Transgender and Gender Queer
Transgender & Gender
Queer 101 (still a work in progress)
Book section updated 10/30/06
Transgender
Transgender is the common umbrella term for people who transgress gender
norms or cross society's idea of gender lines. Transgender folks can identify
their sexual orientation as heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
Transgender is about gender identity and gender expression not sexual orientation.
Gender- Self-expression, performance, actions, behavior, dress, grooming of culturally
prescribed norms based on binary of male and female.
Gender Identity - Inner sense of ‘being’ male or female, both, or
neither, includes sense of self and one’s image presented to the world.
Self-identification.
Gender Binary System - Culturally defined code of acceptable behavior only for
2 gender system of male/female. Men/boys are to exhibit masculine gender presentation,
behaviors, and social roles. Women/girls are to exhibit feminine gender presentation,
behaviors, and social roles.
Assigned Sex/Gender -Based on physical anatomy of genitalia.
The Transgender community includes, but not limited to the following labels and
identities:
Transexual
MTF (male to female) transsexual woman- person born/ Assigned Gender at birth
as male/boy transitions to live and identify full time as female/woman
FTM (female to male) transsexual man- person born/ Assigned Gender at birth as
female/girl transitions to live and identify full time as male/man
Live Full Time- to live and identify in the gender they have
transitioned to or self identify as, may or may not use medical intervention
such as hormones
or sex reassignment surgery (SRS) depending on financial ability, health, and
access, but does do a socail transistion and identify and live as the “opposite” the
gender
they
were
born.
Social transistion can include changing name (legally or through common usage),
dressing in clothing of gender they identify with and using pronouns of gender
they identify with. Sexual orientation may or may not change with the person’s
transition and transsexuals can be heterosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual.
Other identities under the Transgender umbrella:
Cross Dresser- person who wears clothing opposite their assigned gender, usually
not all the time. Does not identify as the opposite gender identity. Example,
men who wear what we consider to be women's clothing and women who wear traditionally
male attire.
* Why cross-dress? This varies and can include playfulness (i.e., performance),
sexual pleasure, or feelings of comfort and relaxation. Some describe feelings
of relief when cross-dressed as the pressures associated with their gender role
are shed with the clothing. identify as cross-dressers may question their gender
role or gender expression (how they are "supposed" to appear or act),
but not their gender identity. They generally do not want to live as the opposite
gender; in other words, most male cross-dressers identify as male, are comfortable
being male, and do not want to change that.
* Adapted from Making
Women's Shelters Accessible to Transgendered Women Allison
Cope & Julie Darke October 1999
Drag Queen- person, sometimes gay men, impersonating famous
females,
usually for
performance also called female illusionists.
Drag King- person, sometimes lesbians, impersonating famous
males,
usually for
performance
*GENDER NON-CONFORMING PEOPLE “Gender non-conforming” refers to people
whose gender expressions do not match stereotypes of how girls/women or boys/men
are “supposed to” look and act. In reality, most people in general
don’t meet all gender expectations and stereotypes either; almost nobody
is perfectly masculine or perfectly feminine. The reason gender nonconforming
people are included in the list of transgender people is that there are some
people who identify as transgender, but are not transitioning gender, and do
not consider themselves cross-dressers, androgynous, or genderqueer.
* Adapted from TRANSITIONING OUR SHELTERS
GenderQueer
GenderQueer term started to come into use in approximately the
late 1990’s. It has been associated with primarily youth communities
and those who are white and where born female and are now along the
masculine
spectrum, but there are many folks along the age and race/ethnic
spectrum that use it to describe themselves and also those who
where born male and
are along the feminine spectrum. Has also been written as Gender
Queer or Genderqueer.
Current working definition:
GenderQueer: those who identify their gender outside the gender
binary system of male and female, maybe fluid with gender presentation
or
not conform to gender stereotypes and may use gender neutral pronouns
such as “sie,
hir, hir, hirs, hirself” or "zie, zir, zir, zirs, zirself" or
choose to use the pronoun closest to the end of the masculine or
feminine spectrum they are presenting. Some may do some or all of medical
transition
or none at all. Some may change their birth name. It is also used
by some to describe both their gender identity and their sexuality as
queer.
Other terms that gender non-conforming or those who have gender identities
outside the binary gender system are boy dyke, dyke boy, boi, and
by some youth in communities of color are femme queens, butch boi, or drags.
Building the GenderQueer Definition and Timeline
When did you first hear the word Gender Queer?
What is your definition of Gender Queer?
Do you use it as one word "genderqueer" or two "gender queer" and
why?
“ I think I personally first heard of the word genderqueer
in 2001...my definition of the word is a mindset that sees gender
as a spectrum...you
can be anywhere within and not just boy or girl man or woman. And
yes, I use it as one word. I think I do so because I see genderqueer as being
one
whole mindset, one whole concept, and for some one whole identity,
thus one word.”
“ I first heard the term genderqueer... probably about 2 years ago...
maybe. genderqueer by my definition is one who rejects the binary
gender roles set up by this society. my personal favorite word is gender fucker.
I use genderqueer as one word because I think it gives the term
more validity and it flows well :)”
“
I only heard the term rather recently, but once I heard it, it stuck.
Mostly because I can't seem to find many ways to describe myself and genderqueer
fit better than anything else. I think genderqueer is what you get when you
refuse to limit yourself to the culturally-defined stereotypes of gender.
I like it because it doesn't seem like using the term is appropriating anyone
else's struggle, but it's more obviously boundary-breaking than bi-butch-femme-fag-dyke-drag
queen (and also easier to say in one breath)--also, I have a problem with "bi" because
I don't believe there are only two genders, and I usually am attracted
to people who wouldn't be able to be neatly placed and labeled.
I like it as
one word.”
