address to a clinician of the Adlerian school, Hshed. just above Hunter College. It looked who suggested being in the ve ry As far as I can remember, Dr. Ben· and was "big time." Other patiencs activities in which I was already fully jamin did not alter no menclature. not dysphoric- were of the wealthy participating. She dolefully let me Transsexuals appeared to him to be of set, with chauffeured vehicles at the know a couple of very funny dreams I various intensities and intentions. He curb. described were symptomatic of saw no need for such a vague and Dr. Benjamin's entry was memo· impending emotional doom. Dr. Ben· more all-embracing word as gender rable and quite grand. He was short, jamin was Hvid. He regarded the two as dysphoria. He did feel that differential bald, and elderly, and the epitome of analogous LO the "know-nothings" of diagnosis was most crucial. The estab professional dignity. He was clad, not 19lh century political history. "Forget lishment of the Benjamin Standards of surprisingly, in the ubiquitous white them! Forgel them all!" he added, "I Care followed his impecus and coat. He made me think of a grandfa· will provide your therapy." He very emphases. Today, those diagnostic therly figure, though, uh, not mine, co gravely counseled , "Do not discuss centers which are of impeccable repute be sure. After inviting me to be seated your feelings with anolher physician, hew w lhe Standards. alongside his desk in a room filled with whether your family doctor or some Dr. Benjamin seemed to feel thal shelves of books, he eased me into a specialist. They have no experience or my chameleon camouflage as a man conversation during which 1 described empathetic insight." provided procectlon from abuse and my feelings and alarming confusions, Wi thin a year, alchough by now humiliation, for there are all too many while he largely listened. pushing forty, I launched into a new Concluded on page 51 16 Chrysalis Quarterly diversity . .. • • • • • • • • f • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Glamazon Press P.O. Box 423602 San Francisco, CA 94142 (415) 346-8157 Christine Beatty A Splendor of Gender What is a Drag Queen? by Christine Beatty Go4:!J of~ mneties should indz,:de rq>a:nng. once and /Ot" aJ1, ~ du.u1ue schism of ~ a.-.d ducomfort that somebody please tell me what a "drag queen" is? We all know what chac ~ se!leTa1 groups WI tba1 taw ~.all} tbe means, don't we? Ajudge was once asked how he defined porncwaphy, and his ~ Olle!rl polihcal and answer was, "I know it when I see it" Do we know a drag queen we see one? social goa;J; ~ofecono m· "Drag queen" is a term often used to label certain elements of the ICjree:J11-: r..:J cDoice of lifestJles.. Ttt tDree groups cross-gender community. People who are ignorant of gender is.5ues use it to COT.rut of ta Ga:! wmmu.ni denote any genetic male in a dres.s. Sometimes the name is used by gender ry, toe C: 1USJ~ GOmmU· people to desaibe themselves. Unfortunately, the label has also been used by ml), cNi &u 1 r::rr.sse:cual some cross-gendered people to refer to others in a derogatory and exclusion co:n-.wn.'J. T~u has been a,, • .....easy alliance• tlJat ary manner. As :a community, we cannot afford this. basrr. in 1-j~ The gender community is as diverse as any other group in society, and ~toese~ Tbe probably the most discriminated against Yet in the face of hostility, we find rea m:vuse:xua!s mer.Jet! tbe ~for. bemgas sons to be separatists. For instance, some of us who feel we are more public im:C zbeir desired "respectable" tO society tend to blame "drag queens," in part, for our poor exfJrt!SSlDn offmurnmty and social standing. Tu be certain, public attention often focuses on the most visi· nor ~.a-:g the social ble and colorful members of any minority. Yet it is no excuse for bashing them, OSlTa;t.S7': and :be job du cnmina11ar. tDa1 a iranssex verbally or otherwise. It does not give us a right to use labels judgementally. ual suffers,~ Again, I ask: what are drag queens? Some of us have firm ideas about that, finding herself m a ...ei;,ly yet we should stay open-minded. Psychologists are not much use to us in this terci· created economic ·plnk gbet· to.· On the other band, SJrict tory. Richard Docter admits in his book, Transvestites and Transsexuals: ly beterosexuaJ crossdres:sing Toward a Theory ofCross -Gender Behavior (1988, Plenum Press- Ed.), that groups baue been StJmewbat very little is known about the "horoo.5exual" variations of cross-genderism, includ· exdusive and discriminatory ing primary transsexualism. The literature I have read seems to support this notion. wwards gays, bisexuals, and suspicious of the transsexuals So what are drag queens? Some people believe that drag queens are and their needs in their members of the gay community. The fact is, however, that most transgendered newly acquired role ofthe people who get called drag queens are not really members of the gay commu opposite sex. Tbe Gay com· nity. To call them gay means that all cranssexuals are homosexual except for the munity as a whole basfelt that their tastes and goots ones who choose sexual partners that are chromosomal opposites. Certainly, were entirely different than some gender people may identify as gay, but often they are gender ignorant that of the Gender communi· and tend to view their sexuality using biologically-based labels. ty.- Wendy Parker Chrysalis Quarterly 17 Why would they do this? Several position that we "proper" transsexu tus) are of the lace-onset variety. We factors may contribute to this confu· als should help out our prostitute sis· often have a formal education and sion with labels. The words "drag ters when we can, but otherwise some job skills behind us. We have sel· queen" have been used by some distance ourselves as much as poss!· dom, if ever, experienced life on the GIDAANT people (GIDAANT stands for ble. (Remember, crab lice can jump ten street for an extended period of time, Gender Identity Disortkr of Adolescence feet!) How are we supposed to provide especially at a younger age. We have or Adulthood, Nontranssexual Type, a any kind of role model at arm's length? never known some of the pressures diagnostic label in the DSM lll-R- these Most of the cross-gendered pros· that these "drag queens" have. Can are the people called transgenderlsts litutes I have known- and I have we imagine what it must be like to be a &1) and even by a number of pre-opera· known at least a hundred- come from ceenager who wants to change his or live transsexuals to describe them· poor families and/or were runaways al her sex and has only "drag queens" selves. Often, lhese are people who find an early age. Given the high cost of for role models? Can we further imag· ine how hard it can be lO break out of The whole subject ofhomophobia in America is insujjerably that life after a number of years? tedious, but, like it or not, this community will always be associated I believe that the judgmental with traditional gay lifestyles as long as most people still feel that the cerm of "drag queen" is sometimes only reason that we dress is to attract men. Outside ofthe obvious applied in envy. In some cases, we got validation offemininity attention from males affords our own into transition too late to be pretty girls, and have lO settle for just "pass· psyche, we know that is often not the specific intention. ing" (when we can). The ones we call Nevertheless, we continue to be thought of as "Drag Queens" by the queens are often young and pretty. less educated in societ~ Wendy Parker Let's face it; it's a stereotypically femi nine Lrait to be catty, but let's not do the longer "trans·" words pretentious transitlon , a minimum wage job would so at the expense of these girls. or suggestive of psychopathology. have left them without a chance to femi· If we want to help them, we first There may be other reasons for eschew nize their bodies. Being inexperienced, need lO realize that some of them are ing th~e more clinical tenns. Perhaps it most such girls seek out "mentors" having fun being prostiruces. As a for· Is partly because "respectable" cross· when they first get to a neighborhood mer hooker, I can attest chat the job gendered folk- people who call them· such as San Francisco's Tenderloin dis· can actually be fun for a while. Really! It selves transsexual- have excluded trict. These mentors are usually prosti can also serve as a validacion of one's them. Why would they want to take on tutes who are doing well for themselves femininity. Yet, it does get old. If you the labels of their detractors or even lis· and who become role models fo r the get into a cycle where you are hope· ten to them In the first place? newer girls. It ls from such mentorships lessly addicted or don't believe you We still haven't defined "drag that gender ignorance and haphazard can do anything else to support your· queen." I have never read anything gender transilion are perpetuated. It is self, then you are really stuck. We who that adequately defined that phrase. too bad that many transsexuals who are better off are in a position to do a Docter reports that it is used to have done well for themselves disappear more positive form of mentorship, yet denote a gay male prostitute in drag, after they get their surgery and inte· we can't do it if we isolate and exclude yec I have often heard che term applied grate into mainstream society; maybe if the "drag queens." to genderfolk who have never turned a the younger girls had different role Gender education and rehabilita· trick in their life. Some people use the models, they wouldn't be prostitutes. tion are jobs that cannot be done at term to refer to gay male transvestites I care about this issue, and with arm's length. We must support our sis· who have a male Identity but occa· good reason. Five yea rs ago I was a full ters in more lhan word alone. It will take sionally dress as a woman for a variety time transsexual prostitute- excuse work on our part. For instance, it is very of reasons. Others use it to refer to me, drag queen. I am grateful that I difficult for the pre-op TS or the TG to those who do female impersonation. went into transition with two years of get into an inpatient recovery program With so many associated images, "drag college so that all I needed to do was as a woman. Faced with the prospect of queen" is a meaningless label that get off drugs, make some decisions, being forced to live as men (something should be abandoned, especially by and start over. I have done well for very damaging to our identity), most of responsible professionals. myself, yec I have never lost contact them don't go into drug programs. If we So let's talk about how we usu· with my sisters out on the street who wam to help our sisters, this is one area ally mean it: a cross-gendered person are struggling to survive. I have the where we could do something. engaged in prostitution. I don't think luxury of seeing life from their perspec· So what is a drag queen? I got all that prostitution is a great way of life, tive, as well as from that of profession the way through this article without yet I can't judge another for making als in the cross-gender community. establishing a concrete definition. Do that choice. I have seen some people Most successful transsexuals I you know why? Because there isn't in the gender community take the know (in terms of socioeconomic sta· one. g:1 18 Chrysalis Quarterly diversity . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • A Splendor of Gender When One of the Girls Goes To jail by Octavia Johnson/Little john Octauw was luckier than I t was a slow Monday night when I was arrested. I was perched at my usual she prooably realizes. She spot when a burgundy mini-van pulled up. A rather attractive man dres.5ed in didn't gel raped, she didn't black slacks and a camouflage jacket got out. "Off the wall and on the get pbysuall; abused, she ground," he yelled. didn'tget lodzed away out I freaked. Me, arrested? Didn't these people have anything better to do? What would they do to me? ofsigh t ofsociety for years, Unfortunately, these questions and many more I can't remember were and best ofall, she didn't answered within the next couple of hours. pick up as a john whoever Arrest procedure for prostitution is uncomfortable, at best. The oncc 11 is wbo bas murdered adorable officer is transformed into a large, obnoxious rodent, spewing fitie transgendered per obscenities left and right. The big oaf had the nerve to grab my sexual organ sons in AJlanta dun·ng the and pronounce, "What do you know? We got one of them drag queens." past year-and-a-half (four Drag queen, indeed! I didn't know whether to take that as a compliment for of the five appear to have my realness, or as an insult for what I am. been p rostitutes). She's He then asked me if I had AIDS or if I had needles in my purse. Then working the streets again, he handcuffed me. No matcer how many times you play around with the and it's onJy a matter of idea, nothing is more horrifying or more final than the click of those cuffs. llme before sbe is again On the way to jail, he asked me for both of my names- male and arrested, or worse. Here's female. He then started cracking jokes about split personalities. The next hoping her luck bolds set of questions were about how much I charged, how often I worked. out-Ed. Finally, he read me my rights. After that, he asked me how old I was. Then he asked if I had graduated from high school. When I said I was eighteen and yes, I had graduated, he sneered and said there was no reason for me to be hooking. I was already crying. Really, how was he supposed to know why a girl went to work? How was he supposed to know my fears of being dependent upon another person? Did he know how hard it i.5 for "one of those people" to get legitimate work? Thank the powers that be, I only had to listen to this guy's bullshit for fifteen minutes. I was damn near blubbering by the time we got to pretrial. Chrysalis Quarterly 19 Pretrial wasn't any fun. They Me and Michelle spent the morn seemed like blasphemy when I thought wouldn't let me touch up my makeup ing fending off "real men" and of friends who were dying of the dis before they took my picture. They exchanging tidbits about our lives. ease. But when I went before the asked me again If 1 had AIDS. They let Around noon, everyone was rounded judge, I told him exactly what she had me make only one phone call. As I sat up and led to a smaller holding cell. At told me to say. on the couch waiting to be booked, I least this time they had the respect to The judge was a man in his 60's watched the drug dealers and winos separate Michelle and me from the who had probably the most twang in walking In and out of the phone other sleare. Michelle lOld me we'd be his voice I've ever had the misfortune booth. Several people asked me for going In front of the judge In a couple to hear. He asked me only two ques· cigarette money, or if I wanted to be lions: Was I guilty? Did I have S250.00 to pay my fine? When I said yes to the their girlf[iend. The most I could man Does the "community" we so age for the nice ones was a sob, as I first question and no to the second, started to cry again. casually refer to even exist, or he looked my way, and said, "Twenty While I was sitting there, a sister is it merely wishful thinking on days for idling and loitering for the walked through the door. As they our part? Are we just a collec solicicacion of sex." assailed her with the same questions tion ofindividuals focusing on A sex offense. Minor, but still a they had asked me, she saw me and our own selfish goals, or do we sex offense. I cried all the way to the winked and said she'd help me. As they have a Larger altruistic agen jail. escorted her back to the phones, I da?-Wendy Parker When I got to the jail, an officer heard her cussing at the officers for named Sergeant Jackson asked if I was not treating her with the respect due a of hours. She stood in front of the a sissy. I had learned an important les lady. bent piece of metal that served as a son from Michelle: stand up for your I really hoped that chis display mirror, trying vainly to freshen up. I self. I looked that man in the eye and was a ploy to get me under conuol, realized that l probably looked as said, "Yes. Do you want to be one, because seeing her like that made me disheveled as she. We were not too?" Not real snappy, I know, but it roar with laughter. No matter how allowed to put on makeup or take a was all I could think of at the time. As I unhappy you are, a sister reading shower or do any of the things a girl was paraded back to the medical ward, the cops the riot act is a sight to does before she leaves the house. I felt a gush of relief. I knew I wasn't behold. After Michelle and I had spent going to be harassed any more during I was a liule worried she about three hours trying to fix each chis dreadful experience. wouldn't survive long enough to talk ochers' hair, some officers came in and The medical ward was a row of to me. BUL after another five minutes, handcuffed us together. Up to this twenty single cells with a central hall she scrolled around the corner, grin point, I had had some peace of mind, way and a common area called the day ning like the cat who ate the canary. As but as soon as those cuffs went on, I room. There were two other girls back far as realness goes, she wasn't much, got scared. Michelle looked at me and 1here with me, Brandy and Lisa. They but she was probably my salvation. said, "What are you worried about? provided constant chatter and won She said her name was Michelle. You're young white bread. The judge derment while I served my time. She had been arrested at about the might even ask for your number." I can honestly say that the rest same place as I, and for the same rea As I've already said, Michelle was of my stay was uneventful , except for son. Michelle was obviously a veteran my salvation. the day I was released, when I was has to the situation, because she was all When we got co coun, things sled again. As I said, this story was noc poise and grandeur. After talking with happened rather quickly. We went to a to warn you, nor to make you leave my me for a while, she explained how holding cell and waited LO be heard. profession. This is just my account of things would go. Since neither of us Michelle said "After this, we'll probably what happened to me when I was had friends we could count on to bail be separated." What she said next arrested. us out, we would go to lockup. After appalled me. "There's a slight chance One of the worst things about being in the holding cell all night with the judge will give you lime. If that looks the experience was that after spending ten "real men," we'd go to court in the like it's going to happen, tell them that the night in holding, I wasn't allowed morning. you have AIDS. I know I'm going to Jack to cake a shower. I went to court feel Michelle stood guard while I son. I've been caught. loo many times. I ing and looking less than perfect. And slept. She had promised to waken me can't protect you if you get sent up, so the whole time, l was treated like a so I could cake my turn, but the dear tell them you have AIDS. That way, you'll deviant. They treated drug dealers like heart never did. The next morning, the be separated and no one will be able to best buddies, but a nonviolent, non other guys catcalled and snickered mess with you. They'll probably be threatening drag queen was ridiculed while we tried to relieve ourselves as afraid to touch you." and harassed. privately as possible. That's not easy I was shocked. To tell such a P.S. I wonder what happened lO in a room full of guys. wretched lie to make my life easier Michelle? c;d. 20 Chrysalis Quarterly diversi(y . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Gianna Eveling /STael is a paraprofessional counselor specializing in individual and small group counseling and education of those dealing with transgender issues. She is Western Regional Director for AEGJS, and a member of the AEGIS Interdisciplinary Advisory Board. A Splendor ofGender The Enemy Within Our Community by Gianna Eveling Israel Gianna serves as a As transgendered individuals, we all face the common prejudices or a society liaison between the driven by the dictates of idealistic gender and sex stereotypes. The effects of community at large these prejudices are familiar: loss of family suppon, friends, employment, and and AEGIS; her posi social status, as well as the increased potential for victimiz.ation by business tion is officio Uy called es, social and legal institutions, and even other minority populations. Minon'ties FacilitaJor. What often goes unrecognized and even ignored is the growing She ensures that con amount of prejudice within our own community. The classic pattern is one cerns of tbe various transgendered minority individual or group pitted agiinst another individual or fa cl ions of tbe gender group. Embraced in this minority-versus-minority prejudice is the lack of community are com support from and towards other non-transgendered minocity communities: gay, lesbian, and sometimes even womens' groups. Everyone seeks self municaJed to our board. Those interest recognition while cine needs and rights of other individuals and groups com monly go unrecognized, discounted, or trampled upon. ed in contacti11g her Prejudice, to name the many-headed dragon, exists in our own com can do so by writing munity when a heterosexually dominated crossdres.5er social organiz.ation her at Box 424447, San bars the attendance or membership of gay male crossdressers. One would Francisco, CA 94142 think that a group of cmssdres.5ing individuals would recognize the differ (TEL 415-558-8058). ence between crossdres.sing, an activity, and sexual ocientation, a part of an individual's primary identity, and have a little more understanding and accep tance of their gay counterparts. After all, do they not face the same preju dices from the larger society as we? As well, I have noted a large number of crossdres.5ing organizations hold their meetings at gay bars. Prejudice shows when presurgical transsexual people are addressed with the wrong pronoun or salutation by another transgendered individual. If confused about how to address someone, it is considerate to ask which pro noun they prefer, rather than making an erroneous assumption and offend ing. Surely those who have struggled in building crossgender identities should have compassion and respect for another's struggles. Prejudice happens when transsexuals and crossdressers infight because one individual or group thinks it is superior, more serious, or more dedicated than the other. With such a side spectrum of crossgender behav br, this very old game serves no purpose whatsoever. The important element Chrysalis Quarterly 2 I of a heallhy crossgender experience Is refuses co acknowledge Lhe presence CQ's Quotations From of transgendcred individuals detained seeking and fulfilling primary Identity the needs which vary from individual to in mental and correcLlonal facilities. literature individual regardless of poslLlon or The transgendered incarcerated are at transition status. extremely high risk of emotional and Tbirtyjive ~ars ofSensitivity Prejudice shows when an HIV+ sexual abuse. This Includes rape, in Psychiatric Thinking transsexual woman Is barred fr om gang-rape, sexual slavery, and torture. auendl ng a transition support group Those currentl y crossllving or wishing Those patients seen by me who because she has considered not hav to do so arc usually denied gender wanted to change their genital sta ing surgery for fear of setting off a appro priate clothing and hormones tus were all borderline psychotics downward-spiraling medical calamity. specifically because our socieLy labels who wanted other parts ofth eir It would appear thaL an individual fac transgender phenomena as a lirescyle : bodies altered. They wanted plas ing crossliving experiences in addition choice rather than as a character of ! tic surgery for their faces and to lllV Issues would need just as one's primary identity. noses and entertained other self much, if not more, support than an Let us now forget that prior to . destrucJive fantasies ... Do we have average trans gendered individua 1 the middle of this century, transgen ; to collaborate with the sexual (Prejudice can be found when we play dercd individuals we re systematically ' delusions of our patients? Are we "more transgendered than thou,· and thrown into prisons and memal wards not rendering them a sad disser in the bashing of crossdressers by many because the medical and social insLiLu ~ vice? transsexual persons.