( __,) The Gender Conmun1ty's News & Information Monthly #58 $7.00 COMMUNICATION ... OR CONFUSION? SEX= BIOLOGY, GENDER = SOCIOLOGY CO/TS: NOT ONE BIG COMMUNITY POLITICAL ACTIVISM TRAVELING AS YOUR FEMME SELF HOW TO USE THE INTERNET LABELS AND OTHER NONSENSE NEWS .•• INFORMATION ... COMMENTARY ... HUMOR nm INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR GENDER EDUCATION TV(TSTaP,estry :Journal for all persons interested in Crossdressing & Transsexualism 150+ pages ofinformational articles by peers and profession­ als and updated listings on conventions, hotlines, counsel­ ing groups, Medical and Psychological referrals, and other helping professionals. .L I Y.l IMAGINE! 2 years of 'lVfl'STapestry Journal , 8 s;IE !Sf#fll IV issues for only $9.00 each. Save$$ ($24. 00 offthe newstand price) with this special 2-year :mbscrip­ 111111 tion cost of $72.00. Remember, as a subscriber to 'lVfl'STapestry Journal you can place a personal listing with its discreet mail-forwarding service. Ifthat deal isn't enough of a bargain, for allmited time, we will throw in a 1-eize-fits-all "LOVE SEES NO GENDER" Stonewall commemorative shirt (puts new meaning into the name "T"-Shirt), while supply lMts. Support IFGE in its efforts by taking advantage of this special offer. SUBSCRIBE NOW! DON'T MISS OUT!! ----------------------------------~----~ 0 What a deal! Please enter my subscription for two years of 'lVfl'STapestry Journal for only $72.00 and, if there are any left, please send me a "LOVE SEES NO GENDER" T-Shirt. 0 Send me a "LOVE SEES NO GENDER" T-Shirt for the coat of$10.00 C+ $1.50 s&H> NAME ADDRE~S~S;------------------------------------------------- VISNMasterCard # Exp. Date Please send check or money order to: ---- 1. F. G. E. P.0.BOX367 Wayland, MA 01778-0367 MasterCard/VISA orders can be placed via phone or FAX at: (617) 894-8340 FAX (617) 899•5703 (6% donatiun applied to all credit orders) The Gender Conmunity's News & Information Monthly AUGUST 1994 (ISSUE #58) KYMBERLEIGH'S CLIPBOARD: When a situation starts out with miscommunication, it gets worse before it gets better ••• 2 NEWS DEPARTMENT ... BEGINS ON PAGE4 NEWSWIRE (news of the worldwide gender community) THE DIVA OF DISH (mainstream news) HotBuzzl (snippets from all over) VOX POPULI: Letters to the editor ••• 12 REGULAR COLUMNISTS ... BEGIN ON PAGE 14 COGITO ERGO FEM: No, it's not one big communltyl VIRGIN VIEWS BY VIRGINIA: The difference between the sexes is diminishing INSIGHT: What we have in common with the gay community WOMAN TO WOMAN: Pain never goes away HUMOR SECTION ... BEGINS ON PAGE23 GREAT MOMENTS IN TV HISTORY COMICS THE BEARDED LADY FEATURE ARTICLES: BECOMING POLITICALLY ACTIVE: Beware of certain "brands" of politics (Phyllis Randolph Frye) ••• 28 lay-bull: What happens when you take terminology to a ridiculous extreme (Billie Jean Jones) ••• 29 WHAT DO CROSSDRESSERS WANT?: The basic needs of a crossdresser aren't as complex as you might think (Paul K.) ••• 31 THE BEST OF "CROSS-TALK": Tripping: The Light Fantastic ••• 32 INFORMATION FEATURES ... BEGIN ON PAGE 35 'ZINE REVIEWS! THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY AND YOU: Internet features (Emily Clarke) CALENDAR OF EVENTS HOTUNES Cross-Talk (ISSN 1070-6852) is Copyright 1994 Kymberleigh Richards, Publisher and Managing Editor. Permission is granted for the reprint in any non-profit gender community publication of any original article appearing in Cross-Talk, provided proper credit is given to the author and source. For subscription information, see page 40. For advertising information, telephone (818) 907-3053. Fax: (818) 347-4190. Internet e-mail: [email protected]. ASSOCIATE EDITORS: Anne Blackwood, Linda Peacock, Virginia Prince, JoAnn Roberts. COVER ARTWORK courtesy Creative Design Services. Cross-Talk is printed entirely on recycled paper using soybean oil-based ink by our friends at Arena Press in Point Arena CA. Their phone number Is (707) 882-2833. It's okay to mention our name again since we've almost gotten caught up on our past due balance. KYMBERLEIGH'S CLIPBOARD COULD WE PLEASE TALK TO EACH OTHER? by Kymberleigh Richards • da I just love being in the middle of an argument. (Read that known, PPOC's Joan Goodnight wrote a letter to Lin. in a voice dripping with sarcasm, if you will.) Buten expressing her concerns and dissatisfaction. In it, Last month, in our "Newswire" section, we published a she points out that the initial impression of the IF': report regarding IFGE's announcement of the 1997 press release makes it appear that IFGE mad~ ~ convention, which is proposed to be held in the Los decision 11by virtue of who they are and the decision ~! Angeles area. Unfortunately, none of the local leadership in concrete" and that phrases such as "after le~.,..