“ I can't remember exactly when I first heard the term, probably in 1999,
I know that I facilitated a workshop/caucus at the Creating Change
conf. in 2000 for genderqueer ID'ed folks. So I've been using the term for
at least
that long”
” As someone who ID's as both gender queer and FTM, I use the term because
I don't believe in the binary gender system, and therefore don't
feel like I transitioned from one and of the gender binary to another, but
instead have a queer gender identity.”
Intersex (is
not a transgender identity)
*intersexuality is a set of medical conditions that features "congenital
anomaly of the reproductive and sexual system." That is, a person with an
intersex condition is born with sex chromosomes, external genitalia, or an internal
reproductive system that is not considered "standard" for either male
or female.
*Adapted from “Introduction to intersex activism” from Intersex Society
of North America www.isna.org
Other terms and definitions
“ Outing”- The act of disclosing a person’s sexual orientation,
gender
identity, transition status, HIV status, etc.. to others.
“ Closeted” Not disclosing or concealing a person’s sexual
orientation
or gender identity to others
Homophobia - The irrational fear of homosexuals (gay/lesbian)
Biphobia - The irrational fear of bisexuals
Transphobia - The irrational fear of transgender/transsexuals
Print Resources:
Transgender Tapestry, Published by IFGE, a magazine by, for, and about all things trans, including crossdressing, transsexualism, intersexuality, FTM, MTF, butch, femme, drag kings and drag queens, androgyny, female and male impersonation, and more. 781-894-8340 www.ifge.org
Shelter Guidelines
and Protocals
Transitioning Our Shelters: A Guide to Making Homeless Shelters Safe
for Transgender People (PDF), December 15, 2003, National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force, By Lisa Mottet and John M. Ohle
http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/TransHomeless.pdf
Making
Women's Shelters Accessible to Transgendered Women Allison
Cope & Julie
Darke
October 1999 http://www.queensu.ca/humanrights/tap/index.html On-line manual
for domestic violence shelters, some specific to Canada, but a good guideline.
Boston Public Health Commission Protocol for Serving Transgender
Guests and Health Services Guidelines for Serving Transgender Guests. (2002,
January).
Available
at http://www.transgenderlaw.org/resources/transprotocol.pdf
Basic Tips for Health Care and Social Service Providers for Working
With Transgendered People. Gender Education & Advocacy, Inc. (2001). Available
at http://www.gender.org/resources/dge/gea01006.pdf
Zines/Comics
Just in time
for Camp Trans, comics by Princess Stacey. She as all new one for
2006 plus links to some earlier ones.
Transexual
Fury Special Summer Camp Issue
Our gendertrash superhero goes to Camp Trans for Summer vacation.
Welcome to Sunny
Camp Trans
- Or, how I ruin my summer vacations in... well, Michigan.
All
Kinds of Women
Here is the 2003 comic about the whole Camp Trans controversy.
Books
New Releases
 |
Supervillainz, the novel. A self-aggrandizing superhero has his head shot off by the crowd he is trying to impress. It is scooped up by a pair of curious friends, Bit and Devon - fresh from college, transgendered and much too smart for their own good. In Supervillainz the novel, follow them on an exciting journey in which they learn the secrets of the superheroes, charm their mother and literally bring the house down upon them with some very unlikely allies. About
the Author |
 |
Transgender
Rights Book A collection of essays on transgender politics and civil rights struggles, titled Transgender Rights. Published by the University of Minnesota Press. It's is available in paperback through bookstores and through online bookstores. With analysis from legal and policy experts, activists and advocates, Transgender Rights assesses the movement’s achievements, challenges, and opportunities for future action. Examining crucial topics like family law, employment policies, public health, economics, and grassroots organizing, this groundbreaking book is an indispensable resource in the fight for the freedom and equality of those who cross gender boundaries. |
 |
Butch
is a Noun |
 |
Gender
Quake |
To come up with a list of transgender books to read or
not to read I wanted to get various folks opinions from different perspective,
as well as I just don't have time to read every transgender book out
there. The first
list of book reviews are from me asking
Lani, writer of SOFFA Notes, to make
some suggestions as a partner of a transperson and what was helpful
to her. The next group will be some past reviews of Transgender Books
only from Bear. And the last will be books will be some suggestions from
myself.
If you have a recent book you want reviewed, email
me so I can let you know where
to send it to.
Gunner
Lani’s
Not-too-Comprehensive Review of Trans-related Books
I have a habit of collecting books. My partner is just as bad
as I am, so when we move, half the boxes are books, which I will
periodically
organize by subject, author….you get the picture. There’s bookshelves
in nearly every room in our house, and more stacks of books next to our
bed. When my partner first came out as trans, in our search for trans-related
literature, we gathered quite a collection (mainly focusing on the FTM
experience, although we have a few written by MTF’s or anthologies
including all forms of gender expression.) At first it seemed to me that
little was written on the trans (particularly, the FTM) experience. As
we got further along in his transition, we found quite a collection of
books. Some were great. Some were, well…not the thing I would give
to my mom when first coming out as transgender. So, I decided to
put together a listing of the books on my shelves, so readers can
be forewarned if necessary,
when looking to buy some books. This is not a comprehensive literature
review of all the writings on trans-issues out there, just the ones
I have happened to collect along the way. If you have any recommendations,
or
other opinions on the books I reviewed, please e-mail them to me!
Thank you!
In pride,
Lani
p.s. I have included the ISBN numbers for all the books listed. Sometimes
the ISBN changes with different editions of the same book, or whether
it is hardcover or softcover. I find the ISBN the most useful way of
finding books, so bring it along to your local queer or feminist bookseller
when
asking for a specific title. If you cannot buy from a local independent
bookstore, check with IFGE (http://ifge.org/) who carry many of these
titles,
or see
if the title is available from the author (many of these authors attend
conferences). Not that I’m against Amazon and the other large chain booksellers,
I have a particular soft spot for keeping as much of my dollars within my
community as possible. When you buy from a large chain, they get the lion’s
share of the profit, so have patience and look around first. There, I’m
done proselytizing now.