- &I.) lions of Lhe time viewed tran~gender phenomena as a "deviancy " Unlike ~ - Meerloo, ].AM (1967) Change of Prejudice shows in the refusal of sex and collaboration with the PS} major transgender publications to homosexuality, transsexualism and ~ chosis. American journal of Psycbia acknowledge or at least provide con Lransvestism are still listed in The ' lry, 123(2), 167-168 tact points for other transgender Diagnostic and Stat1st1cal manual of minority support organizations. Exam Mental Disorders of the American Psy ' (The) interrelationship ofcultural ple: I have noted thaL female-to-male chiatric As5ociation (DSM 111-R). How ' antinomianism and a psychiatric support organizations and iLems of easy it would be for society to reframe misplaced emphasis is seen at its lnteresL are infrequemly memioned in the gender and sexua Uy-oriented com ' grimmest in the practice known mosc publications. Almost every Lrans ponents of an individual's primary ' as sex reassignment surgery I gendered person I know initially spent idenuty into a deviance again. , happen to know abouJ this a greaL deal of Lime searching ouL a lllusLrated here are a small selec ~ because johns Hopkins was one of support organization. Imagine their Lion of the prejudices which Lhreaten ~ the places in the United Slates frustration when they finally discover to scgregaLe the uansgcndcr commu· ; where this practice was given its an organization, only to find It will not nlty as a whole and undermine •LS ~ start. It was part of my intention, serve them, and yeL has no listing of potential as a source of acceptance, i when I arrived in Baltimore in other organizations. healing, and education. Not LO be ~ 1975, to help end it... Moral maJters Prejudice shows when a well overlooked is one of the most common ; should have some salience here. heeled transgendered individual prejudices acLed out by members of l These include the waste of human encounters anoLher Lransgendered our community- acceptance based on ~ resources; the confusions imposed individual who is obviously homeless, "passabillty." This particular prejudice l on society where these and doesn't so much as offer a smile of dramaticall y ill ustrates the core foun i men/wo men insist on accep- support or word of encouragemcnl. dation supporting prejudice: our 1tance ... ; the encouragement of the inability to see beyond sLereotypes !low easy It is to Ignore the plight of \ •illusion of technique, u which another human once our own securiLy and see an individual for who he or ~ assumes that the body is like a suit appears sLable. Llule if any support she really Is- a person wilh individual \ of clothes to be hemmed and existS for Lhe uansgendered homeless. needs, experiences, and expressions. \ stitched to style; and, finally, the FrequenLly, Lhe individual al the begin \ghastliness of the muJilated anato &iitor's Note: AEGIS is inJeresled in and ning of transition may be barred from ~ my. .. As physicians, psychiatrists, male, female, and sometimes gay-0riem devoted to providingfafr representaJion \ when they give in to this, abandon ed she!Lers and social services. Many of of transgender minorities and their ~ the role ofprotecting patients from Lhese Individuals are youLhs alienated issues within our publications, studies, \ their symptoms and become little from family. ProsLiLu tion, chemical conventions, and other educational j more than technicians working endeavors. If you are interested in dependency, and high risk of vicLimiza J on behalf ofa cultural force. tion with no legal recourse leaves Lhese minority issues, please contact Gianna individuals possibly damaged for life. Eveling Israel at AEGIS-WEST, P.O. Box ' - McHugh, P.R. (1992). Psychiatric Prejudice happens when the 424447, San Francisco, CA91142 ; misadventures. Amencan Scholar, larger cransgcndcred community (415) 558-8058. ~ \ 61, 497-510. \ ...... 22 Chrysalis Quarterly histo~y . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • To those who may not know, Virginia is a founder of Tri-E.ss and bas been a gender pioneer and activist for ob, these past 50 years or so. She is, happily, a member of the AEGIS Interdisciplinary Board ofAdvisors. The following is excerpted from the TOOtb issue of "Transvestia, • in wbicb Virginia gave a history of her transvestism and of the magazine. It was the last of which she was editor, and was published in 1979. How I Became a Convicted Felon by Virginia Prince 'v{ t I am now about to tell has been known to a limited number of friends and W :ders but nat to the general readership of Transvestia. The reason it was not related in detail was that I was afraid that it would frighten people away from their own escape from the closet. It is always difficult to explain all the details of an incident like that which I am about to deal with, because you can't take that much space, and in any case it sounds like protesting too much when you try to explain. But by this time it does not matter much, and as it is an importantt part of the era both for me and for what it brought about indirectly for many of you, I will set it forth here as briefly as pos.5ible, yet as completely as I can. I can't rightly remember the year this occurred, but I think it was 1962. In any case, a friend of mine had become acquainted with a certain person back east in some way that I don't remember. He was a rransvestite and she was apparently a very understanding woman, and they wrote long letters back and forth and got very intimate with each other. He had to move away and gave me her name, saying that I might like to write and continue the corre spondence. Since she had urged him to be very open and intimate and not to beat around the bt.L5h, I presumed that went for me, too. So I wrote her a let ter explaining how I came to "inherit" the correspondence and that I too was a transvestite. Well, I got a little carried away, I guess, for I let my fantasy run and related how she and I might behave if we were together. I am sure many of you have had similar fancasies- two "women" making love together. So I went through this fantasy in the letter. It really wasn't much-certainly not for these days- it was a Sunday School picnic compared to what you can read and see everywhere today, but this was in the early (i()'s, and things weren't so liberal then, by a long ways. Well, I never got a reply to the letter. I thought I must have hurt her feelings or shocked her or something, though that hardly seemed likely con sidering the way she and my friend had written each other. But in due course I forgot all about it Late one afternoon, over a year later, I got a call from my wife at the office, telling me that there were two postal inspectors at the house who wanted to talk to me. I spoke to one of them and told him they could hang Chrysalis Quarterly 23 around, as I was aboul ready lo leave the office, I got a call from one of the they said lhcy had the right to make a the office. inspectors, and he said that there search of any premises at wruch some· I got home, found them, and were a couple of matters they had one was arrested. That was the first lalked to them briefly, and then asked overlooked the night before, and statement I had that I was under them if, since it was now dinner time would I please come by lhc Hollywood arrest, and when I tried to find out and my wife and son were at home, I station lhat afternoon. So I did . You what for, they said I'd find out down could come down to the Hollywood have all seen spy movies where the town. So I hung my coat over my man· post office after dinner and answer Nazi interrogator al ternately offers a acled hands and left lhe office. whatever they wanted to know, and cigarette and cup of coffee lo the man We went down to the Federal they agreed. I ate dinner and then he is questioning, and then slaps him Building, and all the way along, they went down there, taking along an or beats him or gets tough in some let me understand that they regarded educational scrapbook I had assem other way. Well, the night before was me as a homosexual. This was an era bled, which presented the whole fi eld the good guy scene, as I found out on when the post office department of crossdressing in all its aspects. this second occasion. This time an thought it was going to stamp out They were preuy nice about every· inspector got tough and accused me homosexuality in America, and they thing. They showed me a letter and of all sorts of things, among which were doing all sorts of things to vari· asked if I had wri tten it, and I saw that were being a homosexual and dealing ous people. I had alread y had letters it was the letter I had written to this in obscene materials. He told me that from readers in various parts of che "woman" over a year ago. It turned he wanted the post office box closed country relating how postal inspec out that she was no lady, but rather a and the magazine discontinued. I was to rs had harassed them, seizing man who held himself out to be a Oabbergasted. What did that have to copies of mine and other literature, woman. ll appeared that he was In do wilh the supposedly obscene let and in one case taking all of one per· some sort of trouble with the post ter? I asked for his supervisor's name son's femme clothes which were in his office on other grounds, and, as they and said that I wanted to appeal the car trunk. ll was evident that they were do in such cases, they puc a "cover" matter. He said thal he was the final clamping down all over. on his mail. That means thu they authority, but if I wanled to make a Well, I was given my fabled one noted the names and/or return statement to do so and get It to him phone call, and got hold of my attor addresses of all mail coming to him. By within three days. ney's office. One of his people would this tactic, they can pyramid from one I went home and spent several be present at the arraignment, about suspect to a number of others, who in days composing a three or four page, 4:00 p.m. that afternoon. lt was about turn lead them still further. or course, single-spaced, typed letter, going into 2:00 p.m. when I called. They put me in all police types operate on the theory the whole neld and Lhe sign ificance of a fair-sized conference room with bars that anyone who corresponds with a the magazine and everything else, and on one side and a locked door on the suspicious person is of necessity sus mailed it to lhc inspector. Nothing other. There was a table in the middle, picious himself. So into this liulc happened for about a momh, and I and a couple of chairs, and nothing "cover" drops my letter. They got it thought the whole mauer was over. else. I climbed on the table, stretched and held it for a yea r before doing any Then early one afternoon, the same out on my back, and went to sleep to thing about it. inspector and a police ornccr appeared pass the time. Well, I couldn't deny that I wrote at my company office (I was president Eventually, the arraignment was it, but I told him that it was not only of my own manufacluri ng concern). I held and ball was set. My attorney had the only letter I ever wrote to that per· let them in, and Lhcy gave me to brought a bondsman, who put up the son, but it was the only letter of thal understand that lhey wanted me to bail and then drove me back to the frank nature that I ever wrote to any· come downtown wilh them. I protest office, where I gave him a check. one. He then showed me the name and ed that I had business matters lo My wife and I went down to sec address of the person who wrote the attend to that afternoon, but that I'd the Assistant District Attorney several Gilbert stories (/"ales from a Pink Mir· come down In the morning. No ilice! It times, but he said there was little he ror is one). I acknowledged that I knew was now, period! I asked If I could lhen could do, because once the post office him and had written to him several go out into the plant and give the department turned a case over co times in regard to the magazine, but people some inslruclions as lo what them, they had to prosecule. Eventual nothing in any way off color. They to do while I was gone. They said ly my case came to trial, and I pleaded asked me many questions about "no," and just to be sure that I didn't guilty, not only because I did send the crossdressing, and I told them and try anything funny, they sat me down lener, but because to have pleaded illustrated it with my scrapbook mate· In a chair and handcuffed me to it. not guilty would have meant a pro rial. At about 10:00 p.m. they called It Then they proceeded to take the draw longed trial and the possibility of pub off, thanking me for coming down. I ers out of my desk and turn them licity, which would have proved very thought everythjng was resolved, and upside down on the noor and general embarrassing to my father, who was went home. But the ne~t afternoon at ly ransack the place. When I prOlested, Continued on page 50 24 Chrysalis Quarterly eature . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Stephen is editor of"Boy's Own,• a newsletter for female-to-male transsexual persons, and is active in Press For Change, a Political Action Group which campaigns for the rights of transsexual persons in England. He is a practicing attorney and a proud new father. The History of a Psychiatric Diagnostic Category: Transsexualism by Stephen Whittle To be diagnosed as trans "{ v ~ is it that we band over lo a group ofpsychiatrists and psycbologisls (a sexual the patient must W ~up ofgrey-suited men who have been doned from the same mold [Sussex meet the following three stockbroker}) the right to define OUR condition and pontificate on the cntena: complexities of OUR feelings and genderr A. Persistem discom -Hennessee, 1990-1991 fort and sense of inappropriaJeness Transsexualism, since the publication of the American Psychiatric about one's assigned Association's third edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of sex. Mental Disorders (DSM Ill) in 1980, has been generally recognized by psy chiatrists as being a mental disorder that requires their professional interven B. Persisteru preoccu tion. Prior to the publication of the DSM m, the condition and its treatment palion for at least had undergone much public and academic discussion since the publicity that two years with get surrounded Christine Jorgensen's return to the USA, in 1953, after her reas ting rid ofone's pri signment surgery in Denmark. This discussion took place primarily amongst mary and professionals who worked in areas which were concerned with mental dis serondary sex char ease- that is, psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychotherapists, who are by acteristics and their position the definers of such mental disease. There is little evidence until the late 1980's and early 1990's that people who were defined as having acquiring the sex transsexuali.5m panidpated in the discussion about the condition and its treat characteristics ofth e ment. The recent contributions of transsexuals are very much at odds With other sex. the clinician's view that they are suffering from a mental disorder, but they remain with.in a diagnostic and treatment system in which they are viewed as C. The person has anomalies with.in the gendered "norms" of Western societies. reached puberty. According to Foucault (1979, p. 43), "the psychological, psychiatric, medical category of homosexuality was constituted ... [by] ... Westphal's Specify history ofsex famous artide of 1870 on "contrary sexual sensations." But it took another ual orientation: asex 110 years for transsexuaHsm to be included in the DSM ill. That is, there ms ual, homosexual, 110 years of research, case studies, and discussion before a consensus could heterosexual, or be reached on what constituted the "disease" of transsexualism (see side unspecified bar). At present, there is little accord by clinicians over its treatment, and even less agreement over its etiology (Money, 1988, p. 89). Despite the fact that the predominant form of relief provided for somebody who has the -DSM 111-R Chrysalis Quarterly 25 disorder is surgical and endocrinolog· through the search for the etiology continued this role to the point of ical intervention, transsexualism does and cure for homosexuality. Ironically, death unless otherwise prevented not appear in any general medical or the removal of homosexualily from (e.g., by discovery and punishment, or surgical textbooks. However, trans DSM III's "Psychosexual Disorder" cat by illness). With this criterion, it would sexuallty is Included in the range of egory coincided with the inclusion of be possible to categorize Frenchy psychosexual disorders in DSM IIl·R transsexualism under lhe subcategory "Katherine• Vosbaugh (Sullivan, 1990, The arrival at lhe consensus of of "Gender ldenlity Disorders." p. 9), Jack "Bee" Garland (Sullivan, 1990, diagnosis of l.ranssexuality has had a Jn order to understand lhis p. 22), and Billy Tipton (Graham, 1989) much longer history than many think. paradox, lhe context of the involve· as female-to-male transsexuals. I will Transsexualism ls generally considered ment of Lhe psychiatric establishment refer to those for whom there is evi· a recent phenomenon, as surgical with transsexual people needs to be dence of temporary cross-living or creaunent was not available before Lhe looked at. For that, It is necessary to cross-dressing, as crossdressers. I will twentieth century. The first case of look at the general involvement, with define as lransgenderists both trans· surgical intervention is often cited as such people, in a temporal and cultur· sexuals and crossdressers. being that of Lili Elbe, who underwent al frame, of all authorities- church, reassignment in Germany in 1931 state, and medical. It is also necessary Medieval Europe and Crossdressers (Hoyer, 1937) , though there are a num to look at the history of the response Witches and Demons ber of known cases before this. of state and church authorities to Hirschfeld describes the case of a what would now be termed homosex· In Western cu lture, there is a male-to-female, Dora, who had genital uality and its associated sexual acts. It long history of individuals who were surgery, and a female-to-male who also is possible to see that lhe "transsexu l.ransgendered. There are myLhologlcal had breast tissue removed, both in the al" category a.rose oul of subdividing references such as in the ancient Greek 1920's (Hirschfeld, 1948). Harry Ben· homosexuals into various categories legends of Hermaphrodite and jamin (1969) described how he tried to by the 19th and 20th century sexolo Ganymede, and lhe Roman story of induce breast growth In a man by gists. That, In turn, arose out of the Venus Castina, the goddess who means of hormones in che early 1920's. historical treaune·m of individuals who responded with sympathy and under However, the idea of "sex change wore the clothing of the opposite standing to lhe yearnings of feminine surgery" entered the public and pro natal sex and their association with souls locked in male bodies. Ancient fessional consciousness only with che homosexuality. The historical Greek and Roman writers commented publieicy surrounding Christine Jor· respo nse of chureh, state, and on young men who desired to live their gensen's surgery in Denmark in medicine co homosexual acts resulted lives as women: "'Expending every pos 1951 /1952, and Roberta Cowell's in the classificat~on of transsexualism sible care on lhelr outward adornment, surgery at the same time in England. as a medical disorder. lhey are not ashamed even to employ The medical words Lhat we cur every device to change artificially their rently use for individuals who require Definitions nalure as men into women- some of "sex change treatment were not them craving a complete transforma derived until 1949, when David Cauld For the purposes of this discus tion into women, they have amputated well Invented the term "Psychopathia sion, it is necessary to define the term their generative members'" (Masters in Transexualis" (Cauldwell, 1949, p. 274), transsexual as I will use it In this Green, 1974, p. 5, citing Philo). and the associated word transexual. paper. As transsexuality as presently It was the influence of Christiani· Ca uldwell was a medical writer of pop defined (see the sidebar on page 25) ty which appears to have first called ular articles and books designed to was in ilself unnamed until recently, it for transgenderists co be punished for educate the general public in sexual must be acknowledged that historical their behavior. Punishment, rather matters. Jn 1953, the endocrinologist ly, individuals could not self-identify than "treatment," was the predomi· Harry Benjamin wrote the first scientif· as transsexual. Neither could they nanl mode of dealing with the issue ic paper to use the word tra nssexual. conceive of the possibility of surgical until the work of the psychologists of Between Westphal and Benjamin, psy intervention. the 19th century. In Deuteronomy 22, chosexual professionals attempted to For these reasons, I will consider verse 5, there appears an apparent categorize individuals who would now transsexuals to be those people who prohibition of the wearing of male be recognized by the public as being have lived, or desired to live, a large attire by women, or of female dress by transsexual into "homosexual types.» part of their adult life in the role and men. Crossdressing was occasionall y Historically, the path of the defi dress of that gender group which codified against in the secular laws of nition of the transsexual can be traced would be considered in opposition to Medieval Europe, but was Included to the present diagnostic specifica· their sex as designated at birth. They consistently in the list of offenses tlons which appear in the DSM lll·R. By will have during that time have been against God, or of heresy. When Gra following this path, It will be seen that recognized by society as belonging to tian completed his textbook of canon the consensus has been reached their chosen gender. These people law, (A Harmony of Conflicting 26 Chrysalis Quarterly Canons, Concordia Discordantium idea of marriage Lhat "he" took refuge 14th centuries and the penances and Canonum, known as the Decretum) in in a monastery, lived and worked as a punishments devised fo r the act of A.O. 1140 and included in It an earlier man, and was even accused of having sodomy, there was no recourse to Conciliar condemnation of crossdress· made pregnant Lhe pomess