~ was either consulted before the decision or alerted of the discussion and careful consideration of local and region. announcement before it was made, and we reported this issues, it was concluded ..." and "the Southern c:anr: as well. representatives have shown beyond all doubt thell'. a li 11 Several of the local leadership -- myself included -- were in and willingness to make ,97 the most successful ... llllP es favor of sending a letter to the IFGE board of directors consultation that did not occur. expressing their dissatisfaction --------------------Joan goes on to an obvioUS. ·on with the decision. The argument conclusion: That the deCISl_:n reads something like this: In any Th h b M · sa Sherrw IFGE convention, the local ere a~ Q ViOUSly been was made by ens frolll I at f Lynn, based on assurances oUP groups play a major role. In a. 0 m ISCO mm uni cat i 0 n Melissa Foster about Iocalddgrthat Philadelphia, it was Renaissance; and I F GE t ak th ' a in Houston, Tau Chi and GCTC; es e ffi OSt participation. Let me Jllade in Portland, NWGA and blame for that the decision obviously was JFGE Emerald City. In Los Angeles, miSCOmmunicatiOn. without the consent of th; t tbe there are four dominant groups board. Joan points out d ~o be (Alpha, Born Free, CHIC, and local organizations nee JFGE ·, two secondary involved if a local flll. Ppoc) . b success organizations (Androgyny and PanSocial); three gender rn.ve.n the number of orga:~:~:=~ :Ce~oab:ve, I belie\Te community media companies (Cross Connection, this Crossdresser's Quarterly, and Cross-Talk), and five . 18 absolutely critical to the convention's success. nf)ict crossdresser-oriented stores (Jim Bridges, Especially For Fmally, Joan makes the most obvious potential c? is 011 Me, Fantasy Lingerie, Lydia's, and Versatile Fashions). even .more so (if that's possible). IFGE's conv~ntt osted held m mid-March· • D . '" which 1S h d Yet the only "official" contact IF'GE niade with any of us b pp . ' uc~1:ecu.uorma reanun ' aine before making their announcement was a casual y OC with participation from most of the above-n for non-committal conversation· WI"th M enssa· Sherrill Lynn at' organizations, is held stx:· weeks later. I do not believe ~A,,.,, this Spring's IFGE convention in which I said I thought it one minute that the local community is prepared to -- 11e might be a good idea to hold it -- someday -- in our region. afford to -- support both, and I do not believe for. ;uy While the 1o cal 1ea d ers hi p d e b a t e d, the IFGE b oard met at second.combmed that the ~·o"w, events can be easily and logt the "Be All" weekend in Pittsburgh and discussed the While J ~ did e of the matter. (Apparently the grapevine communicated the local boar , 0 . react somewhat, being unawar riate tisfaction to several board members.) The board d s actions at "Be A1111 ak h r letter approP f dissa noneth I m es e th rest o decided to back away from the announced commitment to th e ess. As Joan forwarded me (as well as e y of 1 LA. long enough for Linda Buten to communicate with the bee i°cal leadership and the entire IFGE board) a co~t to local leadership. They also backed away from the th r etter' I also received a copy of a letter Merissa se appointment of Melissa Foster as host coordinator, citing M: s.ame distribution list regarding Joan's letter. .... cted · f h t t "th f th nssa maint · th · se1 "' the quest10n o er s a us WI some o e local because __ . ams at Southern Califorma was atifornia's organizations. turn" S m her words -- "it was Southern C viJlg 0 However, before any of the board's actions could be made th · he goes on to explain that IFGE has been 111• will 2 e convention around the country, and that by 1997 it have been held in every region of the country but here. have not yet taken me up on my offer.) She also points out that IFGE has a permanent staff to Yes, Joan Goodnight did jump to some erroneous handle convention operations and says the local conclusions, but they were based on information that was organizations "can be involved, or not involved as they see miscommunicated by IFGE in the first place and her fit". major objections are valid. Her letter, contrary to the board's actions, reaffirms Fortunately for all concerned, this has all taken place far Melissa Foster as "host committee chair", and glosses over enough in the future that it does not have to preclude a the question of "California Orea.min"' by saying it would successful IFGE convention in Los Angeles some 30-odd not need to be cancelled. (Joan never proposed the months from now.