One last note; I have not listed the books in any particular order,
so a listing on the top of the section does not necessarily mean it’s
more highly recommended than the last listing.
Art/Photo Books
Who DOESN’T want a beautiful photo book to display proudly on the table
when mom and pops come over for Thanksgiving dinner? Well…if you’re
a photography aficionado, or would like to see actual photographs of trans
people, as well as surgeries, look no further. I only included books that
have photography in them, as I don’t know of any that have other forms
of art. If you do, please contact me with the title and how to purchase
them!
Body Alchemy; Transsexual Portraits by Loren Cameron
ISBN: 1-57344-062-0
A few years before I started dating my partner, I received a gift
certificate to a major book chain. I was SO excited because that meant
I could
afford the book I had seen there the week before which had just enraptured
me. Loren
Cameron’s book is filled with beautiful black-and-white portraits,
moving text, and is a great commentary on the trans experience. I’ve
shown this book to many a “oh, he’ll never pass as a male” commentator.
None has argued with me afterwards.
Man Tool by Loren Cameron
http://www.lorencameron.com
This book is only available online, and you have to pay for a subscription.
In it, Loren has documented different surgical procedures for FTM’s
and a shows color photos of genitals. This is good for those new to trans-issues
who want a better idea of what the surgical options available to FTM’s
actually look like. The text was kind of rough, not exactly how I would have
done it, but it’s not my book.
Phallus Palace by Dean Kotula
ISBN: 1-55583-654-2
Part anthology, part photo album, Dean Kotula’s book on FTM’s
is a great read and resource. He includes some beautiful and touching
black and white photographs, poetry, and essays. A word of caution to those
who
are not fans of those surgery shows on TV: skip the chapter on surgeries,
or have someone else read it to you. The information is great, but
even though his photographs are black and white, I have a difficult time
stomaching the
pictures of actual surgical procedures being performed. For those who,
like my partner, love that stuff: dig in!
The Gender Frontier by Mariette Pathy Allen
ISBN: 393663604-4
Mariette Pathy Allen is one of the premier photographers of trans-folk
and is probably the most well-accepted non-trans photographer out
there. Her large coffee table book The Gender Frontier includes many touching,
intimate portraits of people of all genders and expressions. Mariette
is
also the
person who shot the photos for the cover of Jamison Green’s new autobiography,
and photographed Robert Eads and Lola Cola (stars of the documentary Southern
Comfort) shortly before his death of cancer. Somewhere amongst her negatives
are two pictures of my partner and I, before he started to medically transition,
when we were at the First Event Conference in Waltham 2 years ago. Perhaps
we’ll appear in an exhibit somewhere someday…?
Biography/Autobiography
I love reading books that are biographical in nature. I know that
there are many more out there, I just haven’t got to them yet.
As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who was Raised as a Girl by
John Colapinto
ISBN: 0-06-092959-6
While not a book about a transgender individual, I feel that many
trans and intersex folk can relate to this man’s experience of being raised
as a gender he was not. This true story is about a young boy whose penis
was accidentally burned during a routine circumcision, and was consequently
raised as a girl. He had an identical twin brother, and was the perfect social
experiment for then-renowned researcher John Money. This is the story of
what has been called the “John/Joan Case” and is the basis for
30+ years of mutilation of the genitals of children born intersexed
or with ambiguous genitalia.
Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg
ISBN: 1555838537
I am including this novel under the biography/autobiography section
because insider information has leaked that this is a semi-autobiographical
account of Leslie Feinberg’s life. If I am wrong, Leslie, please forgive
me. This novel tells the coming-of-age story of an ambiguously-gendered protagonist
who comes out as a lesbian in the 1950’s butch/femme era, lives as
a man for years, and eventually returns to the place where s/he first came
out. I can’t read this book without crying and staying in bed for days
on end afterwards. Must be read with a box of tissues on hand.
Becoming a Visible Man by Jamison Green
ISBN: 0-8265-1457-X
This autobiography of James Green’s coming out in the lesbian world,
and then as an FTM well into adulthood rang close to home for my partner.
It explores his personal struggles with his gender identity, relationships,
and how a man who just wanted to live life quietly came to be at the
forefront of the Trans/FTM movement. I strongly recommend this book, particularly
for
those coming out later in life, and their partners.
Suits Me: The Double Life of Billy Tipton by Diane Wood Middlebrook
ISBN: 0-395-05789-3
Billy Tipton was a well-known jazz musician, married three times,
who is most famous not for the great music he played, but for being “discovered” after
his death to have been born biologically female. I have wanted to read about
his life for a long time, and have not had a chance to read this book yet.
This is in my pile of books “to be read soon.”
Sex and Sexuality
No good book review would be complete without a section on sex.
My list is rather short, however, so any good recommendations – let me
know!
The
Good Vibrations Guide to Sex (rev., 3rd ed.) by Cathy Winks and Anne Semans
ISBN: 1-57344-158-9
This book is not referred to as “the most complete sex manual ever
written” without due cause. Although not trans-specific, this book
includes a few pages dedicated to trans and intersex issues (some very basic
explanations of both) – the only sex book I have found to do so. It
truly is diverse in its topic ranges, including people with disabilities/differently
abled individuals, sex toy information, and sexual health. This book is used
by the staff at Grand Opening! as their “training manual” for
good reason. All-around highly recommended.
Best Transgender Erotica eds. Hanne Blank and Raven Kaldera
ISBN: 1885865406
The only book of erotica I have found that has specifically
transgender characters in the stories, this book, as with all anthologies,
has some pieces that are stronger than others. Very inclusive
of a variety of genders and
expressions. If you’re looking for something to read to your honey,
you may want to peruse the stories first to be sure that the content
would excite you both before getting out the candles. Still, I was quite
excited
to see that a book of erotica written by inclusive of trans individuals
exists!