of a con using them unless the peace and sta· Ing, it was possible to say Lhat cross vent. Rather than face discovery, Pelag· bility of a community was Lhreatened. dressing as such was unlawful under ius lived as a hermit after Lhis The state and church were much more the codified church laws. Gratian is accusation. Only at death, when geni· concerned with heterosexual behav recognized as the first church Jurist, ta! sex was discovered, was Pelagius ior- the production of illegitimate and the Leaching of his Oecretum in proclaimed innocenL of the crime. children, and adultery. Whilst at these Bologna led to Its being adopted There are many similar stories of other times, there were laws against particu· throughout the new universities of saints: Apollinaris, Eugenia, Anastasia, lar sexual acts such as sodomy and the time in Germany, France, England, and more (Bullough, 1974). tribadism, Lhere seem to have been no and Italy. Four main decretist schools There is also the apocryphal particular laws against individuals developed: Bolognese, Parisian, Anglo story of Pope Joan- known as Pope dressing and living in the role oppo· Norman, and Rhenish. The students of John Vlll, which first appeared in a book site to their nacally assigned sex. Lhese schools, known as Decretists, by SLephen de Bourbon (1261), Lhen in Apparent exceptions are mentioned by annotated and expounded Gratian's the medieval history of Polonius in 1279 Saslow (1989, in Ouberman, et al., p. work. Few of them attended to the (Addis & Arnolds, 1951, p. 35). Joan is 96), who tells of "A woman burned at issue of crossdressing or transgen· reputed to have been uncovered when Fontaines, France, about 1535, when derist behavior. An exception was "he" gave birth to a child in front of a authoriLies discovered that she had Stephen of Tournai, of the Parisian large crowd of spectators whilst in Lhe been passing as a man in order to school, who In his Summa of 1160 dis midst of a Papal procession. She appar marry another women and 'counterfeit ting uls hed between respecLable ently died shortly after Lhe birth. The che office of husband'," Two nuns women who dressed as men in order story was relegaLed LO legend by the were burnt in 15th century Spain for to protect their chastity and women end of Lhe 16Lh century, but until Lhen penetrative sex using a dildo. It is diffi who lived as men In order to sin more IL was held Lo be Lrue, and Pope Julius cult to know if the punishment in freely (Brundage, 1987). III approved of the publication of a Lhese two cases were for the sexual There is much documemed evi report of Joan's death (Bullough, 1974). acts or for the claim that it led to male dence of the Medieval and Renaissance On Lhe other hand, there is little prerogatives, so threatening the sta· crossdresser, particularly as street evidence of a history or mythology of tus quo. prostitute and actor. Evidence of Lhe crossdresslng behavior amongst men Anocher possible exception was authorities' role and attitude to the in Lhe medieval period In Western soci· laws against witchcraft. First derived transgenderist is difficult to discover. ety, although there are a great many in Lhe tenth century against women The church and secular law both dealt legends of such behavior amongst the who followed the goddess Diana, with the act of sodomy rather than the berdache of Norlh America and Siberia these were codified at the beginning relationship which might lead to it. In and the Mahu of Polynesia (Baynes, of the 14th century (Addis & Arnolds, Venice in 1354, Rolandinus Ronchaiai, 1990; Williams, 1988). According co Bul 1951, p. 840). Green (1974) states that who had acted and looked like a lough (1974), this discrepancy may be throughout Medieval Europe there woman, was burned for sodomy due to the fact thaL transgendered was a belief that witches possessed (Goodich, 1979, p. 13). Without the behavior in women was seen as part of potions that could change the sex of opportunity for surgical intervention, their search for chastity and holiness, humans or animals. There was also a the only options for those transgen· and was therefore recorded, whereas It belief that demons could change oth· derists who wished to have a sex life was assumed that transge ndered ers and themselves into women, and were those acts considered co be behavior In men was for the purpose for this reason bishops were request· homosexual. of getting close to women, for example ed to look out for thongs of demons There are many medieval in convents, in order to have sex with transformed into women (Bullough, accounts of female saints who were nuns. Such persons would have been 1974). The Malleus Maieficarum (The transgenderists. One of the first sto· considered to be of low status, and Witches Hammer, Sprenger & lnstitor, ries is that of Pelagla, a danclng girl their behavior was not noteworthy. 1489) contains an eyewitness account who, upon conversion to Christianity As stated, sodomy in Medieval of a sex change of a girl into a boy by left Antioch as a man and travelled to Europe was both a secular and ecclesi demons. Green (1974) points out that the Ho ly Land, where "he" was asLical crime, but as Goodich (1979) this was the book that served as a admired for his asceticism and holl· and Bray (1982) both argue, it was resource for LreaLment by physicians ness. "His" genital sex was not dis· generally an act privately participated of the insane for almost 300 years. covered until death. A saint wlLh a in in private households. Despite the To illustrate Lhe point that similar name Is Saint Margarita Pelag· codification of the canon and secular transgenderist behavior could be ius. Pelagius was so horrified at the laws which took place in Lhe 13th and associa ted with witchcraft and heresy Chrysalis Quarterly 2 7 and viewed as part of lhe devil's As Saslow puts it, "An unsolved Through the Witchcraft Ace was works, one need look no further lhan problem in thls (period) is the wide not repealed until 1736, Its influence the famous trial of St. Joan of Arc, who variation of open violalions of official had mostly died In the latter half of the was burned at the stake. The charges taboo" (1989, p. 95, in Duberman, et 17th century. Popular opinion had against her were that she could not al.). In Medieval Europe and England, begun to turn, and increasingly, the· p rove that her polilical q uest, her in particular, there was no specific ologians, most notably the Jesuit, voices, or her clothing served God's punishmenl prescribed for cross· Falher Frederic Spee, condemned the purposes rather lhan Satan's. She was dressing, and courts had lO deal with practice of trial and execution for only 19 when she was executed In Incidents infrequenlly. Consequently, witchcraft. 1431. A peasant gi rl who heard voices, no fLXed policy was established. Tem Dur ing the period of lhe she had led the French army to several porary crossdressing during feslivilies Restoration, transgendered behavior viclories agalnsl lhe English before was an old folk custom. Unless such started to be documented. Dekker and her capture in 1430. She was charged evenls gol out of hand or lhere were van de Pol (1989) d iscovered docu· with va rious herelical acls and beliefs, polilical overtones, IL rarely came to mentary evidence of 119 "women living and told lhat her voices were those of the attention of the couns. Long·lerm as men" in the Netherlands between demons, and nol of God. Two of the crossdressing may well have induced a 1550 and 1839. Nearly all of these, Lwelve charges against her d ealt with court to pass heavier sentence upon though, were fro m the 17th and 18th the wearing of male costume. After an individual who had used his or her centuries. Also from this lauer period, almost a year's inquisition, she repent· "disguise" to commit crime or fraud evidence of men who lived as women ed and promised to wear female cloth (Dekker & van de Pol, 1989). Although was beginning to come forward. The ing. She was sentenced to li fe there were sometimes both laws pro Abby de Choisy (1644-1724) lefl a first· imprisonment, but in prison she scribing transgenderisl behavior and hand accounl of a lifelong wish to Jive resumed wearing men's dress. It was on occasion trials of individuals who and be lrealed as a woman (Cauldwell, this ace wh ich led co her execullon crossdressed or c ross-lived, local 1963, pp. 40-51). The Chevalier d'Eon with the full complicity of the French communittes as a rule did no t con de Beaumont's (1728· 1810) life as a and the English. She argued that she demn such individuals. Punitive sen· woman has been written about many had not intended lO promise never co lences were eliciled only by those who limes (his name was used by Havelock wear male clothing again, and that she were thought to have pracliced Ellis in the 20th century to coin the would continued to do so because "il witchcraft on others, or to have been term "Eonlsm," meaning crossdress was more lawful and convenient for her possessed by demons which caused ing). LO wear it, since she was among men, such behavior. Communities were Ln England, the church's inOu than to wear woman's dress" (Bul reluctant to allege witchcraft or ence on the state had declined with lough, 1974). Joan's trial was a rarily, in demonic possession because of the lhe collapse of Cromwell's Protectorate that few records remain of other indi· trials and torments lhat would accom in 1660. Thus, the use of laws against viduals condemned on such grounds. pany offldal invesligation. Communi· witchcraft were to decline. Bray (1982) shows that whilst ties appear Lo have dealt with such Trumbach (1989, in Duberman, et Medieval English society associated issues locally. Much the same can be al.) shows that between 1660 and 1700, "sex changes" and other "unnatural said aboul the enforcement of laws in London, lhere was a temporal acrs" such as sodomy with Lhe super· against sodomy and crossdressing in change in the social classification of natural and the workings of che devil, Medieval Europe. people who participated in sodomy: it would be unlikely to recognize the first, as lhe man who had a wife, a behavior of family or neighbors as Tbe Restoration- The Rise of the whore and a boy; later as libenine demonic. Sodomy and heresy, "sex Effeminate Man rake; and finally, as effeminate homo· change" and demons were conceptu· sexual. Before this period, male and ally linked. Though there was techni Before 1885, lhere was no com female crossdressing had little lo do cally abhorrence of such behavior on prehensive law relating to male homo with sexual proclivities. But the lheological and religious grounds, lhe sexuality in England. The only relevant change over this 40-year period had a behavior of Individuals was usually law was that concerning buggery, dat· profound effect on lhe development of lolerated. Thus, it is easy to under Ing from 1533. It nolionally carried the lhe 19lh century psychosexual cate stand the small number of prosecu· maximum of a death sentence. This law gory of "homosexual." tions and lenient punishments for was pan of the assimilation of estab Christian law, since the 12th such crimes. For example, Bray (1974) lished ecclesiastical sanctions into the century, had held that sex acts were quotes the conviction of Meredith secular law, and marked lhe surrender only to take place within marriage. Men Davy for sodomizing his apprentice to the state of many of the powers of who did not confine their sexual he was not jailed, but merely required the medieval church, aL the time the episodes lO marriage usually had sex not to do ic any more. He was still dissolution of the Roman Catholic with both adolescent boys and female allowed lo sleep with the boy. church in England. prostitutes. Prosecution for such aces, 28 Chrysalis Quarterly as has been seen, was lnconslstem. selves as different and their difference that is, the effeminate man- began to With the Restoration came a social was constituted around their sexuali be associated with the effeminate man space in which new ideas could be ty." (Weeks, 1980, p. 34). who was a passive partner in homo explored. For the male aristocracy, reli The Rakes, who were free sexual activities. Trumbach (1989, in gious skepticism and republican poli thinkers, viewed their love of boys as Duberman, et al.) puts this down to tics were to become discussion being a lo ve of the "same sex," of the fact that during this time, with the points, along with libertinism. Liber other men with like minds and con development of the concept of the self, tinism was originally used to mean cepts of self. Now it was possible to women also began to have a "self." "habitual licentiousness" (1611), but identify oneself with a particular Whereas in the past they had been by 1641, it also meant "free-thinking in "type" of person, and so Rakes began housekeepers, childbearers, and saris· religious matters". Those who moved co meet together in order to find fiers of men's sexual desires, they now away from the rigors of the medieval lovers of similar type. Sexual activities, had a role as a friend and companion church would also in their lifestyles rather than being contained within to many married men. The companion· move away from its rigid sexual Lhe home, work place, and local com· ship that had previously been found requirements. Trumbach (1989, p. 130, munity, began to center around spe· between men and boys was now in Duberman, et al.), states, "The cial meeting places in urban areas, assumed to exist only within the mari· behavior of the relatively small circle of where individuals would be guaran cal relationship. aristocratic libertines in the 1660's and teed to meet others who would wish Wives no longer tolerated extra· 1670's... in (whose) world the love of to participate in similar sexual activi marital sexual relationships between boys certainly did not exclude the love ties. At the same time, others, like the their husbands and other men. There of women; but the love of boys was Abby de Choisy and Edward Hyde, Vis arose an awareness that men seen as the most extreme act of sexual count Cornbury- afterwards Earl of should/could only desire women. This libeninism." Clarendon- were expressing their dis assumption led in time to the division This was a minority of men, often sa tisfactlon with the social expecta of homosexual men into two distinct those with wealth, who played with tions of their gender. subgroups: those who appeared women 1:1.•hat was called the "love It was said of Edward Hyde, "masculine" and those who appeared game," im'Olving selection, seduction, often regarded as the first kn own "as women." The clubs and places for subjection, and separation. The female English transvesclte, and Governor of the meeting of men that had originat· vicums of this game were often sub New York and New Jersey (1701-1708) ed with the Libertines now became jected to anal intercourse and sadistic that he "was a clever man whose great places where men met with mher men practices Romantic love was reserved insanity was showing himself In wom· who were induced by society's values for •ooys" and "catamites." The men ens' clothes. When New Yorkers com· to behave "as women." who played the "game" came to be plained that he had opened their Trumbach (1977, p. 11) argues kno"'n as Rakes, and Trumbach (1989, legislative assembly dressed as a that "whenever homosexual behavior in Duberman, et al.) portrays the woman, he retorted, "You are very surfaced at the Royal Courts from the changing view of the Rake on the stupid not to see. the propriety of it. In 12th co the early 17th century, it was restoration stage, from a heterosexual chis place, and particularly o n this accompanied by what contemporaries co a bisexual libertine. occasion, I represent a woman (Queen viewed as markedly effeminate behav This was the historical period Anne), and ought in all respect to rep ior... it is unlikely that the London when the concept of the "self " came resent her as faithfully as I can." (Dav homosexual sub-culture emerged only into being. The Shorter Oxford Dictio en pore-Hines, 1990, p. 74). in the late 17th century when one con· nary (1970) cites the usage of "self " in However, there is no proof that siders, If nothing else, the theatrical its modern form as first occurring in Hyde was a sodomite, or practiced milieu, with its transvestite boys, in 1674, defining it as "That which in a other homosexual activities. Neither is which Marlowe wrote Edward II and person is intrinsically he (in contradis· there any evidence of sodomy in the Shakespeare his sonnets." tinction to what is adventitious); the cases of the Abby de Choisy or the Despite this, it was not until the ego (ofcen identified with the soul or Chevalier d'Eon de Beaumont. Accord early 18th century that trials we re seen mind as opposed to the body); a per ing to Trumbach (1989, in Duberman, of effeminate sodomites and evidence manent subject of successive and et al.), there was at the time the con emerges of the meeting places of such varying states of consciousness." cept of the Fop, an effeminate man. Oif people. In view of Dekker and van de A sense of personal identity feren t from the Rake, the Fop was Pol's (1989) work on female cross arose, a consciousness of individuality heterosexual, was not a misogynist. dcessers in the Netherlands, it seems which in turn affected the personal He preferred the company of women to that even if Trumbach's view is true, concept of sexuality: "Sexual activity men. Hyde and Choisy could be con that prior to the 18th century, the was increasingly coming to define a structed as extreme Fops. roles of effeminate man or masculine particular cype of person. In return, There was a change in attitude women were not available to the gen· people were beginning to define them· during the 19th century. The Fop- eral populace. They were contained in Chrysalis Quarterly 29 very specific communiLies: the theater The Society for the Reformation a familiar part of the medieval land· and the court, in which they were tol· of Manners was founded by Puritanical scape. Others were supported primari· erated. However, in the latter half of Christians and operated between 1691 ly by their families. The only specialized che 17th century, we see evidence of and 1730. It functioned by employing supporc was that provided by Bethlan the Libertine influence permeating the spies and doggedly prosecuted pros· (known as Bedlam- Ed.) Hospital, class structure. This may have been titutes, pornographers, sabbath which had been founded in 1247. due to their predilection for relation breakers, swearers, and sodomites. At the time of the Enlightenment, ships with their servants. Whereas in They pursued successful prosecutions as the concept of the self was being the past, homosexual behavior had of the members of molly houses in engendered, there was the rise of the been between individuals of the same 1699, 1707, and 1726. In 1726, there had Asylum movement in Eu rope. Private class (that is, arcisan with laborer or been purges of homosexuals in both madhouses were In common use from appremice, or kings and courtiers), it France and Holland. In France, the 1700, but were by their nature limited was now between classes. Therefore, leader of a "school and bordello for co the more aftluent sections of soci· the effeminate fashions of che court sodomy" was executed, and 200 oth· ety. Demographic changes with indus· could be passed down through the ers were given prison sentences. In trialization and the growth of the class structure of society. Some tav Holland, 200 sodomites were executed cities were the compelling Influences erns and houses became mens' clubs by drowning, hanging, or burning. after 1750, resulting in the creation of of mixed social classes where homo Over a two-year period, there were special institutions for the insane. sexuals could meet. These places over 2000 British newspaper reports of Originally places of care and control, became known as molly houses the Dutch trials (Davenport-Hines, there was liule concept of treatment or (" Molly" was originally a term for a 1990, p. 72). In London, in a well-orga cure of the illnesses from which the female prostitute and, like the word nized campaign by the Society for the inmates suffered. However, the theo "queen," which was lacer derivated, Reformation of Manners, over 20 molly ries of the Enlightenment evolved from became a term for the effeminate pas houses were raided. The group trials che ideas of rationality and i rrationali· sive male homosexual). There were were to be a nacional scandal. ty, and the concept of humane treat· estimated to be perhaps 20 molly Thus, crossdressing changed in menc. The first acknowledged equacion houses in London by the 1720's (Dav character in the popular perception. of the insane with other sick persons enport-Hines, 1990, p. 72). They were From being a form of disguise or the was by the rational, enlightened generally in a private house or a tav ater with occasional overtones of Joseph 11 of Austria. In 1738, he com ern, and in them: sodomy, it became the identifier of a manded that any religious order form of sodomite- though not to per· whose insane members had been A new and stricter code of pri sist as a pervading image of the homo locked up in underground cells. vate words, physical gestures, cloth sexual, except in the style of the "Should treat its own members afllict ing, vocal mimicry, and other "queen," the image of the molly gave ed with madness wich the selfsame rituals developed and came to char rise to the concept of a distinctive care as those suffering from any other acterize a new sodomite subcul homosexual culture and identicy, and ailment." (Doerner, 1981, p. 171). ture... There, congregants revelled in the development of a protective sub From that first acknowledge· feminine mimicry and in acting culture for those involved. ment, there was, throughout the 18th out (with a mixture of mockery and Throughout the 18th century, and 19th century, che development of envy) scenes from heterosexual there were prosecutions of sodomites, the disciplines of psychology and psy life ... The back room in molly houses but it was a fragmented response to chiacry, as worthwhile and valued to which men retired for sex was the issue. However, the association of careers for physicians. In 1860, In known as the chapel; sexual acts the sodomite with che "feminine man" Zurich, Griesinger convened the exist· performed there were known as mar had become inextricably linked in the Ing asylum into a clinic. According to rying; the first sexual conjunction minds of the public and the scace. That Doerner (1981), he created the model between two men was known as a linking provided a framework for the for university psychiatry chat was co wedding night. medicalization of the feminine man and last for the next 100 years. Westphal Some mollies not only assumed the masculine female during the 19ch was a pupil of Griesinger's. Like female nicknames or adopted femi and 20th centuries. Griesinger, he was a liberal, narural sci· nine language, but created pregrum ence-oriented psychiatrist. Westphal cy rituals, culminating in mock The Nineteenth Century- The Rise of and Griesinger, along wich L. Meyer, lying-ins where a "pregnant• man Treatment as Response founded che Archiv fur Psychiaterie gave birth to a doll.. In short, the mol und Nervenkrankheiten, which lies were ... playing out the other Before the 18th century, there attacked the asylums and their doc domestic roles ofmen and women. was practically no social framework for tors as Inhumane. It demanded free dealing with the insane, and no theory treatment for all, and the abolition of - Davenpart-flines, 1990, 72· 73 of insanity. The deranged beggar was the restraints that had been used in 3 O Chrysalis Quarterly the Asylum system. ll was this school were immediately examined for evi the outpatient clinic. At these, a new of psychiatry which was to medicalize dence of sodomy, and charged with class of patiems presented who did those people who practiced homosex conspiracy to commit such acts. They not warrant incarceration in asy ua I acts, or had other "associated had frequented the haunts of female lums: behavior." prostitutes for over two years, and the Meanwhile, In the 19th century police were of the opinion that they Now, as their •weakness• was in Britain and Germany, homosexual were working as male prostitutes. The becoming "conspicuous· to the pitiless behavior and homosexual proslitullon authorities lacked knowledge on the diagnostic control agent of economic had become a major social problem subject and based their prosecution liberalism- efficiency- this army of (Weeks, in Duberman, et al., 1990, p. on transvestism and their soliciting of the "irritable and weak,· the "abnor 198). A member of the Home Office men as women ralher lhan sodomy. No mal,• the "sexual perverts, • the psy wrote in 1822, after the arrest of lhe conviction could be obtained on chopaths, compulsive neurotics- the Bishop of Clogher for sodomy: lhese grounds, and they were ulti· area in which the borderline between mately acquitted of the charge of the "abnormal" and "normal" is indis· No evem... is to be more lament· "conspiracy co commil a felony by tinct- began to unburden themselves ed both on public and private grounds. crossdressing." (Davenport·Hines, to the privately practidng neurologists It will sap the very foundations of soci· 1991, p. 118). or the clinical psychiatrist. ety. 11 will raise up the lower orders In reality, the aulhorilies were against the higher, and in the present concerned with using lhe law to -Doerner, 1981, p. 274 temper of the public mind against the suppress sexually transmined dis· Churcb, it will do more to injure the ease, through lhe control of female Individuals who were unhappy Establishment than all the united prostitutes. Al the same time, there with what society expected of chem efforts of lls enemies could have effect· was a massive rise in the idea of the now had doctors to go to who could ed in a anuury. Christian family, a great concern diagnose them and even "cure" them. about lhe immorality of the inner city Homosexuals or Individuals associat -Davenport-Hines. 