Macho Sluts by Pat Califia
ISBN: 1-55583-115-x
MMMMMmmmmm…yummy S/M erotica written by transgender author Patrick
Califia. The books still sells under his previous name, Pat Califia.
While not trans-specific in topic, the stories are diverse in style and content.
Not for the genteel and proper among us, unless you enjoy a good spanking
now and then, in which case, dive in!
Anthology
Every good bookshelf needs a couple of anthologies. If you REALLY want
to find a story that speak to you, anthologies include the widest array
of personal experience, also offering you insight into the various struggles
and joys people in other situations might experience.
Gender Queer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary eds. Joan Nestle,
Clare Howell, and Riki Wilchins
ISBN: 1-55583-730-1
YES, YES, YES!!! My cousin gave this book, along with two tailored
men’s suits from the 40’s, to my partner as a transition gift.
She was so intrigued by the stories included in it, that she apologized for
reading it before giving it to him! This anthology is my favorite of all
I have read. It is excellently written and edited, extremely diverse in subject
matter and author perspective, and overall, a really good anthology for those
looking for a diverse array of material, or wanting to find SOMEONE or something
to connect to. Includes writing by SOFFAS (us Significant Others, Friends,
Family and Allies). I started reading this on the airplane to Florida to
see my family a week after we were married. I got to a story written by a
lesbian partner of an FTM, about her struggles around him having chest surgery
and was greatly moved. My partner was a year away from being able to even
have surgery, but it hit home in a deeply personal way that most things just
don’t. I love it, and I think that every trans person and their partner
should read this book, to get a broad idea of some of the major issues
affecting people who are trans, intersex, gender queer, and their family/partners.
PoMoSexuals: Challenging Assumptions About Gender and Sexuality eds.
Carol Queen and Lawrence Schimel
ISBN: 1-57344-074-4
PoMoSexuals (Post Modern, that is) includes a mix of fiction and non-fiction.
This book covers a wide variety of topics, including discussion of
sex and sexuality (what book by Carol Queen wouldn’t???) This is not the book
to give to dear ol’ dad when you come out as trans, but is a good read
for those who are ready to be open to a grab-bag of new thoughts and
ideas about gender and sexuality.
TransForming Families (2nd ed.) by Mary Boenke, ed.
ISBN: 0-615-12307-4
Edited by a retired psychotherapist who is also the mother of an FTM
son, the second edition of this book was the first book I would share
with family when first coming out as trans. I seriously am wanting to take
a chunk
of spare $ (which is a feat unto itself) and get this book for all
the members of my spouse’s family as well as mine. This book has short, easy-to-read
stories from a broad spectrum of perspectives, including MANY family members.
Not all the stories in this book are pretty; some really get into the struggle
they had for acceptance of their trans child, and showcase how they were
able to grow through it. This book is the PFLAG of books for families who
are struggling with having a trans member. I wished that more of the stories
actually showed their transformation, rather than relating a “I had
a hard time; now I accept it” mindset. A few of the stories are new
to the second edition of the book, and the neatest thing to me was that she
had the authors from the first edition offer “updates” on their
lives. Good for the whole family. A+.
From the Inside Out: Radical Gender Transformation, FTM and Beyond
by Morty Diamond
ISBN: 0-916397-06-3
This anthology features poems, essays, and stories. When my partner
recently had top surgery, one of his sisters came to help us out. I
hadn’t
read it yet, but she got up one morning and read through it, marking a couple
of essays that she thought would help their less-understanding sister get
a better idea of what it means to be transgender. We haven’t sent it
to her yet, but my sister-in-law gave this book rave reviews for how
the authors explained their experience, as something that might help a less-knowledgeable
person gain deeper insight.
Transsexuals: Life from Both Sides by Lynn Hubschman
ISBN: 0-7881-8749-X
Recommended by my partner’s therapist when he first started coming
out, this book deals with trans-people and their partners. Includes stories,
poems, and an older version of the HBIGDA Standards of Care. Some of the
book entries included therapeutic processes and medical procedures as well
as information on rights and legal proceedings. A little out of date, this
book also has an extensive list of healthcare professionals and trans resources
in the U.S. and Europe, some photos (a few of which are genitally explicit),
and the names of the surgeons who performed these procedures. I really like
the inclusiveness of this book as far as resources, and it’s the only
one I recall that actually includes the full HBIGDA Standards of Care, but
it’s still not the first book I would recommend reading.
Pinned Down by Pronouns eds. Toni Amato and Mary Davies
ISBN: 0972702717
The publisher of this book seems to be in a time of transition, so
I can’t vouch for the availability of it at this time. If your friend
has a copy, borrow it! This anthology includes writings by local (Boston-area)
authors, a few of whom were invited to speak at the 2005 Trans Day
of Remembrance. Includes a wide variety of writings on various topics. You
might still be
able to grab a copy at Grand Opening! and it may also be available
through Brookline Booksellers, or other local bookstores.
Religion/Religious/Spiritually Focused
I have to admit that the reviews of these books were gathered from
conversations with my partner who has a Master’s of Divinity degree.
While they can be read by the lay person, the only books I have found so
far dealing with spirituality or religion and transgenderism are all Christian-based
(one book purports to be inclusive of multiple faith traditions but has a
primarily Christian focus). Being Jewish, I don’t have some of the
same understanding of, or struggles with, my faith. I’d love to see
a book that was spiritual in focus but non-denominational as well,
so that anyone of any religious or faith background could find a way to really
connect
with it. Until that day, in no particular order, here is the review
of the books I DO have:
Crossing Over: Liberating the Transgendered Christian by Vanessa Sheridan
ISBN: 0-8298-1446-9
This book utilizes several personal stories, systematically works through
steps to re-construct Christian theology and church politics and structure.
Moderate to progressive liberation theology in the author’s take on
faith, images of G-d, social constraints on gender, phobias, and fear
as well as reconstruction of a positive Christian identity and community.
By the Grace of God: Writings for Families, Friends and Clergy by Lee
Frances Heller and friends
ISBN: 0-9707947-0-3
This book is a collection of the writings of a trans woman who wrote
a newsletter titled “Grace and Lace Letter.” The writings are
from a very conservative, Protestant Christian theological view.
Made in God’s Image: A Resource for Dialogue about the Church and Gender
Differences by Ann Thompson Cook
Avail. Online through the Methodist Reconciling Ministries Network:
http://www.rmnetwork.org/made.php
THIS is the other book I would give any parent or family member or
friend when first coming out as being transgender. It is an excellent
book, small, easy to read, very well-written and affirming, basic transgender-101
(includes discussion of intersex conditions, too). The fact that this
book
was created by, and is distributed by, the Methodist Church’s Reconciling
Ministries Network gives it some additional standing to families whose
faith creates a barrier to understanding their trans family member. I expected
it would approach religious and spiritual issues in an in-depth manner
but
this is not that book. This is the other book I want to buy in bulk
for our families, including those who are not Methodist, or even Christian.
OmniGender: A Trans-Religious Approach by Virginia Ramey Mollencott
ISBN: 0-8298-1422-1
By “Trans-Religious” Virginia Ramey Mollencott is attempting
to include a wider variety of religions. This book is the closest to
my ideal of religion/faith inclusiveness, but maintains a primarily Christian
focus
nonetheless. She briefly addresses other religions and how they address
gender variation in their faith traditions. The author tends to present transgender
people as having a generally high level of body dysmorphia. She addresses
the history and construction of binary gender constructs in our Western
culture.
Some people have difficulty with this book; regardless, this is a book
that is highly recommended by my partner.
Transgendered: Theology, Ministry, and Communities of Faith by Justin
Tanis
ISBN: 0-8298-1528-7
Another book that my partner strongly recommends for people who are
struggling with Christianity and transgender theology (read OmniGender
for a more liberal and progressive theological approach). Justin includes
chapters on such topics as gender variance and the scriptures, and
he includes liturgical resources in the appendix. Justin Tanis is an
MCC ordained minister. (MCC, or Metropolitan Community Church, is a
fairly new denomination ministering primarily to gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgender Christians).
For
the Science Freak in You…clinical,
medical, and research-oriented writings
This section has the largest number of titles in it. Some of them
could fit in other categories as well, but I chose to put them together
here
instead. There are books here that are mainly historical in nature,
some that have a more psychological bent, and a few which are more
medical or research-based. Dig in and enjoy – you’re not
being graded on this one! I was considering titling this section “All
I need to know in life I learned from Kate Bornstein.” Check
it out.
Evolution’s
Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People by Joan Roughgarden
ISBN: 0-520-24073-1
I cannot begin to count the number of people I have told about
this book. This is a book I need two copies of, one to lend out
and one
to keep in case the lender copy is not returned. Subtitled “Why
Darwin was Wrong About Natural Selection” this is the book I
wish my 10th grade biology teacher had made us read. One must approach
this book with a willingness to have your basic biology lessons from
grade school challenged and changed. Animals with multiple genders,
animals that change gender, same-gender attraction, and of course,
the human animal, and a personal chapter with a more political bent.
She also addresses how research purposely leaves out or fails to recognize
things in nature that do not fit their Western, heterosexist viewpoints.
Joan Roughgarden is an MTF researcher, scientist, and author. While
it appears to be a hefty read in number of pages, this book is so interesting
that you’ll find yourself carrying it everywhere you go. At least,
I did.
Transsexuals: Candid Answers to Private Questions by Gerald Ramsey,
Ph.D.
ISBN: 0-89594-790-0
As a therapist and as a partner of a trans person, I find this
book to have a strong pathological view of transsexuals which at
times
is rather paternalistic. Read this one with great caution, and
only if
you are secure in who you are and have lots of other information
on trans issues to help you filter the information that is in this
book.
My Gender Workbook by Kate Bornstein
ISBN: 0-41591-673-9
FUN, FUN, FUN! Kate is a favorite author of mine ever since I read
her book/play/autobiography Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the
Rest of us. (I loaned that to a friend and never got it back. Sigh.)
Kate’s
book is an interesting and thought-provoking read, even for those who
are not questioning their gender.
Transmen
and FTM’s: Identities, Bodies, Genders, and Sexualities by Jason Cromwell
ISBN: 0-252-06825-4
If you think that this book reads like a doctoral dissertation,
that’s
because it is. My (awesome) cousin sent me a copy of this book when
she was done with it and needing to thin out her belongings before
a big move. One of our friends wanted to know more about trans issues,
and borrowed this book from us. This friend is the fastest reader I
know, and she REALLY liked this book, but it took her a while to get
through it. I haven’t mastered it yet, but it’s on my “must
read” list for sure.
Gender Loving Care: A Guide to Counseling Gender-Variant
Clients by Randi Ettner
ISBN: 0-393-70304-5
This book is geared towards clinicians (therapists, social workers,
psychologists, etc.). It takes a very clinical viewpoint, and deals
predominantly with treatment and interventions. My clinical psychology
PhD candidate spouse thought that it was good. This is another
one I need to read.
There are way too many other books on counseling people which
include transgender/transsexualism alongside gay, lesbian, and
bisexual
issues. I haven’t read too many of them but am working on
compiling a reading list specifically around counseling/therapy
so please send
me your recommendations!