1991, p. 103 populace, and a concern with lhe ed with the homosexual subculture, corruption of young people and lhe who lived in fear of the law, could lurn There was a general feeling weak-minded. Homosexuals were to doctors who would hopefully help amongst those in power that if the considered to be a threat in all three them to put aside their dangerous public were kept ignorant of lhe act of areas. They had no regard for the desires and aid them towards re· sodomy, the "weak-minded" would family and its sacred place in society, establishing their place in "normal" not be templed. Unfortunately for they were considered part of the society. those in power, trials were reported immoral inner city populace, both as At the end of the 19th century, and provoked public and police inter· users and service providers, and lhey Labouc here's amendment to the est in an offense of which they have were imagined to be corrupters of Criminal Law Act was being enacted. previously been scarcely aware. Until young people. This criminalized "any male person 1885, when Labouchere's amendment Into this milieu, Griesinger and who, in public or in private commits, to the Criminal Law Act was passed, his contemporaries: or is a party lo the commission of, or there was still only the 1533 act under procures or attempts to procure the which to prosecute individuals. This ... ushered in an almost "imperi commission by any male person of had criminalized the acl of sodomy or alistic" penetration by psychiatry of any act of gross indecency with buggery; OLher homosexual acts were the (non-psychiatric) somatic brain anolher male person." lf found guilty, not criminalized. This caused problems and nervous diseases, and als<>- even the punishment was imprisonment for those wishing co control homosex more portentous- of society as a for up lo two years with or wllhout uals, as the proof of sodomy that was whole (i.e., those counlless individu hard labor. This criminalization of pri required was often difficult to obtain. als whose "irrationality" could not vate sexual praclices, referred to as a The only other grounds for prosecu· previously become visible because "blackmailer's charter," was sure to tion of homosexuality was "conspiracy they bad never been in institutions,• drive individuals to visit the doctor. to commit a felony." who bad concealed their problems As homosexuals lurned to the medi Though there was the idea of with society from that society, keep cal profession for cure, the doctors the effeminate man as a sodomite, as i ng them locked up within them· were able to collect case histories of shown in the trial of Boulton and Park selves. such individuals. From lhese, they in 1871, there was little knowledge of discovered that ralher than all homo the subject. Ernest (Stella) Boulton -Doerner, 1981, p 274 sexuals being the same, there was and Fred (Fanny) Park were arrested in great diversity, both in individual 1870 for indecent behavior. Boulton The most imponant innovation history and also in praclice and and Park were crossdressers. They in the ushering in of this world was desire. Chrysa/ls Quarterly 31 The Categorization of JndividuaLs hermaphrodism of the soul. .. the categories in 1921, and arrived at a The 20th Century Approach homosexual was now a species." classification which included a sub This separation enabled Krafft group of homosexual cases in which As previously stated, in the first Ebing to differentiate from other cate crossdressing constitutes part of the half of the 19th century the authorities gori es of homosexual those contrary sexual psychic state. Howev had been reticent about discussing individuals who we would now recog er, Ellis (1928), in his commentary on homosexuality, for fear that doing so nize as being transsexual. Krafft-Ebing Moll, draws attention to the fact that might influence others to "take up this divided homosexuality into two major Moll failed to grasp Hirschfeld's idea of heinous crime." Discussion In general categories: acquired homosexuality, intermediate sexuality for "pro was severely limited because of the use and congenital homosexuality. Under nounced" cases of crossdressing. of euphemisms and delicacies. Many both headings he described transgen· Havelock Ellis, who wrote an people were also wary of discussion derism, under the first as "Eviracion encyclopedic seven-volume work cata lest they themselves be thought to be and Defemination," and/or "Metamor loging and categorizing all types of sodomites and hence risk severe pun phosis Sexualis Paranoica," and under sexual activity, carefully separated ishment for their surmlsed crime. But the second as "Effemination and transvestites from transgenderists. He as Foucault has suggested, the refusal Viraginlty" and/or "Androgyny and called transvestites, as we now know to discuss sex marked sex as the Gynandry." It Is extremely difficult to them, Eonists. Transgenderists were secret, and by that it became the cen understand how he distinguished kept in the group of "sexual inverts"- ter of discourse. There was to be an between case histories which today that is, homosexuals. explosion of debate around sexualily would appear similar- perhaps IL was Hirschfeld, in 1938, who at the end of the 19th century. because we no longer have a concep finally separated uansgendered behav Much of that debate concerned tion of acquired or congenital homo· ior from homosexuality (King, 1981, in the relations of the Jaw with sexuality. sexuality. The cases Krafft-Ebing Plummer), a separation that allowed the Three of the first "sexologists as writ presents are imeresting, In that we see medical profession to take a specialized ers," Ulrichs (homosexual), Hirschfeld the subjects using the same ways of professional interest in the "treatment" (homosexual and suspected describing themselves that we see in of the former. From the 1950's, Cauld transvestite) and Ellis (as a result of case histories of transsexuals from the well's use of the term transexual to his wife's Inclinations and experi 19SO's to 1980's. We see in Case 99 the describe someone who was "physically ences) were actually acting in their first recorded image of the words, "I of one sex and apparently psychologi own interests. They wished co decrimi· feel like a woman in a man's form," cally of the opposite sex (King, 1981, p. nalize homosexual behavior by medi· (Krafft-Ebing, 1891, p. 209), which was 166, in Plummer) was being used to jus calizlng it through science. to become the classic phrase of self tify surgical intervention of behalf of Foucault claims Westphal was the description used by transsexuals of such individuals. But even today there first writer Lo deal with homosexuality the latter half of the twentieth century. are still those who argue that as a state of being. However, Casper Magnus Hirschfeld was the next transvestism or transsexualism is mere (1852) pointed out that homosexual most influential voice. Hirschfeld was ly a mask for latent homosexuality. behavior was some kind of "moral not just a doctor, but also a medico Through the work of the early hermaphroditism." Ulrichs (1864 legal expert in Germany's courts. He sexologists, transsexuality became a onwards) devised the words "uranian" used his position to advance the sci recognized phenomenon available for and "urning"; he regarded uranism as ence of sex to achieve social justice study, discussion, and treatment. As a "congenital abnormality by which a for which he was to be hounded, and was demonstrated In my introduction, female soul had become united with a his books burnt or pulped when the there was, by the 1930's, an active role male body (1952, in Ellis, 1948, p. 66). National Socialists came to power in being played by psychologists, psy But Westphal was the first medical writ· the 1930's. Hirschfeld coined the word chiatrists, endocrinologists, and sur er to deal with the subject, and to "transvestite" from the title of his geons in the "treatment" of define a medical category inlO which book, Die Transvestiten, published in transgenderlscs. This continues to "homosexual" people fell. Foucault 1910. He divided his "transvestites" this day. There are many arguments (1978, p. 43) says of the category West into five subcategories: 1) the hetero about the involvement of so many pro phal created that it was "character sexual; 2) the bisexual; 3) the homo fessions, but that discussion requires ized ... less by a type of sexual relations sexual; 4) the narcissistic; and 5) the a separate space from this one. than by a certain quality of sexual sen asexual (Ellis, 1928, p. 13). Hirschfeld This paper has allempted to sibility, a certain way of inverting the was the first to suggest that "homo show how the psychiatric category of masculine and feminine in oneself. sexuality (is) primarily a biological transsexual was reached. ll also high Homosexuality appeared as one of the phenomenon of universal extension llgh ts the Inconsistency in the forms of sexualily when it was trans and secondarily a ... social phe· approach of psychiatric professionals posed from the praclice of sodomy nomenon of serious imporcance." as exemplified by the DSM IIl·R, wh ich onto a kind of interior androgyny, a Albert Moll amended Hlrschfeld's Concluded on page 49 32 Chrysalis Quarterly ...... ' . . . Notes From the Yellow Brick Road by Lea Perrin As we were laying out this n Dan Jenkins' novel, Semi-Tough, Billy Joe Puckett explains all that goes on issue, we received the I as "life, its ownself... " But amazingly enough, some persons in transition repeatedly are quot shocking and saddening ed in writing and heard in support groups complaining about the Harry Ben news that the woman jamin requirements of a "real-life test" for a pedcx:l of time before surgeons writing the "Lea Pem 'n" are willing to aJter their physical gender existence permanendy. For some rea columns had died after a son, these folks feel that there should be no effort made by them to deter· brief illness contracted mine whether the course of action they have chosen is in fact the correct one for the rest of their temporal existence. from an abscess ofa tootb. In many of these instances of loud wailing and complaining, the loudest "Lea"was a vibrant and of the bunch are the furthest from the reality of the gender existence of their exuberant person. We are choice. It is almost as if they are saying they are afraid that they could not diminished. pass a real-life test of their chosen existence, and are deluded that some magic of the surgeon's knife will transform them into all that they are not or This is the last column Lea don't believe they can obtain by work and self-discipline. Are they afraid of what they will find-that the efforts and determination sent us. they have shown and the sacrifices they have made were offerings on the altar of self-delusion? That gender dysphoria might turn out not really to be the issue, but partial symptoms of it may mask problems they had not the courage to face? After surgery, it is too late to evaluate. The real-life test is really the only effective way for a person to know that he or she is in fact gen der dysphoric. All it requires is taking enough time and having sufficient self honesty to truly evaluate how you really feel about who you are and a chance to really decide without barriers how you really want to live. You are not trying to provide a result for someone else's approval. This information is fbr you and you only. There is no pass or fail. Actually, the term "test" in itself is an incorrect usage. The tide of the exercise should be real-life experiment. In an experiment, negative resultS are as valid as positive resultS. If you are truly gender dysphoric, by the end of the experiment you won't have che least problem convincing a mental health professional to perform whatever procedures you request, without argument. You will be so deeply immersed in your role, so natural, so con sistent with the norm for the gender that any other existence would be inconceiv-able. Chrysalis Quarterly 33 It may bear out that you are truly Experiments in all sciences are Because of the prevarication gender dysphoric, but physically inca· dependent on absolute truth. This is sometimes necessary to gain initial pable of assuming the physical gender a really cough hurdle for a person in transition treatment, when it comes to role of choice. You still need to know transition. In their attempt to get being truthful with yourself, the skills this for certain by giving the experi· treatment, persons with gender dys· of self-truth may be very rusty. It is ment full effort. Don't duck the experi· phoria have often been forced co be vital to relearn them in order not to ment or quit before you try. A lot of "l extremely artful in order to obtain ser· make gross e rrors in judgment during can't's" and ''I'll never be able to's" vices from the still rudimentary diag· the real-life experiment and beyond. If dissolve in the crucible of "l have nostic system and from service you delude or kid yourself at this co 's." For many people who have been providers reluctant to provide hor point, it could cost you your total considering transition for years and monal relief on demand. My life part· function and perhaps your life. hold the common fear of never being ner, K.D., met me quite a way along able to "pass," the real life experiment the path to wholeness. While she was BUUETLN! BUUETJN! properly entered into will yield some totally supportive and tried to learn surprising results when answers and everything possible about the condi· The real-life experiment does solutions to doubts and fears are Lion that affected both of our lives, not start the day you fi-rst put on a approached in the presence of immedi· she never understood the reasons for ate need. so much duplicity in myself and my dress or a man's suit andgo out. Perhaps you will still find your· friends. I realized that she had never It starts the day you stop "pass self physically Incapable of changing seen what this thing looked like at ing" and start living. gender roles, but you will know that the beginning and what a struggle it you have done all that you could. 1t was to get initial credibility. H's not This is not in any way meant to will be the benchmark for looking at difficult to change doctors and get disparage all the effort that goes imo more possible alternatives. You will treatment when you walk into the the achieving of initial physical con· have the opportunity to find other examining room with fully developed gruity in the gender of your choice. ll possible solutions lO ease your pain breasts and other evidence of hor· is absolutely essential that you and without having trapped yourself In a monal adjustment. But the trick is to the people you encounter be comfort· permanently untenable position. get that first pill, that first shot. To able enough wi th your physical pres· It Is a fact of reality that a person show her this, I invited an acquain· ence that no stir is generally made in transition Is simply returning to his tance to dinner who was in the pre when you walk into a public or her original gender self. Once able first stages of obtaining treatment. As encounter situation. It does not mean to function in that gender, and with this middle-aged, very male business that if you get "read" from time to time practice to assimilate cultural distinc· executive sat across from us in our that the experiment must begin again tions , the resultant confide nce and living room, she heard the same or has failed, or that if thinking of that comfort will go a long way cowards expressions of feeling, frustration, possibility sometimes puts you ill at overcoming physical imperfections. and desire to change at all costs that ease in certain situations your general Men and women come in wide and var· she had heard and seen from me. She success is negated. ied sizes. There are many shore, slight immediately saw the congruity prob· These are real probabilities of men, and many large, call women. What lem and knew the pain was real. She occurre nce, and you will always to all of these people have in common is heard the person relate the difficulties some extent be a stranger in a strange the sureness that they are the gender of gelling anyone even at a so-called land. You still must persevere and they claim to be. Once you develop the "gender clinic" to provide treatment. acquire a comfort level that is for the confidence that you are who you say She started co realize that the lying, most part unthinking about your cho you are and believe it in your core , this evasions, and manipulations people sen gender. Then and only then will confidence will work for you. This, in in transition have had LO use in many you be able to function in social and fact, is the essence of the real-life cases in order to get wholeness were work situations on a continuing basis experiment- that you can say to your· necessary. and be able to ask and answer in full self that you are the gender you say The real-life experiment gives honesty, "Do r really like it, now that you are, believe it without condition, you the opportunity, without resLric· the novelty has worn off, now that the and realize that you have always been tions, to honestly operate in whole· challenge is no more. Can I truly live that gender, regardless of how you ness; to see if the person you al ways this way for the rest of my life?" have been forced to live. You will then imagined you were is real, or wheLher I really believe that no one who be able co go back over your whole life you had gotten so caught up in the is not a woman would be crazy and see where the influences of your challenge that you created a false per· enough to live a woman's life and deal real gender were the determinancs of ception of a life role you would not be wi th all of the physical and emotional your decisions on many issues, large able or willing to sustain for the rest of elements of that existence. You have and small. your life. Concluded on page 41 34 Chrysalis Quarterly -eature . .. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • f019')2 by Dallas Denny & Holly Boswell How to Start &Maintain a Gender All rights resewed Support Organization by Dallas Denny & Holly Boswell In 1986, Holly founded For many of us, findmg a support group ~ the lifeline we need, for there we the Phoenix Transgender meet people who we scarcely dared believe existed- those who are like us. Support Group in There we share experiences, obtain referrals, make friends, and gather Asheville, North Caroli knowledge. There we can safely divulge the feelings that we have been hold na. Phoenix is an open ing in.side us. There we may feel, for the first time, truly at home. group. Dallas became a Some of us are lucky enough to have support groups which are conve member of Phoenix in niently near. Others must drive long distances. But there are many who either 1989. In 1991, she found cannot afford to travel or who live just too far away to conveniently attend a ed Atlanta Gender F.xplo suppongroup. rations, which is Whether you live in Newfoundland, Fargo, North Dakota, or Iuka, Mis modeled on Phoenix. si5sippi, it is safe to say that there are other cransgendered people nearby, and Both groups are non-sex perhaps even in the same town. The problem is locating them. Trans.5exual ua4 and serve persons people, tranSgenderists, and crossdressers hardly wear signs proclaiming with a wide variety of their status, and besides, they may be fearful of exposure or in denial. How co gender issues. make contact? The sad fact is that many cransgendered people will never be reached. But those with the courage to look about and make repeated attempts to find help- and we say repeated because those first cautious reaching5 out are frequently rebuffed or ignored- can evenrually Link up with the paraculture: that marvelous network of support groups, information services, newsletters, magazines, service providers, and social dubs that serve those with gender dysphoria. But what if you live in Newfoundland? What if you live in Fargo, Phoenix North Dakota? What if you live in Iuka Mississippi? What if the nearest P.Q Bax 18332 source of support is hundreds of miles away? What are you to do? Asheville, NC 28814 Well, you can do one of two things: you can gird your loins and gas your car and make the journey, or you can form a local support network. "What, me?" you say? "I can't do that. I'm just an average person." Well, Atlanta Gender Explo Vi'gin.ia Prince was just an average person and she formed FPE, which even rations tually became Tri-Ess. Christine Jorgensen was just an average person and P.Q Box 1542 she found the oourage to go to Scandinavia to seek sex reas.5ignment. Lou Roswell, GA 30077 Sullivan was just an average person and he wrote Information /or the Female-to-Male Crossdresser and Transsexual. Merissa Sherrill Lynn \Vc1S (404) 642-9652 just an average person and she had a vision of IFGE. Mr. Peabody W3S just an (404) 962-3118 average person and he invented the WayBack Machine. Face it. You can do it. Here's how: Chrysalis Quarterly 35 I. Decide who you will serve. Be self-help group, or is It both? How letter-writer (which would require a as inclusive as possible. often will you meet? How long will release of information form). your meetings last, -and what will you Persons with gender issues are do? Will you charge money to auend, 3. Choose a name. highly variable, and if you are the only and if so, how much? Will refreshments source of suppon around, you should be served? What behavior will be con· It will pay to give some thought think very hard before excluding cer sidered acceptable, and what will be t0 this, for changing the name of your tain factions, making them as alone as considered unacceptable? What wlll be group, once it Is established, will take you once were- but feeling more so your security requirements? some doing. Your name should say because of their exclusion. You may be You will be asked to help people exactly what you will do, without transsel(ual, and so your thoughts find psychologists, surgeons, and being unwieldy. Exercise your creativ may run to transsexualism, but whac endocrinologists, so the sooner you ity and your sense of humor. Some about the crossdresser? You may be a have a policy about referrals, the bet groups use historic names, like Texas' heterosexual crossdresser. What ter. You should decide whether to Boulton and Park society, which is about the homosexual crossdresser? endorse the Standards of Care of the named after two gay crossdressers What about the transgenderist? What Harry Benjamin International Gender who were arrested in Victorian Eng about female-to-male people, who, Dysphoria Association. We strongly land. Holly's group, the Phoenix after all, make up half of our popula suggest that you do, for they are the Transgender Support Group, ls tion? What about significant others, only standards for the hormonal and named after the fabulous mythologi who often have tremendous problems surgical treatment of transsexual per cal bird which arises from its own coping with their transgendered part· sons, and they provide common-sense ashes. Many groups and organiza· ners? Our suggestion to you is that safeguards that can save a lot of lions with long names are called by whatever the focus of your group, you human misery. their acronyms; you get bonus points should not be exclusionary, but Second, you should decide whac for coming up with a name that, while should welcome anyone with a gender referrals you will and will noc make, telling what you do, makes an conOict, white, black, straight, gay, and under what conditions you will acronym thaL is a word, like LIFE male, female, HfV+, TS, TG, CD, SO, make referrals. You may decide co refer (Long Island Femme Expression). LSMFT, or any other variant of what Bil the individual only to mental health Double bonus points if your acronym lie Jean Jones, elsewhere in this issue, caregivers (psychologists, counselors, makes a word that is gender-related. calls the Genderbet Soup. If the focus social workers, psychiatrists) and to The word AEGIS, for example, means of the group seems too broad, you support groups and information clear shield or auspices, and so describes may decide to break into special inter inghouses like AEGIS and rFGE. You may the organization's purpose. And no, est groups (or SIGs, as they are called decide to give the names directly co AEGIS' founder didn't sit up nights by computer user groups) according the individual's therapist and let him thinking of it; she spent au of thirty to self-identification or interest. or her make the referral. If you decide minutes on the name. !And by the If you decide to limit yourself to to refer the individual to endocrinolo way, AEGIS isn't a support group, but one sub-group, then you will have a gists, plastic surgeons, and surgeons a national clearinghouse for informa closed group. Otherwise, your group who do sex reassignment surgery, you tion about gender dysphorla. There's will be open. The relative merits of should ask yourself whether the indi no rule that says you must start a open and focused groups are vidual Is ready for the service they are support group. Perhaps, like Billie addressed elsewhere in this issue by requesting. lt is common, for example, Jean Jones or Phoebe Smith, who pub Holly Boswell. for those who are just starting out to lish, respectively, GenderFlex, (former Even if you do close your group seek specific information about a ly TV Guise), and The Transsexual to some faction of the community, physician who does sex reassignment Voice, you would rather publish a don't leave others out in the cold. surgery- years before they realistically newsleuer. Perhaps, like Sister Mary Surely you remember how that felt! need this information. Their query will Elizabeth, you would rather start an Treat them with care and considera· serve only to impose needless work on information service Q2CP). Perhaps, tion. Talk to them, help them to under· the surgeon and his staff. Similarly, It like Anne Ogborn, you would rather stand themselves, and help them to would be in violation of the Standards start an advocacy organization. Per· find or scan an organization or group of Care to refer an individual to an haps, like Phyllis Frye, you would which can help them. endocrinologist or other physician for rather put together a conference (she hormones before he or she is in pos· is the driving force behind the First 2. Decide upon provisional polictes. session of a letter from a cllnical mental National Conference on Transgender health worker authorizing them. You Law). Perhaps, like Mjka Scott and You should give serious consid· must decide whether to take the indi others in England, you would ra ther eration to how your group will func vidual's word that such a letter exists, put together a political action com· tion. Is it a social group, or is it a or whether to ask to verify it with the mittee like their Press For Change.J 36 Chrysalis Quarterly 4. Rent a post office box. l The Need for Open who they really are and what to do about It The open dlalogue that takes A rew dollars will buy you a Support Groups pla ce in this kind of group gives secure place to receive your mail in everyone a chance to hear the per whatever name you wish , both per· by Holly Boswell spectives of others who are living or sonal and organizational, and will pro vide protection of your privacy. If you Until recently, most transgender experimenting with all sorts of gender move across town, or if the leadership support groups have been focused options they may or may not have of the organization passes out of your on the two most obvious segmems of even chought of. Members can also hands and into another's, the post the gender community: heterosexual feel quite comfortable testing these office boic will remain constant. This is crossdressers and transseicual peo- options, since conforming to stan- important, for you will be li sting that ple. These two segments have spec.Ifie dards is not expected. This is espe· post office box just about everywhere. needs and concerns that are often cially valuable for novices, who might best addressed in a focused manner otherwise be seduced into the only 5. Get a dedicated telephone line. that requires exclusivicy. option offered by a focused group. Meanwhile, as Increasing num· How many would-be transsexual peo- If you open your private phone bers of people wirh gender issues pie might benefit more from this open line to gender inqui ries, you'll be get present themselves and seek support, approach? We all need to find our ting calls at 2 AM. You may be able to put up with chis for a short time, but we have come to see how truly diverse place in the rainbow of gender, and to at some point, you will want to get a we are. Transgenderists, androgynes, understand that our colors may shift dedicated telephone line. If money is crossdressers who are gay, lesbian or over time. tight, you can probably make do with bisexual, prostitutes, HIV+ persons There ought to be a su pport a RingMaster number, at least for a and PWA's, and many other gender group within a hundred miles of every while. If you get a dedicated line al a alternative people will continue to transgendered person. At the grass· later date, you can use the RingMaster lack meaningful support until there roots level, more of these people will number, and so avoid having co re are groups that are open co chem. be served if the first group in their publlclze you r group's phone number. This is why more and more new area is open. As members increase, Most telephone companies now groups are welcoming all people with specialized focus groups can follow. If support RingMaster, which is a sepa· gender issues. an area already has one or more rate number which will cause a distinc· tlve ring on your telephone, letting A special kind of sharing cakes focused groups- which is often the you know If Lhe Incoming call Is per· ~ place in an open group. One gets to case in large cities- It's probably time sonal or gender-related. You can !,,,',,,',,. see the entire issue of gender dis· gtoapfos.rm an open group to Oil In the answer lhe phone wilh different greet played in a fascinating array of ings, depending upon the ring: "Hi. aspects. And when male and female Because the gender community This is Bill Jones." "Hi, this is the Fargo significant others and counselors are was first organized by members of Mullidenominational Transcontinental participating, the spectrum is even focused groups, there has been a trou· Support Group, B.j. speaking. We bend more colorful. Rigid stereotypes of bling lack of cohesiveness that has gender. How can we help you?" Be what a crossdresser or transsexual resulted in polarization and petty careful not to confuse the rings! person is supposed to be are shat· squabbling. The heterosexual cross- Answering machines unfortu· tered. Sexuality Is seen as the fluid dressers and the transsexual persons nately can't yet distinguish the Ring· energy ll really is, Independent of are like two columns on a weak founda· master calls from your other calls, so you may want to leave an ambiguous gender. Topics pop up spontaneous- tlon. With the new trend of open sup- but reassuring message so that callers ly and a wealth of experience and pore groups, that foundacion will be won't freak out and go back in the viewpoints are shared. In fact, with strengthened. And as open support closet for twenty years. "Good evening only a few gentle nudges from a facili· groups begin to nurture more columns and thank you for calling. You've ta tor, the discussion is usually so of gay or bisexual crossdressers, trans- reached M.T.S.G. This is also Bill Jones' lively that no programs or meeting genderim, fem ale·to-male transsocual private number. We'd be happy to agendas are necessary. This is peer persons, androgynes, and more, we return your call or send you informa counseling al its best. may have a structure thal can support tion about us. Please speak slowly and Most people who come to a a roof. With the spirit of unily and distinccly after you hear the beep." support group are looking for com- inclusiveness that open groups pro- If you open your private phone panionship and information. Many are mote, we may indeed create the temple line co gender inquiries, you'll need to In a formative stage of discovering of a community we can all call home. convey to all group members guide- •••OOO'°O"OOOOOOOOOoOOOooOOOOooOoOOOOOoOOOOo00000•0•000•000•0000oO•OOOO>•ooOt0o .. oo.,00000 00000000HO"O""'''''HOOOOOOooo .. O oOO OoOOO o OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOoOOOo000000oooo• Chrysalis Quarterly 3 7 lines for phone etiquette. These guide· on, at least enough to add structure organizations can refer people to you? lines mighL include the confidentiality lo the organization until officers can IFGE, AEG IS, and other organizations of the phone number (I.e., don't give It be elected and permanent policies gel calls from all around the world, to others), hours, and who to ask for decided upon. You may want to do a and will be happy to have a group in when they call. second broadside, or incorporate, in Fargo, North Dakota to refer to- and the first, educational information for so will that liule support group in Iuka 6. Have business cards and sta· the many people who don't know Mississippi, who just got a all from twnerydesignedandprinred about gender dysphoria. your next door neighbor in Fargo. In time, you may want to expand Send your press release with a nice You r support group al Lhis these materials into a brochure. After cover letter, and ask that your busi point consists of a posL offi ce box and all, you'll be sending ic co prospective ness card (you might even have a small a RingMaster number, but nobody members, helping professionals, and ad drawn up) be printed in their maga· needs to know Lhat. If you want to other gender organizations for years zine or newsletter. You can also con stay small, you can do withou t fancy to come. tact nationally known gender clinics stationery, but if you want to make a and service providers, who also get good impression on those with whom 8. Get listed locally. calls from you r neighbors in Fargo. you'll be corresponding, have attrac· The paracul ture's most compre Li ve business cards, letterhead, and You should get your name in as hensive listing of support groups and envelopes made up. It will pay If you many publications and in as many other servi ces is printed in each issue spend a Huie money for an atcractive other places as possible. Local gay of The TV·TS Tapestry, which is pub design and a good printing job. The organizations, crisis lines, medical lished about three times a year by The more impressive your materials look, referral services, hospitals, colleges International Foundation for Gender the more seriously you'll be taken. It and universities, physicians, psychol Education. This listing is a gateway will really help here to consulL a ogists, clergymen, electrologists- all into the gender world. All of the play graphic artist, who will do a custom will be happy lO hear that there is ers, both major and minor, are listed design for you for less than you might somewhere lo refer their clients with there. Write to as many organizations think. Don't go cutesy and do cards gender dysphoria. Your community as you can afford, asking to exchange with pretty women on them. Don'L may have an alternative newspaper publications and information. The scrimp on paper quality either, and for which will list you for free or run a free magazines and newsletters which will God's sake, don't use pink paper! Look ad, or you may have to (horrors) pay start Lo appear in your box will help to at the leuerhead of the large corpora· for an ad. build the sense of community, make tions and try for the same look, but Telephone contact is great, but you friends, and give you opportuni don't directly copy anyone's logo, follow up your calls with a note on ties. Be sure to pass the booklets on unless you like dealing with corporate your letterhead. That's what you got it to other group members after you read lawyers. for. You r leLters should be neatly them. They can, in fact, be the begin· Ra ther than spelling things out, typed or computer-printed. Be sure to ning of the group's gender library. you may want to use only you r organl· include your press release and your zation's inilials and address on your business card. Your correspondents 10. Telecommunicate. envelopes, for you'll be sending mail to will be impressed with so professional people whose well -being could be an organization, and will have some Local and national computer jeopardized by an envelope that said thing concrete co hang onto instead bulletin boards are utilized by millions something like "Important gender-relat· of cryi ng to find that scrap of paper on of people. Messages placed on such ed information enclosed!" Be dlscreLe, which they jotted down your phone boards- and especially the dozen or especially when mailing to a street number. so gender-related national boards, are address rather than a post office box. You can also put up you r cards another way of bringing in new and press releases on bulletin boards prospects. If you don't have a comput· 7. Do a press release, using your in bars, supermarkets, and other er and modem, find someone you trust letterhead. places where large numbers of people who does and ask them to post infor· will be likely to see them. What can it mation about your group and monitor Prepare a press release, stating hurt? replies. you r purpose, your philosophy, any projects or products you might have, 9. Get listed within the gender 11. Consider a newsletter. and membership criteria for your sup community. port group, and have a few hundred Newsletters can be fancy and copies run off. It will be important to You are now listed locally, and time-consuming, or folksy, quick, and address issues like security require will start getting calls. Why not get dirty. If you have a computer or even a ments, dues, and group policies early hooked up nationally so that other typewriter, you can crank out a couple 38 Chrysalis Quarterly of pages every month, celling about other members? (Answer· none). What Once your group reaches a crlti· your local acLlviues, and send copies should they do if they run into anoth· cal size a small conuibut.ion from each around the town and around the er group member at the mall? (Answer; member will pay for rem of a hotel suite country, and to your members (when ignore them, especially if the person Is and refreshments, with money left over you get them). Other groups will be with someone else. Contact should be for printing costs and stamps. Until Impressed, and (here's rhe best reason made only if the other person indi· then, you may have to compromise. for doing a newsleuer) will put you on cates that they want to make contacl). One thing to consider: you will proba· their exchange list. With their newslet Some of your group members bly want to keep the actual location of ters, you'll be able to monitor the hap will have two names, and it may prove your meetings secret, divulging that penings of the gender world and difficult to tell which one to use in dif information only to people who have ultimately, better serve your members. ferent circumstances. Each member passed the security requirements. Do yourself and the world a favor, should be asked to indicate if it is all though. Get a dictionary, and, If you right to receive mail and telephone 14. Make the group self support have a compu ter, buy a spelling check· calls, and which name should be used. ing. ing program and use it. Have your Remember: Lives are al stake here. newsletter read for clarity and style and Loose lips sink ships. A slip of the You may have to dig a bit into spelling by someone who knows how tongue or pen can cause great damage your pocket for start-up expenses, but to proofread- and preferably by two to the lives of your group members. It's several hundred dollars will go a long people who know how LO proofread. It a good policy to never give out phone way. Consider the alternative- lots of has to do with that Image thing again. numbers without explici1 permission. It travel, which will not be inexpensive. makes life a little more difficult, but a lot You can either give your organization 12. Devise security procedures. safer. You can get out of the middleman money, or make a loan to it, with full position by obtaining the permission expectation of eventual payback. Per With the above in place, you'll of the caller to give his or her number haps you should consult an attorney stare getting calls and letters from to the second party. about the latter. people anxious to meet you and join We've included on page 43 a You can't exactly have a crans your support group. You'll need some copy of the Atlanta Gender Explo· gender car wash or bake sale way to screen people to make sure rations group's confidentiality and (although with the Increasing acce(r they're okly, and they'll need some security statement, which Is modeled tance of transgendered people, per way to screen you to make sure that on Phoenix Transgender Support haps the first gender walkathon is not you're okay. Ideally, there should be a Group in Asheville, North Carolina so far in the future). There are, howev secure, well-lighted meeting room Holly's group. Like her, you may wane er, various ways to make money, limit· which Is in a neutral location. Practi· lo have group members sign a waiver ed only by you r creativity. cally, this may not be possible. You'll of responsibility so that they cannot first, you can ask your members find that a lengthy phone conversa blame you for everything that goes for dues. You should keep fees low, tion will give you a good idea about wrong in their lives. certainly less than ten dollars per meet· the needs and 1mc1~ts of most Ing, and lower, if at all possible. If you callers. You may dedde that a cele 13. Find a meeting place. have to go to some time and trouble 10 phone screening will suffice, or you screen prospective members, you may want to meet the caller in person. If you are comfortable with get· might charge them a modest screening Whatever you decide, you should for ting together in your house or at the fee, which will go into the organiza mulace screening and other security home of another group member, then tion's treasury. You might also ask procedures and nave them in place you will not need to find a meeting members for volu nta ry donations in early on- ideally, before your first place. Otherwise, you will need to find excess of the dues. incoming call. It ~'ould be a good idea a place which Is secure, safe, inexpen· You can sell subscriptions LO to include your security requirements sive, and which offers your members your newsletter, especially to those on the press release or brochure that freedom to come and go crossdressed. folks who want to monitor what is you send around. You may want or need a location with happening, but are not yet ready to Group members must be told fa cilities for members co change come out. You should calculate print· and told agaJn of the Importance of clothes. Certain churches (of the more ing expenses and postage and then respecting the privacy of others. It li beral persuasion) may be open to charge somewhat more, but don't would be a good idea to make them giving you free or low-cost meeting price yourself out of business. Remem sign a statement agreeing to do so. It spaces, and so may gay support cen· ber that you're doing this to help pea· will be necessary to instruct group ters or bars. Helping professionals pie and not to make a buck. members about proper protocol. For may let you have space, and may even After your organization has ins tance, what purpose will it serve for serve as a resource and sponsor for reached a healthy size, there will be members to know the last names of the group. ocher ways to make money. You can Chrysalis Quarte.,./y 39 maintain a clothing exchange, put on the members do 90% of the work. possible, yet at the same time meeting a pageant, have a fancy S20 a plate Recruit new talent. It'll make your life your personal needs. fundraising dinner, or have a spaghet· easier. What does that mean, you may ti supper for five dollars a plate. And If you can afford a dedicated ask? Simple: you should keep within when the ball is really rolling, you can telephone line with Call Forwarding, the limits of your knowledge, and not incorporate as a nonprofh encity, file then you'll be able to transfer the "hot stray beyond; you should follow com for 501(c) federal nonprofit status, line" co volunteers. If a writer emerges, monly accepted practice like endors announce that contributions are tax· you may be able co place the burden of ing the Benjamin Standards of Care for deductible, and go after grant money the newsletter in capable hands. No transsexual people. You should learn and charitable donations. matter what talents an individual as much as you can and respect the might have, there will be something judgement of those who know more 15. Structure of meetings. they can do. Duplication and mailing than you do, and defer to them when of the newsletter is a burdensome appropriate. All referrals should be in Most of your members will have task, but someone in Lhe group may the best interest of the client. You personal issues which they want to dis· be happy to make that their contribu should delegate authority rather than cuss. The group meetings should not tion. Someone else may be happy to trying to do everything by yourself. have so much structure that this is not screen prospective members. And above all , you should maintain possible. "I know you're having a break- Upon election, the president scrict confidemiality of your gro up 4own, Ronnie Jane, but it's time to play should officiate at meeLlngs. One of the members and those who make 'Walk on the Wtld Side' by Lou Reed." In first casks of the officers should be co inquiries regarding the group. fact, time for personal Issues should be devise a consrnulion or a set of bylaws, One of the common traps that built into the schedule for each and and address the provisional statement of chose who run support groups fall every meeting. You may want to have policy under which you have been oper into is overextending themselves. guest speakers at some of the meetings, ating. The officers may revise or expand When this happens, burnout occurs, and at others you may want to throw it, or they may decide LO let it stand. and then phone calls and letters from out a topic for general discussion: "What those wanting information go unan· is the best way to deal with children? 