Sex Changes: Transgender Politics by Patrick Califia
ISBN: 1-57344-180-5
Challenging feminism and gender, transphobia, and including partners,
activism, autobiographies, and more this is not your average beach
book. This heady and intellectual work should be read with a willingness
to challenge your assumptions and analyze trans issues. Each chapter
is heavily researched and footnoted.
True Selves: Understanding Transsexualism for Families,
Friends, Co-workers, and Helping Professionals by Mildred L. Brown and Chloe
Ann Rounsley
ISBN: 0-7879-6702-5
Taking you from childhood to adulthood in a systematic fashion,
True Selves includes people’s stories in the text. The main focus
of this book is on people undergoing some sort of a medical transition.
Transgender Care: Recommended Guidelines, Practical Information,
and Personal Accounts by Gianna E. Israel and Donald E. Tarver
II, M.D.
ISBN: 1-56639-852-5
This book was written by a transsexual and a medical provider who
runs an LGBT health clinic in San Francisco. This book focuses
more on resources
and guidelines, with some personal information included. It is
a bit dated (when did 1997 seem like a long time ago?) but still
contains
much useful information. It includes discussions on language, disclosure,
STDs/HIV, ethical implications, surgery information across the
range of trans people, cultural diversity, and ethical guidelines
for trans
people of color, as well as some sample letters for medical providers.
Gender Blending eds. Bonnie Bullough, PhD, RN; Vern L. Bullough,
PhD, RN, and James Elias, PhD
ISBN: 1-57392-124-6
Warning: the chapters in this book read like the journal articles
I had to read in grad school but this is much more interesting.
The authors
cover a wide array of topics in this one. I suppose it could be
under anthology but I chose to stick it in this section due to
its clinical
bent.
Transgender
Warriors: From Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman by Leslie
Feinberg
ISBN: 0-8070-7941-3
As complete of a history of transgender individuals throughout
history as you are likely to find. I was fascinated reading it,
and it is
on my “read this book again and again and again…” list.
Of course, it’s Leslie Feinberg. Need I say more?
Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue by Leslie Feinberg
ISBN: 0-8070-7950-2
The latest book by Leslie Feinberg, Trans Liberation is much more
political, dealing with grassroots activism and union organizing.
Prepare
for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind-Body
Techniques by Peggy Huddleston
ISBN: 0-9645757-4-4
This book is not specifically trans-related but I felt compelled
to include it. I first saw a flyer for it in the office of my partner’s
gender therapist. I’m a big fan of using mind-body techniques
for healing physical and emotional wounds, and this was a very helpful
book to get before my partner’s top surgery. Whether desired
or not, surgeries have a huge effect on the body. Peggy Huddleston
looks at the power of your thoughts, how Doctors talk to you, food
and vitamins that promote healing, and much more. This book may seem
hokey at times, but as the Nike ads, say, “Just do it.”
Queer Theory, Gender Theory: An Instant Primer by Riki Wilchins
ISBN: 1-55583-798-0
My friend (the speed reader) borrowed this book from us to learn
more about trans issues. She said that it was easy to read but
she was glad
she had read other books first for more of background and basics
of trans theory.
Please
feel free to add, make suggestions or comments or refute my reviews of
the books
here. I welcome your feedback
and am happy to add more books to my “to be read soon” pile
next to my side of the bed…
Bostonftmsoffas
Transgender
Books reviewed by Bear
Some of theses reviews were up on the past site, butchdykeboy,
and from over the last 5 years. Don't forget to check out Bear's
latest column for current reviews.
She's
Not There
Jennifer Finney Boylan Doubleday
Very sweet, fairly honest, full-medical model MTF book, one that has seen a whole
lot of hype - for myself, I liked it for how she wrote about her relationship
with her wife and children, everything that entailed, how it was hard and how
it was wonderful, but especially how it was hard, and for the interior view of
a transwoman grappling with issues of being happy v. making other happy. There
are no dazzling surprises in here for people in the trans community, or trans
allies, but as we approach the winter gifting season, it seems like just the
thing one might give one's aged Aunt Petunia to get her started thinking about
trans issues in preparation for your family-reunion revelation this summer. Also,
keep an eye out for some very, very funny passages, including one about going
to buy bluejeans that made me laugh so hard my wife came running from the other
room to see what was so funny.
You're
A Nation
One Trick Rodeo (Ivan E. Coyote and Richard Spencer)
One Trick Rodeo
Okay, it's not a book. But it's words, dammit, and words are my purview, and
anyhow Ivan's an author so that counts, right? Ivan Coyote has teamed up with
musical collaborator Richard Spencer and recorded a CD of his own stories, spinning
them out in his inimitable style, with perfect pacing and impeccable comic timing
and a rich, warm voice with the long, flat vowels of the Yukon, giving them a
fullness that the books suggest but can't completely cover. Ivan's a born storyteller,
the words queuing up in his mouth, under his tongue, flowing out on command flavored
with the crisp cold of the north and full of grace.
The
Aforementioned Ugly:
The
Man Who Would Be Queen (editor's
note- this link brings you to more transgender community comments
on the book)
J. Michael Bailey National Academies Press
Okay. Leave aside the smarmy, patronizing tone of the entire book. Ignore the huge media flap, including the teensy insignificant part about how Bailey made several unsuspecting transwomen into subjects for his book without their knowledge or consent. Pretend you don't know a single thing about that pesky scientific method or how it is supposed to work. Now. Let me sum Bailey's argument up for you in a a sentence. Ready? Here it is.
Het-identified transwomen are really just uber-faggy gay men (but should be "allowed to change" anyway), and dyke-identified transwomen are sexual fetishists and should "just" crossdress.
No, I am not making that up.
This was supposed to be a June book review column. But I had to postpone it to July, because I would read five or ten pages of Bailey's book and fling it across the room (which is very satisfying) and then need to take some time to calm myself down. This book is chock-a-block with crappy science, outdated ideas of a totally bipolar gender system, a great deal of full medical model, I'm-a-woman-trapped-in-a-man's-body-and-thass-what-a-tranny-is-end-quote foolishness, and a lack of understanding of human sexuality that dazzles even me, and I've seen some.
However. There is one thing I would like to address, and since I get this column, I'm going to: Bailey posits that extreme autogynophilia, or sexual arousal based on seeing one's self as a woman is why dyke-identified transwomen have SRS, and that it should not be "allowed." In other words, his idea is that they have discovered what makes them feel sexy and desirable, able to have happy sexual lives, and they *shouldn't* do it -because they would be doing it for reasons of sex. It's such a hugely sex-negative comment of the lives of queers and trannies that I hardly know where to begin addressing it.
This is not to say I agree with Bailey about the etiology of transwomen's desires for SRS - I don't. Not at all. But he presents it like the worst bogeyman you ever imagined, as though the reason was so simultaneously horrible and silly that you'd have no choice to agree with him. And I don't think it is. I think finding a way to deliver one's self from a lifetime of no sexual pleasure, and no sexual desire is a perfectly good reason to do anything that's legal and moral. And I think that as a community of gender-variant folks and those who love them, we need to fight against this way the culture has of assigning us a helping of pity and shame instead of a sexual life full of good surprises.
The whole book is terrible - the writing, the science, the conclusions, everything. But the massively sex-negative, pleasure-negative view from which he approaches his autogynophilia argument is just the rancid icing on the moldy cake. Ew.
Recommendation: If you're dying to know what all the fuss is about, you can borrow my copy, bent and battered though it is. Don't give them your money.
Some
Of The Parts
T Cooper Akashic Books
From time to time a book still totally blindsides me. With all the folks I know, all the books I get for consideration for this column, all the emails and websites I read related to books and publishing, if there's an interesting new book with some queer content, I generally get a head up about it early on. But Some Of The Parts took me by surprise, smiling up from the "transgender" shelf at Antigone Books in Tucson, AZ while I was on tour, and flipping through it, I thought, Hm. Promising.
Was it ever. Some of the parts is a four-way narrative, told alternately by four incredibly well drawn, completely engaging characters. They form and reform themselves into pairs (Arlene and Taylor, mother and daughter; Arlene and Charlie, siblings; Charlie and Isak, roomates and friends; Isak and Taylor, friends; et al)hashing out universal relationship issues of losing and finding, binding one's self together with another person, or breaking apart from that person. Cooper manages to present a narrative that twists and smooths itself, draws and seduces me along, without ever leaving me with that sort of skeptical feeling of seeing parts of the plot as cheap devices to make the book a little longer, or less dull. Cooper writes characters that you'd love to have lunch with, or maybe dinner and then breakfast with, and when they spend time together between the covers of Some Of The Parts they do delightful things that put me in mind of a quote famously attributed to an elderly neighbor lady of Flannery O'Connor. O'Connor gave her some early stories to read, and when the neighbor returned them she is reported to have commented "Well, them stories just gone and shown how some folks would do." And Cooper does, the portrait of these relationships, this world is so bold, so engaging, so completely delightful in the most traditional sense of the word: I was left delighted. A little grouchy that it's Cooper's first book and it'll be a while until the next one, but delighted.
Recommendation: Buy and read before Pride, you'll feel even prouder. the bus or train: small enough to carry and one yummy story should see you to your stop.
One
Man's Trash
Ivan E. Coyote Arsenal Pulp Press
Though
I try hard to vary the authors whose books I review, and introduce
new voices wherever possible, I am just too enamoured of Ivan Coyote's
storytelling to pass up an opportunity to wax ecstatic about hir
new One Man's Trash. A slim volume of short stories as sweetly gritty
and full of flavor as the first summer raspberries, One Man's Trash
is a loving look at the kinds of things that do happen when one's
gender is neither fixed nor easily identified. Coyote speaks butch
volumes in hir discussions of the ways of dating femmes, whether
fierce or mild, and in how easy it is to wrap oneself in silence
as a protection, and then have it become a different kind of barrier.
As always, the language of difference is graceful and vital in Ivan
Coyote's hands, and hir stories are full of heart and life. If there's
a critique of this book, it may go overboard from economy into paucity
- I would have been very happy to see some of stories continue and
unfold, I fell in love with characters just in time to lose them
at the ends of stories, and at the end of the book I wanted there
to be at least twice as many stories as I had. But as far as they
go, the stories are delicious in their concentrated brilliance, and
the collection as a whole is a great delight: superlative writing,
crisp, wry observation of circumstances, and a deft and loving touch
in describing the vagaries of queer life.
Recommendation: Perfect
for the bus or train: small enough to carry and one yummy story should
see you to your stop.
Normal:
Transsexual CEOs, Crossdressing Cops, and Hermaphrodites with
Attitude
Amy Bloom
Random House
Despite a great deal of controversy on this website (Ed. note-butchdykeboy in 2003) about this book, and despite my general reluctance to get embroiled in such arguments, I nonetheless found Amy Bloom's Normal worth writing about in this column.
Like Chris Bohjahlian's Trans-Sister Radio, a book by a mainstream author (albeit a work of fiction) with a trans main character, Amy Bloom's view of transgender cleaves pretty close to the "trapped in the wrong body" medical model. For better or for worse, that's the lens through which Bloom attempts the topic of transsexuals, and despite a few mistakes in her facts, she gives the subject compassionate and non-sensationalistic treatment. She has clearly done her research, talked to trans people, and drawn her conclusions. She takes the same tack with intersexed folks and male crossdressers, finding a few people who will talk with her, and describes the world she sees with some affection and a certain curious nature that comes through on the page.