18. Don't bold the organization back. swered, prospective members go Should they be told? When?" You should unscreened, and newsletters go be careful to select topics of interest to Consider that you may be start· unpublished. Please keep in mind all of the members. We guarantee you ing something thar may become big that a phone call or letter may be the that female-to-male crossdressers and ger than you are. Welcome the talents only time an individual finds the transsexual people will not want to talk and contributions of others, and courage to reach out. lf you don't about makeup (although they may get a don't try to maintain absolute control. have the time or energy or inclination kick out of the lingerie show!). Sure- you're always going to think of to deal with those seeking help or co it as "your" group, but in fact, it isn't. publish your newsletter, find some 16. Start a lending library. It's the members' group, and you one in your organization who does, should keep that in mind ac all times. or al least refer those who call or You can use the magazines and You didn't really want to run a sup· write elsewhere. And please be sensi· newsletters you get in a newsletter port group for the rest of your life, did live; it's easy to make a remark on the exchange to form the core of a lending you? When the group is in capable phone or on paper which will send library which includes inexpensive hands, you might want co back away someone back in the closet for two paperback self-help books, newspaper and watch It ny. or three years. clippings, articles from mainstream There is of course much more to magazines, and articles and stories 19. Remember that peoples' lives running a support group than we from the group members. You can ask are at stake. could possibly mention in these individual members to donate a book. pages. We haven't cold you, for You'll need to keep close tabs on the Despite the generally light· instance, what to do when you gee a materials, though, for otherwise they hearted wne of this article, you must midnight call from someone in crisis, will tend to walk. remember that the support you will or what to do if someone breaks be providing will have profound group protocol. Like the rest of us, 17. Build the organization. effects on the lives of ochers, as well you'll have to learn as you go. But as on your own. The needs of the hopefully, our suggestions will As your membership grows, individual must come before the empower you and give you direction If you may need to elect officers and needs of the organization. You must you do decide to form your own sup appoint staff and committees to be in also maintain yourself in as profes port group. charge of various activities. Remem sional a manner as possible at all Good luck if you decide to give It ber that in any organization, 10% of times, helping people as much as a try.~ 40 Chrysalis Quarterly Genderbet Soup How I Became... 'lei/aw Brick Road Continuedfro m page JO Continued from page 50 Continuedfrom page 34 filter that "sees" cross-dressers , Dr. Benjamin and others. I went to the really got to be a woman to put up transgenderlsts, transsexuals and Post Office Building. Outside it, I with setting your hair at 6:30 every transvestlles as WJ llMs. The filter that called the former postal attorney and morning, getting dressed in some· sees Signincant Others (SOs) as non· told him what I was about to do. lie thing acceptable for work, putting up cross-dressing White Heterosexual was not very happy with the idea and with all the chauvinistic BS from men Identified Females (WHIFs); the filter made me feel that if I ever went into In the workplace all day, come home, that requires the addition of "female" that building I might not get out and then share In all of the domestic to "other" cross-dressing/gendering again. That was frightening, but this tasks of living. Women do it every day people (i.e. FTMs); the Riter that "fil. was the United States! I went In and of their lives. If you can't accept the ters out" bisexuals, homosexuals, found the office of the Chief Inspector, responsibilities of the reality of the erotic fetishists, gender-benders, Mr. Montegue. I told him what I was existence, better that you find out in people of color, and other GAPs. Seg· doing there, and he told me that Mr. the experimental stage and become a regated Genderland Is truly POC· Callahan of the mailabillty section was healthy transgenderist or crossdress· marked with too many GOB clubs the one to talk to, and called him In. er, and leave the heavy stuff alone. mainly populated by Wl II Ms and a few Callahan took me into his office, and I But If the chosen gender identi· "wifely" WH!Fs. brainwashed him for an hour and a ty Is truly you, you will join your fifty And the "programming" at these half about the whole field of percent of the population and gain events begs to have more diversity transvestism and the fact that we the comfort of the life of the person such as cross-dressing as an aspect weren't gay, and told him that his you are and we re always meant to be. of masculinity (for males); as an aspect Inspectors had overstepped their You will shortly learn that being male of femininity (for females); as a decon· bounds on a whole lot of occasions, or female is not the "happily eve r struction of the binarism of gender and showed him the letters saying so. after" cure-all to your life situalions, it (and a corresponding expansion of He was polite, understanding, and just facilitates trying to solve the the "third - the transitional space, cooperative. After that visit, I heard no problems and overcoming the other the non-specific "other"); as an more complaints from around the hurdles without the millstone of gen· aspect of eroticism; role-playing; sex country of inspectors giving der dysphoria around your neck. ual expression; transculturalism (for transveslites a hard time. I think I was If you do find that you are cor· examples). AND, a reduction on the able to change the thinking of the reel in gender choice during the real· emphasis of T!Ps (hormones, voice whole post office department and life experiment, you will start to see and body changes are dealt with so their handling of our kind of people. dimensions of your existence and learn extensively and thoroughly that they If it hadn't been for that proba· about a self that has been so far hid· have become the "ideal" for far too lion, I would never have had molivation den. No person , however committed or many Gender Explorers who are not for starting the talks to clubs, which was studied, can really know about the cul being shown other paths to "Gender in turn responsible for my getting LO do tural existence of the other gender Euphoria"- are in fact being shown television interview shows, radio talk until he or she has lived in it. No mauer how to swap one rigid sex-gender shows, and lectures to medical schools, what you think life In that gender Is classification for another as an affirma colleges, and groups of students. really like, It will be far different and tive course even though their mociva· Over the years, I was able to do more complex In texture than you ever tion may be the rejection of culturally a great deal of spreading the word imagined. This will be revealed by your "expected" gender attributes and not through society. Others are doing accepting the full requirements and biology/anatomy). If sex and gender this work now, but I can safely say responsibilities of the gender role and are Inseparable (the congruity that that l was the first one to get up will yield a real joy of enlightenment, a TIPs seek), then we wonder: Are we before hundreds in service clubs and source of constant wonderment, and masculine even if we wear skirts, or millions on radio and television, make every day better than the best nurture ou r children, or cry during dressed as a lady, admitting to being Christmas that you have ever had. I the sad parts of a movie? (What gen a male, and then explaining what It have enjoyed the time of my experiment der Is a child born in the "Third was all about. I am satisfied that I con· very much, worked with it, explored il, world?") tributed my bit to the gradual open wondered at it. Because of it, I knew Wake-up, Billie jean! Wake-up/I ing up of social attitudes concerning when it was time for the reality of I am awake, damnitall- what do sex, gender, and crossdressing. It is surgery. I knew that I was lying down on you want?! because I feel that I have made my that operating table with an uncondi· You baue to finish the CQ piece. contribution that I feel entitled to tional acceptance of myself as a female foe I just did. retire from the active fray at this point the rest of my life. That and I.he love of my No you didn't. You were dreaming and let some of the rest of you carry life parlller are the only things I have ever that you wrote 1t. g:1. the batlle forward. g:1. been sure of in my life. g:1. Chrysalis Quarterly 4 I The Pa.rtnership Way viewpoint. Yet all is not gloom: there have been periods of resurgence, Riane Eisler & David Loye. New York: when the partnership way of living Harper & Collins, <01990. was revived, and these revivals were responsible for most of the advances Review by An/bony James Roberti in our way of life. Eisler ends on an optimis tic note: with public con Rating: sciousness raised to the level it is In this century, action can be taken to Most F.xcellenJ permanently restore the partnership style of society and therefore end the It is easy to find books that sug debilitating violent stereotypes that gest big changes, because they are cause both women and men to suffer. abundant. They are written by authors The Chalice and the Blade made who have studied a social problem tremendous waves, striking a chord and in their books analyte it in minute thar resonated within those who read detail. In the lase paragraph they warn it. Discussion groups sprang up us that If things don'l change very everywhere; a national network grew soon, we're all in big trouble. to advance the partnership Idea; Some readers will take the hint teachers at many schools and univer· and organize a community action sities started using the book for class group. Mose of us, though, are con es and seminars. Even still, Chalice sumers who know very little about faced the drawbacks described being activists. When a book, or more above- most people are consumers, likely a TV show, manages LO raise not activists, and not everyone can anger over an issue, most of us, as read through the archaeological consumers, have no idea how to details to gee the message. direct this anger constructively. Eisler and partner David Loye's There's another obstacle, which The Partnership Way makes up for might be even bigger than the first. these shortcomings. They start by Writers who work from an academic summarizing the concepts in Chalice. standpoint know that they must pre The last chapters in Part I tell how the sent evidence supporting a thesis in partnership concept might be applied order to convince the academic world. lO youth, church , chemical dependen As a result, their books may be too cy, and codependency groups. The technical for most people to under second part is a nine-lesson plan for stand, and many may be unable to reaching the ideas of Chalice in a read between the lines to the underly small group or classroom setting. ing message. Here, the ideas of Chalice are The Chalice and the Blade by explained In plain language and Riane Eisler is an ideal example. arranged as topics for group discus Through archaeological evidence, she sion. They include rhe interruption of painls a picture of the past that is partnership society by dominator important and shocking. According to societies. the "essential difference" Eisler, the first civilizations were not between partnership and dominator based on domination, fear, and vio cultures, and the "hidden heritage" of lence, but on open communication the Great Mother. Each idea Is present and equality, especially sexual (gen ed in several ways in order to best der?- Ed.) equality. Domination and meet the specific interests and experi warfare were an intrusion that, com ence of different groups. Guidelines Rating System bined with many unfortunate factors, are included for facilitators who are led to the rise of male-dominant, life. not well-practiced in ideas. The ses· 0 Don't BOLher negative cultures. The only accounts sions are not only interesting and i;t1 Only if the price is righl of history that have survived were stimulating, but also model respectful, Wi;1i1 Definitely worthwhile written after the rise of patriarchy, so rather than confrontational, ways of ~i;t1 Most Excellent the only account of history we have talking with one another. Throughout inherited is from the "dominator" the program, no blame Is placed on 42 Chrysalis Quarterly men for male domination. The empha· northern Scotland. worked helping professionals, and sis is entirely on healing and moving Al the G.l.C. you might talk to a burnout. on. The ninth lesson contains pages junior psychologist such as Dr. Tully The book would be worthwhile to of suggestions on specific community was in the lace '70's. You go there sev another professional, in giving a lot of action projects the group can under· eral times for interviews (National distilled experience to someone who take after fully exploring the notion of Health pays the transportation and has just acquired a transsexual patient, partnership. There is a section of addl· bills, but you spend a lot of time trav but I don't think it is helpful to the per· tlonal topics, projects, and resources eling and waiting) . In time, you might son wi th gender dysphoria, except as chat can be used by facilitators in get approved to go on the waiting list background material. If your counselor group discussion. Pare Ill contains for gender reassignment surgery. Then already has a copy of Magnus several essays that continue some of It's a matter of budget, priorities, and Hirschfeld's book, Transvestites, this is the ideas in Chalice, such as the mis· the surgeon's avai !ability. a possible addition to his library. c:;r:1. use, and the potential constructive Those who can- that is, those use of technology. who have the money- will often avoid Perhaps the most compelling Charing Cross, since the same sur· Atlanta Gender Explorations aspect of Eisler's paradigm is the sense geon may be available at a reasonable Support Group Confidentiality & of optimism it inspires. She has helped charge at another London hospital, Security Statement to many believe that a society based and of course there is Brussels, quite Our me~ are diverse, and have on respectful interconnection rather close. With application of cash, things varying needs. Many take risks to join than fear and domination is not a pipe happen quickly. us. Marriages children, reputations, and livelibooas1 are all on the line. We dream, but a vi able option. It can be In the time period covered in the owe each other the p_romise ofconfiden· difficult to break out of patterns we book, apparently the Standards of tiality. /J is a crucial, mutualconcern. learned as children, but the human Care were not operating rules at the 1. Personal information is extremely race Is che most adaptive species there Charing Cross G.I.C. , for in some of the confidential, and should not be discussed is lt is ob"ious to most that we must foll ow-up incerviews it becomes obvi· either outside the group or with other adapt now. Eisler and Loye have done ous that the "real-life test" was often group members. Under no circumstance an Invaluable service by guiding us in observed by staying home and watch· should you giue anyone the phone number or address of a group member without the right direction. c:;r:1. ing the telly rather than going out and their express approval. working as a woman. The wisdom of 2. What is discussed within the group Accounting for Transsexualism having effective and complete electrol· needs 10 stay within the group. and Yranshomosexuality ysis before anything else Is occasion· 3. Our meeting place is secret. We do ally obvious by complaints of those not need errant thrill seekm or unfriendly pam·es on our doorsJep. You must not dis· Brian Tully, Ph.D. 1992. who did not do thaL ending as a close our meeting location. Whiting & Birch, London "bearded lady." 4. You are welcome to bring partners, On the Olher hand, the G.l.C. was friends, or family members to meetings, Review by Holly Cross fairly selective, approving only 24% of but this must first be cleared with one of the 143 male-to-female persons cov· the group officers. 5. When asking for group members on Rating: ered here for surgery, and 43% of the the phone or when sending mail, be care/uJ female-to-male persons. Still, there of the name you use. If in doubt, check with Only if the price is right were some obvious mistakes. one ofof officers or facilitators first. A wide spectrum is represented, 6. When encountering other group Holly crossdresses, but does not feel incl uding some who are slightJy mentally members in public, you should 1'gnore them that she's transsexual. Sbe knows unless they indicate that they are willing about National Health from a month retarded. I get no Impression of preju· to greet you. You must not to go the homes in Inverness Hospital dice, espousal of ai particular hypothesis, or places of business of other group mem· nor of any tendency to "play God" on hers without specific invitation from that This book is not about finances. the part of the author. He does make il group member. As we all know, there's no accounting clear that ALL of the applicants had more I hereby acknowledge that my involvement with the AG.E. support group for transsexualism. problems than simple gender dysphoria, Tully's book Is written for coun· is uolunJary, and that the support group and that whatever their sex, many of exists solely fo r purposes of peer support selors, by a counselor. It is mostly a them seemed no t to be in good control and self-help. I accept responsibility for my compendium from Dr. Tully's (his degree of their life. I suppose the justification for own welfare. 