With really lovely writing, charming turns of phrase, and a modicum of factual mistakes, the book moves along in its microcosms of transgender/intersexed life, giving an equally chatty treatment to each subject she takes up. To a trans person, there are no great insights about gender here, or transition, but this is a book that is clearly not meant for insiders, but for people who are idly, or perhaps lasciviously, curious about "the dark side of gender," _Normal_ a valuable primer, if for no other reason than that it portrays transgendered and intersexed people as just the sort of people you'd be happy to sit down and have a cup of coffee with, and a nice chat.
Recommendation: Send a copy to your Aunt Petunia.
Dress
Codes Of Three Girlhoods: My Mother's, My Father's, and Mine
Noelle Howey Picador USA
"My transsexual
parent" stories haven't made it all that frequently to hardcover, but they get
told and written quite frequently in the age of the Internet: on message boards,
web pages, and the like. Noelle Howey's memoir makes it clear that not all writing
is created equal with her carefully observed, gently funny, completely lovable
book about her nuclear family unit and (if you'll forgive the pun) the way that
it eventually implodes.
With truth-is-stranger-than-fiction touches abounding (everyone called him Dick,
he had a penchant for prison movies) and clear-eyed storytelling that apparently
does not observe such niceties as "the family secret," Howey introduces us to
the flawed but lovable characters of her childhood, and then tells us all about
them. Sometimes, frankly, more than we might have been dying to know, but for
the most part she is able to round out her characterizations nicely.
Though this book can absolutely have immediate, specific value as a thoughtful
gift for the family members of a transsexual in transition (or considering it)
it's also a really damn interesting, funny book about what happens when regular
people find themselves borne out of their comfort zones by extraordinary circumstances.
Recommendation:Laugh
along with the Howeys about things you might never have imagined laughing about,
and see what other possibilities emerge.
GENDERqUEER
Joan Nestle, Clare Howell, and Riki Wilchins, eds.
Alyson
Starting off with
a bracing series of utterly paradigm-fucking (and I'm pretty sure mine came)
essays by Riki Wilchins and finishing with a hearty flip-off to The Gender
Cops by Gina Reiss, this book is cover-to-cover whoop, holler, and plunge right
in gender heresy.
There's not space in this column to explicate all the many wonders of GENDERqUEER,
but my personal highlights were mother/son team Aaron Link and Hilda Raz on
the subject of a mother and two sons, all with scarred chests. Robin Maltz
making her much-needed point about femme invisibility. Sylvia Rivera (alav
ha'shalom) in her own words about her forgotten tribe, and the many visionary
ways that she blazed a trail for all genderqueers. And dozens of others, each
sentence burning on the page, the editors having done the best imaginable job
of choosing, every piece wants to be read, every voice demands to be heard.
Recommendation:Go
this instant and clear your schedule and sit down and read this book.
Gunner's Picks
I have
either included a note about some of the books already listed or have included
books not listed above.
Just
Add Hormones By Matt Kailey
Good book for those just starting transistion
Matt Kailey lived as a straight woman for the first forty-two years of his life, and then he changed. With the help of a good therapist, chest surgery, and some strong doses of testosterone, Kailey began living life as the man he’d always wanted to be. Now, in Just Add Hormones, Kailey uses humor and humility to explain his journey toward accepting himself as neither a woman nor someone born male. Kailey answers all the questions you’ve ever had about what it’s like to live as a transsexual. From the fear of public restrooms to deciding whether to "pack" his pants, he explains what the world looks like from his new male vantage point. More than a memoir, Just Add Hormones is full of advice for those who may be questioning their gender while also offering valuable insights to the family and friends of those who have started a transition. People frequently ask Kailey Are you done? In Just Add Hormones, Kailey reassures readers that being a transsexual is about more than some operation: it is a state of mind, a place between the two genders that can cause us all to consider and even laugh at our own notions of what being a man or a woman means.
GenderQueer, edited by Joan Nestle, Ricki Wilchins, Clare Howell
The theory in this book is not necessarily how I would say the gender
queer community would identify with, but the personal stories are very
good. It is time for a an actual gender queer anthology, the call for submissions
orginally for this book were for stories of transexuals and trans gender
people not gender queer people, I think Ricki named it that because that
was the new tern that was emerging at the time.
Boys Like Her: Transfictions
by Taste This, et al (Paperback - December 1998)
When I first read this, I thought "where can I hear poetry, essays, and
meet people like this?". This book was part of the inspiration for Gender
Crash Open Mic. Taste This was a spoken word/performance troupe from Canada that
included: Anna Camilleri, Ivan Elizabeth Coyote, Zoe Eakle, and Lyndell
Montgomery
One
Man's Trash : Stories by Ivan E. Coyote Close To Spider Man by Ivan E. Coyote
I relly just love anything by Ivan Coyote. If you are looking for these
in a book store check both the lesbian fiction section and the gay male
fiction section- There is not a transgender fiction section - YET- and
Ivan ought to be the first in that section.
Social
Services with Transgender Youth Gerald P. Mallon, DSW editor
Good resource book for social service providers
Gender
Outlaw:
On Men, Women and the Rest of Us by Kate Bornstein
Part memoir, part theory- probabaly one of the better books out there,
that has definately led the way on today's trans/gender theory
Transgender
Nation by Gordene MacKenzie
"Transgender Nation explores historical sexological categories and decodes
contemporary medical transsexual ideology, charging that contemporary "treatments" like
sex reassignment surgery all too often encourage assimilation and negate
differences."
My
Husband Betty by Helen Boyd
Although I spend
time in lots of parts of the transgender community, I did not feel like I had
a good understanding of crossdressing, this book definately helped. The author's
feminist persective on why crossdressing for men in this society is so taboo
is
inline with how I also see this partriarch - heirarchical - "men are on top" current
status of this society. This book is also accessible to non-feminists and those
wanting some perspective on the MTF crossdressing community and the overlap
of the MTF transexual community as well as there own border wars (a
term I use to only hear used about the butch lesbian and FTM community).