1 realize that 1 am not obli· is in psychology) case notebooks. asking those who don't get surgery to gated to take the advice or suggestions of the group leaden or members, and will not In Britain, if you feel you are trans· come back and lalk some more with the sexual, you tell the family doctor, who bold them accounJable for my own well· psychologist is that the counseling being or actions. I agree not to divulge is shocked and feels inadequate, and should be helpful to them. In any case, information about the meeting place or he refers you to the Gender Identity there is no pecuniary motive; in social members, and to foil ow the rules of the sufr Clinic at Charing Cross Hospital (Ful· ized medicine, the real problem is over· port group. ham) in London- even if you live in ----- (Signed) Chrysalis Quarterly 43 We bad beard rumors (or rumours, since of the EngUsh savory beverage Bover- they_ originated m Great Britain) shaJ there baa once been a gender-re/aJea1 magazine 11, with which he makes warm drinks to called "CbrvsaJis. " When we got to know keep out the New York cold. For Phaedra Kelly, we asked ber to tell us about it (We've never seen it). artist/sculptor and founder of the Alcernative Miss World, Andrew Logan, }oA.nn Roberts told me that ber son said thaJ Phaedra is the most unusual person be we supplied items of junk jewelry for ever met. On the basis of ber correspon his use in art stacuary. C/ became akin dence alone, we would have to concur. You'll see wbaJ we mean as you read Ibis. to a magazine version of che Chelsea Hotel, Warhol's Faccory, Logan's Stu Chrysalis International dio in the Sky, Rocky Horror, every A History ofa Maverick multi-arts trans-orientated cult going. Its theme was eclecticism, and CJ was never afraid to appear tO stray from by Phaedra Kelly the mundane. The idea was, "If Tran Volume 1, No. 1 of Chrysalis does it, It IS Transgender specific, so appeared In January, 1988. Chrysalis we cover It, and what's more, research was a bimonthly, which never missed a it to the ultimate!" So any peripheral deadline, despite one instance of a hobby had its story to tell. Our lust hurricane which killed all power. ll for life and the satiation of a hungry made It to the readers with a special low boredom threshold excited and Hurricane Issue supplement, account thrilled our readers. ing for the storm, and porcelain insula We found that Interesting peo t0rs from fallen telegraph poles were ple were interested to be in Cl. For painted with the masthead logo, three instance, Bobby Graham, a profes of which are in the Transgender sional stunt Tran with circus and spe Archives collection al Ulster University. cial military service experience, The founh is with me. We produced six volunteered many photos from his/her issues a year over two years, but in chameleon incarnations and a prolific 1989, Volume 2, No. 1 began with a new interview about his career in movie Lltle, Cbrysalis International, a.k.a. G.J., slUnts, and her lrick of blowing her· the first, as far as I know, of its kind to self up with 9 pounds of gelignite be truly international and linked to a while lying on a bed of nails. working network, setting off the trend Our news section made com for "stables" of overseas editors and ment, never, ever taking the copy columnists on a regular basis. gained from newspapers as gospel, The trend then became recipro but always allempting a follow-up and cal, with my swapping a column in the proof through our world network. Elaine Barrie Project Australia's Three times, as a result, C/ proved sto NuScene (not long thereafter imitat ries to be totally fiction, compiled by ing CJ by calling itself International bored overseas stringers exploiting NuScene) for Elaine's column in Cl. We our minorities' supposed lack of inOu also had a regular and exceptionally ence and attention span while secur good column from Renaissance's ing their retainer fees easily. This once Trudy Henri. got us slated anonymously by a local We began In Their Own Words Island newspaper review (along with interviews, with celebrities in the com our custom of calling non-Trans munity and theatrical/cabaret periph "saps'' (i.e., Homo sapiens, wise man, ery making contact through the coo damned wisearse for their own network and via stage newspaper good), and the battle through what sources and professional journalists was then called the Press Council, a of my acquaintance. Richard O'Brien, neutral watchdog body, and gained our second interviewee, became a righl of reply in the same newspaper. subscriber to the tune of 200 pounds, Being a maverick, CJ was a Gen and called C/ a "beacon of common der Transient herself. She was always sense." My old friend Quentin Crisp. unbiased cowards anybody of any now in the United States, was the only stripe, providing that person accept· paid interviewee. His fee was two pots ed or in some way acknowledged 44 Chrysa/ts Quarterly polarily of gender by transformallon of make money- not enough to run on. Dr. Nim Bolin, an anthropologist and the author of"In Search of Eue, • bas turmd her some kind. Radical feminises and hard She had fulfilled all her pledges, attenlfon these days to female body right "straight" gays got no easy pas reformed and in some places revolu· builders. Jn the spiriJ ofparticipani-cbserva sage, nor did journalists, politicians lionized other groups' journals, been tion, she bas herself become a bodybuilder. oft-imitated but never equalled, and it When preparing for competition, she puts and lazy TV/fS sisters. Pulling It mildly, be~lf on an. incredibly strlcl diet in order CJ would be bloody rude to people was time for the lady to fade like the to reduce body fat. Here are some tips from who ill-advisedly imagined that they sci-ft heroes she loved, into the other Annefor a lowfaJ diet. could pop off at the soft underbelly of dimensions. fl was time for her to go an undefended and undefendable from this world. Anne Boiin's Workout Diet minority. We swiftfast removed that AL the close of 1989, Volume 2, illusion! No. 6 of Cl went down Oghclng, sport· The nutritional program I have ltS target audience? Anybody! IC ing a yellow snakeskin cover, dotted put together represents the integration even went to the Kremlin, when we with illustrations justifiably stolen of several approaches. It is basically a were hunting Soviet contacts, though from the catalog o f the Hayward low fat and heallhy approach to eating. it's not known whether Gorbachev Gallery's Leonardo da Vinci collection It includes strategies that are used in read it. Prince Charles, however, had a (which act we expect that great the competitive bodybuilding communi letter of thanks sent, and Thatcher pri· androgyne Leonardo would have ty to lose fat and develop a lean vately rather enjoyed it, even when the approved), and on the back- also physique. This program could not have cover illustration was of editoress Miss snakeskin yellow- a crystal spider in been developed without the guidance Kelly as an 18th century pirate Captain the bottom right corner. The editorial, of David janicello, my bodybuilding Anne Bonney, with a distressed Mrs. T titled "I Want to Feel Your Strength," mentor, as well as personal trainer and trussed up and held at cutlass point characteristically began at the end of nu trilional counselor (and owner of (a drawing commissioned by Cl from the magazine, just arter the Last Word Winner's Gym, Burlington, NC). Thelma Pine of the Phoenix Society in cartoon. It was based on messages South Africa). sent co the free world from within the General Guidelines We pioneered a lot of things- in Warsaw ghetto, up until the Germans fact, anything we jolly well pleased. kicked the door in, a staccato burst of 1. Begin your program by educating The sensation was very sixties: do machine gun fire was heard, and the yourself about fats, sugars, and sodi· what you like if it feels righ t. When we frequency went dead (a trusting move um, as well as chemical addilives. Learn didn't know it was supposed to be on my part, rewarded as ever by the to read labels and select foods that are impossible, we went ahead and did it readers, over three-quarters of whom preferably low in fats, sugars, and anyway. Raw, original community news wrote to Identify the reference and sodium. In the beginning stages, you was one thing we originated, not the congratulate me on it. Cl readers were may not need co count calories, but usual inter-group gossip, so much as a breed unto their own). focus on changing the kinds of foods the hard news of people's pain, fear, It ended thus: "The end meets you eat and when you eat. When you and distress in countries hardly heard the beginning. Never fear that life may hit a plateau, you may need to focus about until then: Thelma's nearness by come to an end. Rather fear it may on the total number of calories, as accident to a terrorise bomb, the riots never have a beginning. You won't well. Remember, the older you are, the among Khusra in Pakistan, the AIDS have Cl, but you wil1 have others new less calories you need. paranoia in cops attacking TV hookers and the newly-changed old, in which I in Greece, published with first-hand want to feel your strength and realize 2. Eat 6 to 8 times a day, or try to eat statements and accounts from victims. you are people, as indomitable and every cwo hours. Keep these amount CJ wasn't afraid to hurt, but as much entitled to rights as any other animal of food units small. No large meals. aspired to delight, amuse, titillate, and claiming that label. The guns chatter, entertain. wood splinters, cordite clears, and the 3. Avoid fried foods. Do not add salt or Apart from effons to excite and green glow of an Amstrad screen illu fats to your foods . For example, stir fry stimulate itS producers as much as its minates an empty Chrysalis on a in water or use a very light coat of Pam. readers, and to raise some funds for chair ... the gender transient has It is best to bake, microwave, boil, or the International TransGender already dried her wings and nown ... open grill your food . Authority's funher work CJ was 'boom, boom, boom, boom/vic-cor-ry If you have any questions, don't designed co enhance lhe net• ork ee .. .' (the first percussion of hesitate co write or call: and expand it by increasing the num Beethoven's 5th). Good night, gentle Anne Bolin ber of other journals exch:onged and reader, and never let the saps grind 1223 Franklin St. rccc vcd fo r it, and impro ring our you down." Burlington, NC 27215 conuctS. It would, could, 2nd did I think the experiment worked, (919) 229-7600 (home) lcod its hand to anybody's cause. But and the wish is just about becoming (919) 229-2191 (work) It bcame a cult, and cutes seldom fulfilled now. g::1 (Diet is on page 46) Chrysalis Quarterly 45 Vegetables gm fat/serving Eating Program Potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, plain Eat without salt and butter, either or with a little Molly McButter Meats, Fish, Poultry, Vegetable Protein fresh, frozen, grilled, or steamed. Pasta, rice, rice cakes Fish, any kind Make your food taste zestier by learn Turkey, Chicken ing bow to season and taking advan FruiJ Eggs- try eggbeaters, or use only tage ofdiet products. All kinds, with the exception of avoca- ~ egg whites Pritikin products in general (located does. You can eat a piece of fruit l Tofu or other vegetable proteins in the diet section of grocery stores) about 30-60 minutes before your l Diet dressings. Watch for sodium and Avoid red meat, unless very lean and workout, or drink fruic juice 30 min- 1 serving size utes before workout or exercise; oth· : grilled. Your serving size should be Featherlight diet barbecue sauce (has about 3-6 oz., depending upon your erwise, don't eat for two hours before i lower sodium) working out. height and weight. Low sodium diet catsup i Dairy Products Grains You can make your own sauces with ~ m ustard, vinegar, a little honey or j Skim milk Pita bread, Bagels (1 gm fat) Nutrasweet (Equal). I Non-fat yogurt (not low fat) Bread (read label: pick no fat, low Low-fat cottage cheese- good stuff, sodium brand) high protein, low fat Cereal: frui t squares, shredded wheat, The great news: nonfat yogurt and \ No cheese, butter, or whole milk oatmeal, grits- any cereal that has 0-1 angel food cake are bothfatjree! \ ...... Tbe following was published in "Tbe Signal" in They spend an equal amount of time confidence and comfort if they could sUgbtly dlf!erent form. in the womb and at the breast. They lean (often quite literally) on the pow are equally related to the father. So erful arms of a son. Men's Work from that vantage point, both sexes Why does lhe care of aging par ought to be equally responsible for by Denise Noe ents fall to women instead of men? the aging parent. Probably because of the seeming We are hearing a lot today about But there is a way in which the resemblance between infants and the the "daughter track." This is the term two genders are not equal, and this aged. But as we have seen, the analo coined to describe the situation of one suggests that the care of elderly gy between lhe baby and the elderly women caring for their aging, often parents ought to be the responsibili person is a false one. The more com infirm, parents. A parallel to the ty of sons rather than daughters. Old pelling reason is tautological: women "mommy track," (the less demanding people are heavy. It takes physical care for lhe aged because women care career path for women who want to strength co assist an old person in for the aged. Thus, the daughters of spend more time with their children), getting around. A women who regu the aging have their health jeopar the daughter track catches women at larly performs these chores is likely to dized, their career aspirations imper the next stage of their lives. It sub end up exhausted and strained. For iled, and their leisure whittled into tracts time and energy that women the same reason males are preferred in nothingness. can give to their jobs, as well as tak military combat- superior physical Women ought to flatly refuse to ing precious Lime from their leisure. strength- they are better suited than do this kind of work. As Mother Teresa There is something ridiculous females to care for the elderly. said in another context, they should about the ''daughter track" which The elderly themselves would "let men do what they are more suited distinguishes it sharply from the benefit if men were their primary care to do." And the usual size and physi "mommy track": there is no basis for it givers. Toward the end of life, when cal strength differences between male in biology. In fact , there is a glaring the smallest differences mean so and female clearly mark the care of the biological fact that makes men the much, our aged would enjoy more aged as "men's work." g:1. more appropriate caretakers for the elderly. Pregnancy and childbirth cannot Second International Conference on Transgender be shared by the two sexes. Nature has Law & Employment Policy decreed they be performed by women. 26-29 August, 1993 in Houston, TX, USA Breast-feeding can only be done by Conlact Phyllis Frye, 5707 Firenm S1ree1, Ilouston, TX 77035-5515 women. This early biological connec (send stamped, self-addressed envelope with l .52 in postage) tion, it is often said, leads to the moth er having an emotional bond in place Regional Planning Meetings: 27-28 Feb., San Antonio, during the Texas •r•Party (Call so that most child care falls to her. Pbyllls Frye al 713-723-8368. She wi1l return call collect), 24-25 April, Washington, IX But sons and daughters are (Call Atty Marla Aspen Rothblatt at 301-495.()172), & Sunday before JCJ1.EP conferena (Contact Phyllis Frye). For proceedings from first conference, send 140.00 (U.S. funds), equally attached to their parents. and specify audio or video (add 15.00 for overseas) 46 Chrysalis Quarterly Marie-Anne Fernagut from the Belgian divorce before they can have a legal today, the sich (National health Gender Foundation was good enough sex change. In some of che medical care?- Ed.) funds refuse to pay for the to send us the following at our request. teams, this demand for a divorce is medical treatment and electrolysis, and We have left it in its original form also one of the conditions that has to we all know that the latter is a very rather than Americanizing it. be fulfilled before medical treatment expensive treatment. Should there not can be started. be such thing as the right to medical Transsexualism in Belgium In Italy, but also in the Nether care? And what about dismissal from lands, Germany, and Denmark there is the job? Transsexuals don't have the by Marie-Anne FERNAG(JJ' a law which regulates the changing of right to work like other people? Trans the legal sex. We firmly believe that It is sexuals often have to cope with vio· The situation of transsexual the right policy. In this way it becomes lence, humiliations, and mockery. Isn't people and the problems they have to possible to avoid complex and ridicu· there the International Convention of face aren't much different in Belgium lous situations, as there are in Bel· Human Rights which condemns every compared with ocher European coun· gium, where one court rejecLS exactly affectation of the personal life sphere? tries. We perceive the same rejection of the same request that is easily accept· For all these reasons, we can transsexuals by the majority of the ed by another court. The procedure to only express our greatest sympathy people because of che social taboo. change the legal sex is quite expen for the European Parliament action of Even the rejection of family and friends, sive. ll can easily mount to up to some, as there are Ms. Van Hemeldonck the same misunderstandings exist $70,000 BF (Belgian francs- Ed.), and Mr. Van Nostitz and all other ini tia about gender dysphoria. There are the which is about $24000 U.S., and it takes tives in this direction, who wants to enormously high costs of medical at least one year before it is finished. ban all forms of discriminations treatments; dismissal at work happens If one asks for a legal sex change regarding transsexual people. very ofcen; the judicial procedure to and a changing of the first name al change legal status is quite expensive, once, it mostly is accepted in court. When we were in Brussels in mid- and so on ... For name changung only, we have a 1991, one of Dr. Michel Seghers' Fortunately, we can say that in special law in Belgium and a lot of patients, a French-speaking Belgian recent years things have somehow transsexuals want to make use of it. (Flemish is the other main language), changed in a more posi tive way. Espe· Transsexualism Is officially told me that she bad been refused a cially in the area of psychological and accepted as a reason for name chang name change by the courts and was medical help, there is much progress ing. This law dates from 1974, but was granted one only after appealing to in Belgium. But still there is a lot of changed two years ago in a not so Leroy. She didn't know the Englisb work co be done. For about five years, popular way: changing one's name words. Le roi. The king. Guess you had specialized teams have developed has become ten times more expensive to have been there.-Ed. g::1 counseling activities for transsexual than it was before. The actual costs patients and perform hormonal and have raised to 20,000 BF, which is surgical treatment. The quality of this about S667 U.S. medical treatment is very up to date, But there is more to be done Belgische Gender Stichting even so that e.g. American transsexu than changing names and birth certifi· (Belgian Gender Foundation) als regularly come to seek surgical cates. Being a very small minority Pluimstraat 48 help in Belgium. From their stories, we group, transsexuail people are discrim 8500 KorkriJle know that the medical treatment in the inated against in various ways . Until BELGIUM United States is even more expensive in comparison with our country. Master of Business Administration, But what about the juridical sit· Civil and Bioengineering Degrees uation? In Belgium there is no law which regulates the changing of birth certificates. Therefore, ~-ery individual situation has to be examined separate· ly in court and judged can freely Phyllis Randolph Frye decide whether they will accept or Attorney and Counselor reject the request to change the legal sex. Fortunately, there is a tendency And licensed Professional Engineer (P. E.)-Texas within most of the Flemish courts to accept requests coming from unmar· 5707 Firenza ried and childless transsexual people. Houston, TX 77035-5515 In all cases married people have to Phone (713) 723-8368 Chrysalis Quarterly 47 Hot Lines Indiana Crossdressers Society, Indianapolis: (317) 894-8109 Telephone in U.S., Canada, & U.K Iowa Artistry, Cedar Rapids: (319) 842-2654 N.G.D.O., Detroit: (313) 842-5258 # ReprinJed Courtesy ofCrosstalk Quad·City Society for Sex. F.d, Davenport· (319) 324-9641 St. Louis Gender Foundation: (314) 567-8615 > > These botlines are run by non-profit organizations, and Sunday Society, Chicago: (312) 252-7024 may not be answered •Jive• at all times as a result. > > Listings followed by % are for gro~ known to be sexual SOUTHWEST/MOUNTAIN REGION: ly-orienJed; ltsting~ollowed by # are or primarily 7S-orienJ· Alpha Chi Cbapter Tri·Ess, Amarillo: (806) 359·7714@ ed ups; listings ollowed by @are or heterosexual 1V/CDs Bluebonnet Coalition, San Antonio: (512) 6564163 onr.Most other istings are for "open• (botb 7V/CD and TS) Boulton & Park Society, San Antonio: (512) 545-3668 groups. While we make every effort to keep tbis listing updat CrossDressen Internationa4 Tulsa: (918) 582-6643 ed, phone numbers may change without notice. Delta Omega Chapter Tri-Ess, Dallas: (817) 261-3253@ Ela Tau Chapter Tri-Ess, Austin: (512) 438-7604@ NEW ENG/AND REGION: First Saturday, El Paso: (505) 434-5I44 CD Network, Rochesler: (716) 251-2312 Gender Crisis Help Line, Tucson: (602) 293-3456 Chi Della Mu Chapter Tri-Ess, NYC: (201) 663-0772 @ Gender Identity Center, Denver: (303) 458-5378 Connecticut Outreach Society, Hartford: (203) 371-6292 Gulf Coast Transgender Community, Houston· (713) 780- FAst Coast F2M Group, Cambridge· (413) 584-7616 # 3553 Eulenspiegel Society, NYC: (2I2) 477-6588 % Heart of Texas Gender Alliance, San Angelo: (915) 944-1381 &pressing Our Nature, RocheSJer: (212) 629-5750 Help Me ... Accept Me, Dallas: (214) 401·1926 Gender Identity Program, NYC: (212) 969-0888 # ReCast, Dallas: (214) 6414842 # Girls' Night Out, NYC: (212) 794-1665 ext 202 Secorid Image, Austin: (512) 778·5460 Harriet Lane's 7V Set, CI': (203) 237-1968 Society for the Second Self (Tri-Ess) Nat'/. : (512) 438-7788@ Int'/. Foundation for Gender Education: (617) 894-8340 TS Peer Support, Houston· (713) 333·2278 # Long Island Femme F.xpression: (718) 4466753 Tau Cbi Chapter Tri-Ess, Houston: (713) 988-8064@ Metropolitan Gender Network, NYC: (201) 794-1665 ext 332 Tri-Plex Gender Association, Waco (817) 867-1077 My Choice, Baltimore: (410) 7324546 Outreach Institute, N. Portland: (207) 775-0858 PACIFIC NORTHWEST: Pink Flamingoes, Boston: (617) 536-5639 Emerald City, Seattle: (206) 284-1071 Renaissance Education Ass'n.: (215) 630-1437 N0rtbwest Gender Alliance, Portland· (503) 774-8463 Renaissance Greater Philadelphia Chapter: (215) 946-8887 Rose City Gender Center, Portland: (503) 230-1036 Renaissance ISV Chapter, Harrisburg· (7 I 7) 780-1578 Salmacis Feminist Social Society, Eugen'1: (503) 6884282 Renaissance S. jersey Chapter: (609) 641·3782 Transsexual lesbians & Friends, Seattle: (206) 292-1037 # Rhode Island Society, Newport: (401) 847-1035 Tiffany Club, Boston: (508) 358-2305 77-JB WF.Sf COAST (CA & HI): Transgenderlsts Independence Club, Albany: (518) 4364513 Alpha Chapter Tri-Ess, Los Angeles: (213) 876-6141@ Transpitt, Pittsburgh: (412) 781-0257 American Transsexual Education Center· (213) 4694709 # Transsupport, Portland: (207) 676-5870 Androgyny, Santa Monica: (213) 467·8317 Washington-Baltimore Alliance: (301) 277-5475 CHIC, Los Angeles· (310) 420-2580 @ XX (Twenty) Club, Hartford: (203) 646-8651 # Diablo Valley Girls, Walnut Creek (510) 8494112 Educational 7V Channel, San Francisco.· (510) 549-2665 THE SOUTH· Feminine Image, Riverside/San Bernardino· (114) 931-1515 Amencan Educational Gender Info. Service (404) 939-0244 Hawaii Transgendered Outreach, J/onolulu· (808) 9234270 Allanta Gender F.xplorations: (404) 962·31 I8 # Neutral Corner, San Diego; (619) 685-3696 Beta Chi Chapter Tri-Ess, Mississippi· (601) 982·7678@ Powder Puffs of Orange County, Anaheim: (714) 779·9013 Black Rose, Arlington: (301) 369-7667 % Rainbow Gtnider Association, Sanjose: (408) 9844044 Carolina Trans-Sensual Alliance, Char/olte: (704) 551-8838 Sacramento Gender Association: (800) 585-7742 GDA North Carolina: (704) 982·1028 Society for the Second Self (Tri-Ess) Calif,: (209) 688-9246 @ Gender Information Network, Gainesville: (904) 332-8178 Swan's lnnerSorority, Sanjose: (408) 297-1423 Montgomery Institute, Augusta· (401) 603-9426 # M.O.R.£ , Ft Lauderdale: (305) 966-2138 CANADA: Mu Sigma Chapter Tn'·Ess, Arkansas: (501) 972-1826@ Canadian Crossdressers Club, Toronto (416) 921-6112 Pbi Epsilon Mu Chapter Tri-Ess, Central FL- (407) 677-9540 @ Cl11b Met, Montreal: (514) 528-8874 Reality, Orlando: (407) 4254527 # Entre Femme, Quebec (418) 529·1132 # Serenity, Hollywood: (305) 436-9477 Gender Mosaic, Ottawa: (613) 749-5203 Starburst, Tampa-St. Petersburg: (813) 866-0438 Jllusions Social Club, Calgary: (403) Jf86.-9661 Virginia's Secret, Richmond: (804) 741-1187 Monarch Social Club, Ontario: (4I6) 949-6602 MIDWEST & VICINITY: Central Illinois Gender Assoc.: (309) 444-9918 U.K.: Cbi Chapter Tn'-Ess, Chicago: (108) 364·9514 @ BeaumonJ Society, London: 081-756·1782 Chicago Gender Society: (312) 434-5445 Gender Dyspboria Trust, London: 0323-641100 # City oflakes Crossgender Comm., Minn 'pis· (612) 229-3613 GenTrust, London: 071-730-7453 Cross-Pon, Cincinnati: (513) 474-9557 liuerbirds, Liverpool: 051-709-4745 Crossdressers & Fn'ends, Kansas City· (913) 381-8887 New TransEssex: 0268-583761 Crystal Club, Columbus.· (614) 777-0648 Rose's, Sheffield· 0742-342870 Crossroads, Detroit. (313) 537-3267 Scottish 1VtrS Group, Edinburgh· 031-5564049 Gender Dysphoria Support, Shawnee Mss'n (913) 371-()658 # 7VfJS Support Group, London: 071-72')-1466 48 Chrysalis Quarterly The History of.. Good.rich, M. (1979). The unmention· 1Bibliography Continuedfrom page 32 able vice. Dorset Press. removed homosexuality from psycho Graham, M. (1989, 2 February). Jazz sexual disorders, whilst at the same j Addis, W.E., & Arnolds, T. (Revised by star's 55·year secret from sons ... He time adding transsexuality. For many \ P.E. Halliet). (1951).A Catholic dictio- was a she. Today. centuries, the two were inextricably !nary . London: Virtue & Co. linked. IlluSLraLed by this study are the \ Baynes, S. (1990). Breaching the bar Green R. (1974). Sexual identity con· hegemonic roles that the church, !riers- A cross-gender study. New flict in children and adults. London: state, and medicine have had in regu· !Zeala nd: The Minorities Trust. Duckworth. lating through their ideological appa \ Benjamin, H. (1953). Transvestism Hennessey, S. (1990-1991, Winter). A ratuses those who have cross-dressed j and transsexualism. International man's a man for all chat. Rouge. or cross-lived. This illustration can be !Journal ofSexology , 7, 12-14. helpful in considering the social con Hirschfeld, M. (1948). Sexual anoma lies. London: Emerson. trol mechanisms which have affected \ Bray, A. (1982). Homosexuality in many other individuals who fall into \Renaissance England. London: Gay Hoyer, N. (1937). Man into woman. socially stigmatized categories (e.g. j Men's Press. Essex: Anchor. black people, deaf people, disabled j Brundage, J.A. (1987). law, sex, and Krafft·Ebing, R. voo. (1893). Psy people, and those defined as insane). j Christian society in Medieval Europe. chopatbia sexuaiis. London: F.R. Transsexual persons arc unique, how !Chicago: Chicago Press. Davies & Co. ever, in that as we now approach the \ Bullough, V. (1975). Transsexualism in Mellct, DJ. (1982). The prerogative of 21st century, they are still in the posi· j history.American journal ofSociolo- tion of rationalized isolation, kept Asylumdon. London: Garland . !gy, 79(6), 1381-1394. there by those who would consider it Money,J. (1988). Gay, straight, and politically incorrect to oppress any l (.auldwell, D. (1949). Psychopathia in-between. New York: OUP. other minority group. This, a struc ~.: transexualis. Sexology, 16, 274-280. Plummer, K. (Ed.) (1981). The making 1 curalist would suggest, is as a result of l (.auldwell, D. (1963). Transvestism. ofthe modern homosexual. London: l transsexwls being non-human. "Man " l New York: Sexology Corporation. Hutchlnson & Co. ! and "woman~ are used as words to represent the whole of humanity, and l Davenport·Hincs, R. (1990). Sex, Sullivan, L (1990). Information for the [ as "transscxuaJ fits neither key word, I death, and punishment. London: W. female-to-male crossdresser and rrans- ! transsexuals are noc part of humanity. I Collins & Sons, ltd. sexual, 3rd Ed Seattle: Ingersoll Gen· \ What~r the reason, the oppression is j Dekker, M., & van de Pol, LC. The der Center. ! real- transsexuals have a perplexing j tradition offemale transvestism in Trumbach, R. (1977, Fall). London's \ legal status They lose their jobs, their !early modern Europe. NY: St. Martin's. Sodomites: Homosexual behavior and \ homes, and their families merely for \ Doerner, K. (1981).Madmen and the western culture in the 18th century. \ being. !bourgeoisie. Oxford: Blackwell. journal ofSocial History, 1·33. l The conclusion must be thac \ Dubetm.ao, M.B., Vlclnus, M., & Weeks, J. (1989).Sexuaiity. London: j either a transsexual is "sick," as C.hauncey, G.,Jr. (1989). Hidden from Rou1ledge. defined In DSM 111-R, and therefore I i worthy of treatment or cure (the latter j history. London: Penguin. Weeks, G. (199 1).Against nature. has been impossible co achieve), or, j Ellis, ll (1928). Studies in tbe psycho/- London: Rivers Behavior Press. alcernacively, chat they just "are," as \ ogyojse:x, Vol. 7. Philadelphia: F.A. Wheelright,J. (1989).Amazonwndmil- ~ homosexuals now just "are." In the i Davis & Co. itary maids. Unwin: Pandora Press. j former case, "sickness," repression of \ Foucault, M. (1978). The history ofsex- Williams, W.L (1988). The spirit and l transsexuals is untenably immoral. In Iuality , Vol. I. London: Penguin. the flesh. Boston: Beacon Press. l the lacer case, they must be entitled to ...... · the civil rights other citizens obtain in democratic states. This ::,1;ace for hire . .. For some time, a difference in civil rights and responsibilities due to being either "male" or "female" has been regarded as being inequitable. Is Call or write us for ad rates and specifications. being "transsexual" so very different from either of these categories? c:;c1. Chrysalis Quarterly 49 How I Became... My attorney saved the day by and worried that the spreading postal Continued from page 24 suggesting that I give lectures about Investigations might get to him. He prominent In professional circles in the subject, which Z could do while wrote to a friend of his, another atLOr· the city at the time. dressed, and sald I.hat he would fix It up ney, who had one time been Solicitor When the hearing came up, the with his own Kiwanis Club If I wanted to General for I.he post office department. judge asked I.he D.A. I.he circumstances do It. I was petrified al the Idea of stand That gentleman wrote back to him and of I.he case, and he mentioned I.he letter ing up before a bunch of men while also to me, and among other things, briefly, and then went Into a harangue dressed as a woman and telling them all said it was unheard of to prosecute on about the magazine and how we had to about crossdressing, but on the other a first offense, as they had prosecuted put a stop to such things, and that an hand, it was the only apparent solution me on I.he basis of a single letter. The example had to be made, and that he to the probation problem, so I agreed. more I thought of the D.A. 's remarks, wanted I.he magazine discontinued and For several weeks, l wrestled the mo re r was convinced that they had the post office box closed. with the problem of what to say to the just used the letter as a means of get· The judge then turned to me Kiwan is. I finally got a speech written ting me into court on the magazine and asked my response to that. I that enabled me to build up an expla· and post office box issue. As 1 said, this replied that while 1 did write the letcer nation for the phenomenon before I was in the era when they were after the in question, it was the only one I had had to name it and admit co iL. It went gays and they assumed that I (and all ever written of that sort and that I did over pretty well. There were a couple of of us) were gay. So, one day I went LO so thinking the recipient was a visitors there from other Kiwanis clubs the Federal Building and up LO the woman, but more importantly, I didn't and they asked me if I could speak to office of the judge who had heard the see what that had to do with the mag their clubs. I was off to the races. case. 1 was talking to his secretary azine, which had never contained any· I didn't get paid for 90 percent of when he came in. She told him I would thing off color, prurient, sexy, or the speaking engagements, but I did like to speak wllh him for a few minutes, obscene, and moreover, had saved a get to go out. I came to realize that in and he said to come into his office. I number of marriages and prevented the 20 or so minutes the Kiwanis gave went in and sat down and he asked several suicides. I told him that I had me to speak, I could not begin to go what he could do for me. I reminded the leuers to prove it and that I didn't into the subject completely, so I put him of the case and of the sentence he see why it should be discontinued. He together the pamphlet titled, "lntro· had handed down, and then l remind turned back to the D.A. and asked duction to Transvestism," which ed him of the D.A.'s comments, wh ich what he had to say to that, and the appears as che first six or seven pages were entirely directed at the magazine D.A. in effect played the same record of The Transvestite and His Wife. and post office box and had barely over again. Then back to me, and I IL was from these appearances mentioned the letter, which was the again protested the idea of closing the before mens' clubs that I learned one nominal subject of the trial. He recalled box and stopping the magazine. The lesson: namely, that people go by what I.hat. Then I showed him the letter from judge then sentenced me- ready for they see and not by what they know. the Solicitor General and told him I felt this?- to three years in the Federal This was brought home to me in partic that the whole matter of the leuer, Penitentiary and five years of proba ular by a man in one of the clubs. When I which they had had in their posses· tion and said nothing about either the finished speaking, he stood up and said slon for a whole year, was merely a box or the magazine. He had to sen· he had a question. I said, "Go ahead.• mechanism for geuing at the magazine. tence me, since I had plead guilty. He said, "Well, ah, that is, you said We discussed a few ocher issues, and Well, I was glad enough that he you'd been married?" "Yes.· "And, ah, finally he said, "Have your attorney file hadn't interfered with the magazine, ah, you had a son?" "Yes." "Well, ah, a petition for dismissal of probation." I but I was absolutely aghast at the what I want- well, I mean, ah, I don't did so, and five months after he had prospect of five years of probation, underst- I mean, ah , ah, ah, well, who given me the sentence, I was free of the because that meant that I couldn't had the baby? You or your wife?" I'd probation. The post office was defeated break ANY laws or they would lay the already told him I was a male, had been in their attempt to prevent Transvestia original sentence on me- three years married, and had a son, but he could from being published and circulated. In the pen. In those days there was an see only a woman calking, and since Later that year, I was co go to anti-masquerade law in Los Angeles. women have the babies, I.he main prob New York, and decided to go down to Thus, if I was out dressed and got lem was to find out which woman was Washington, too. l cook a number of picked up, T could spend the next the mother. IL was good for a laugh, but cestimonial letters from readers about three years in the pen, if the judge so it taught me a lesson. lf you can make how much the magazine had helped decided. It's one thing to be in the people see the righit thing, they'll act them, a bunch of letters telling how closet and wanting to get out, but it's and think accordingly, in spite of what they had been treated by postal a lot different co be out as I had been they may know about you. inspectors, and some scientific materi since I was 18 and then to be crammed Back to I.he aftermath of I.he trial. al about the subject of transvestism by back into ic. I was fit to be tied. One of our readers was an attorney Concluded on page 41 5 0 Chrysalis Quarterly Hany Benjamin, MD. To his dismay, Dr. Benjamin lhe other gender. The possibility of Continued from page 16 seemed to draw his quota of very being a "side show" socially or at a unstable requesters- In fact, deman work place, of ultimate rejection, of basically Insecure, and hence rigid ders- of surgery. There were those even of falling Into promiscuity, arc sorts ready to torment any kind of who threatened and even carried out certainly booby traps. I firmly believe "deviant." His counsel and caveats self-mutilation and the extreme of sul· Dr. Benjamin was cognizant of such were well-taken. cide. He sometimes gave them what dangers, even If he did not express Did Dr. Ben jamin ever suggest they wanted, for it was •preventive apprehension about them. SRS, a procedure that gradually came to medicine" of a sort. I would venture to For reasons I am unable, in ret· the fore In discussions of treatment of guess that Dr. Benjamin was the first rospect, to explain, Dr Benjamin never uanssexualism, especially after johns to be aware of the addictive or "enti· suggested a peer group or peer asso Hopkins triggered a series of universi tlement" kind of transsexual, who ciations. Only once did he suggesl my ty-based diagnoslic centers? Never. shops endlessly for services and meeting another Lranssexual. One time Early surgery was largely limited undergoes more and more body·alter a very husky athletic-looking person to castra tlon and demasculinlzation i ng rigmaroles. He was not patient also had an appointment. Dr. B. said (pencctomy), with Hu.le attempt al sim· with such types, and told me so. this patient had a family but, despite ulalion of female genitalia. The early Some telling conversations over his male's distress, wanted to cases- all done abroad somewhere, the course of time, plus the failure of "become a woman." He felt perhaps I were sensationalized noc only by the maluration and mascullnlzatlon might be useful as a peer counselor, tabloid newspapers and magazines, treatment, enabled Dr. Benjamin to for after all, my field was counseling but by supposedly responsible publi· convince himself that I was Incurably a (albeit In another area with different cations. The recipients of this notori transsexual. But, as I have wriuen, I characteristics and dimensions). The ous treatment were often night club was equipped to cope wllhout patient declined. The doctor was irri entermners or seekers of publicity. surgery. His successor and associate, tated. "No hope!" They ~'Cl'e often publicly ridiculed. Dr. Charles Ihlenfeld, has been and Sometimes there were, to be Myths came Into being about remains to this day of the same mind. su re, other patients in the waiting "changing sex," something any red "SRS? Why?" is his view. room, but communication was rare. In bloodcd he-man regarded as incom Why, indeed? Clinical lheraplsl a doctor's office mosc everyone, how· prehensible. Psychiatrists of various Dr. Leah Schaefer, the most critical ever, nonchalant, is self-absorbed schools, especially psychoanalyses, helping professional in my life, con (transsexuals are outrageously ego· clung to long-standing notions about curs. "The public is not about to centric, anyway), so one sort of dysphorlas as "perversions.· Kraffc invade your privacy, especially if plopped and at least figuratively Ebing as I recall, prattled about aplomb wh ich comes to develop drummed one's fingers while biding "neurasthenia," and Freud about results in unabashed immersion in life time. TIIE time. A few braggadocio some absurd "complexes." Stekel (why on the distaff side." To be sure, stigma popped up now and then. "I'm a we re such antiques the ones available reduction or elimination Is of great model. You should see me in girls' in bookstores for the unwary?) was importance and crucially imporcant clothes!" Yeah, yeah. condemning and damning. There were in fact, essential- to some lranssexu· Dr. Benjamin was a great medical indeed "sexologists." One of chem, als. I have met a number of them and I and psychological scientist, a man's Magnus Hirschfeld, coined the term cannot merely have empathy with man, but compassionate toward all, "transvestite" and sympathetically them, but urge them to attain the and especially toward mankind, for he described a class of dysphoria. I came goals of fullest possible feminization, loved this life and clung to it to a across a book called Man into Woman and not to worry so much about remarkable age. To the very end of his a biography about Lili Elbe, who had~ surgery. Most appear to attach great life (101 years!), he was vitally con· form of surgical intcrvemion around importance to sexual participation as ce rned about continuing develop 1930, but who lived only a short time females Their most severe problems, ments in the field. He was in frequem thereafter, apparencly because of infec· requiring critical bul often sloughed contact with Dr. Ihlenfeld, his pro· cions, and, it would seem, an unsuc orr therapeutic atlention and guid· tegee, and with Dr. Leah Schaefer cessful attempt to transplant ovarian ance, seems lO be to find resolution to whom he supported enthusiastically. ' tissue. Dr. Benjamin soon dissuaded broken marriages (mates who rightful· Exact dates, even years, become me from paying attention co all this ly feel deceived), children who can a bit vague years later when memory Is •literature," for he regarded me as only be bewildered and unprepared, searched. I have no wriuen diaries or exceptionally stable. While by degrees I false expectations of ultimate lolcr· correspondence with either Dr. Cauld· came more and more to resemble the ance, and acceptance by any and all well or Dr. Benjamin. Bul Dr. Ben· "real thing," he was strongly of the knowing others. There is ullimately a jamin's last words to me were, •1 have opinion that I did not need to take need to form and nourish meaningful become 85 years old and sometimes I either the physical or financial risks attachments with what is now socially feel it!" Only physically. g:1. that surgery entailed. Chrysalis Quarterly 51 How else to close an issue devoted to bad given equal attention to the two. with Science; mad at Beverly, be took acceptance and diversity than with a When be chose Beverly, Sharon didn't offone evening. He happened to call warning? This is a caveat to those deal with it well. Nor did Bev, when be me. I used Ringback service to find his who operate support groupS: 'Ware the kept on with Sharon. Willis assured us location. He bad phonedfrom the predaJor. Willis and those like him it was their problem female impersonator's house. effect not only open support groups, Donna was in serious need ofa Confronted, Willis claimed that but focused groups like Tri-Ess chap reality cbeck. She was barging ahead the increasing tensions within the ters. Many a heterosexual crossdresser like a steam locomotive, dismanmng group were the fault oft he various bas been aghast to find the hand of her life, disregarding things like elec group members, and certainly not bis. another crossdresser on his leg after a trolysis. Her appearance was very He was insistent that be was not the meeting. rough, but after a visit to Jim Bridges' one with the problem. boutique at Southern Comfort 1991, 1 was fond ofWillis, but as facili Willis (not bis real name) came she was convinced that she was ready tator ofthe group, there was only one to the support group professing a gen for a modeling career (no fault of thing I could ethically do. 1 brought der need. He was friendly and sincere, Jim's). She believed that she passed in charges, and as a result ofthe proceed· pushing all the right buttons when be all circumstances, but the rest of us ings, be voluntarily left the group. was screened. He was belpfu4 volun thought that she passed rarely if at all. Later be tried to return, but despite the teering bis time and energy, pitching The group devoted considerable fact that bis gender need was legiti in, showing lots of initiative. time and energy 10 helping Donna to mate, the officers felt be was a threat Willis professed heterosexuality, gain a view ofherself that was consis to the other group members; his appli and, indeed, bad been married four tent with her actual appearance. We cation was declined. times, although he was only in bis counseled her to proceed cautiously, to thirties. He admitted to a troubled get vocational training (she had lost The support group, although past, attributing much of it to not both of herjobs by this time due to open, was a gender support group. dealing with bis gender issue. We could showing pictures of herself cross- On the front end, it was made clear sympathize with to Willis that sex that. ual advances to Willis was group members shy about cross were inappropri dressing; he didn't ate, and would dress for several nor be tolerated. months, and Nevertheless, be when be did, bis managed to clothing was wreak major somewhat havoc before we fetisbistic could detect the leatber skirt, problem and deal come-j..,.k-me with it. pumps, long curly wig. We were sure Willi's was a we would be see sexual predator, a ing more of shark in the 'Wanda.' But next swimming pool month, he was back to his boy dressed to customers at the registers). He and others like him pose major clothes. "Have electrolysis, "we cauJioned. problems for gender support groups. Ifa Willis was new in town, with few "Get experience in your new role. • group is not to self-destruct or degener fn'ends. Despite his claimed heterosex "Don't rush into real-life test.· Natu ate into a place for sexual liaisons, the uality, it was clear that be found some rally, she did not take our adl!ice. Willises must be either eliminated or ofthe transsexual people in the group We later discovered that Willis, in controlled. The group cannot be attractive. Even though our support a desperate attempt lo get into her allowed to become a bunting ground group was nonsexual, we weren't undu pants, was surreptitiously encouraging Gender support groups can serve ly alarmed when be began a relation her. persons with a wide range.of lifestyles, ship with another group member. \Vil/is was slick, but be was not gender issues, and sexual preferences. Meanwhile, Willis bad made as smart as be thought. In a weak But they cannot serve th{isf! who would himself nearly indispensible to the moment, he admitted to turning a subvert the group for thei.~ persona/ group. He had been elected an officer, call from a crossdresser on the belp needs- whether financial, sexual, or he was in charge ofco rrespondence line into a mutual fantasy-masturba self-aggrandizing. They must retain as and the mailing list, he was in charge non session. He told us how sorry he their focus the needs of the group of refreshments, he worked the help was, swearing that ii wouldn't hap members, even when that means pla:Jr line. And then the trouble began. pen again. While we were still reeling ing hardball with the Willises ofthe it started when be continued to from that, be subverted another call, world. Persons with gender dyspboria show interest in other group members, this one from Audrey, a female imper are vulnerable and often desperate, and came on to them in subtle and scmator, turning it into a personal and must be safeguarded. Officers and not-so-subtle ways. The first hint of liaison. Willis was n ot forthcoming facilitators ofs upport groups must take trouble was increased tension between about her, but we suspected that he any and all precautions to safeguard Sharon and Beverly. Initially, Willis was up to something. We blinded him their members. g:1 52 Chrysalis Quarterly The International Foundation for Gender Education Box 367 Wayland, MA 01778 (617) 899-2212 Thank you, Texas "T" Party, for naming A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SERVING THOSE Chrysalis Quarterly PERSONS INTERESTED IN OR AFFECTED BY "1993 Gender Publication ofthe Jf:ar" CROSSDRESSING & TRANSSEXUAL PHENOMENA. S.PJ.C.E.: A Conference for Partners of Crossdressers, 8-10 July, Dallas, Texas State Licensed Professional Counseling (404) 458-7715 Nationally Cert1hed PO. Box 7241 Tallahassee, FL 32314-7241 CAROL A. MILLER M.Ed., LPC, NCC Member of American Assoc1at1on for Counseling & Developnien1 19th Annual Fantasia Fail; 15-24 October, 1993 3700 Longview Dr GA Lie# 1380 Suite 200 The Outreach Institute MS Lie# 0217 Chamblee. GA 3034 t 405 Western Avenue, Ste. 345 South Portland, ME 04106 Hxperience a Splendor ofGe nder. .. Subscribe to Chrysalis Quarterly Only $36/or four issues Use the Order Form Below Send orders to: __ HBIGDAStandardsofCare: ($4) AEGIS Price List AEGIS Chrysalis Quarterly P.O. Box 33724 Decacur, GA 30033 Pamphlets (Originally Published by the Erickson .Educational Foundation) Qty. Total (404) 939·0244 __ Letter from a mother (($.50) __ Letter from a brother ($.50) Subscription (136 for four issues; 146 outside U.S.) '- Books Back Issues (#1 & #2 are photocopies) __ Dr. Sheila Kirk. Honn.ones. (2nd edition). 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