CROSSING SEXUAL BOUNDARIES; Transgender Journeys, Uncharted Paths.
Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2006. Trade paperback. As new.
Item #47327
ISBN: 1591023882
365pp., references, appendices, glossary. The crossing of gender and sexual barriers through cross-dressing has been a part of the human experience since the beginnning of human history. It was only during the 20th century, however, that medical advances in hormone therapy and reconstructive surgery made it possible to actually change one's biologic sex. Today we use the umbrella term “transgender” to cover a collectivity of individuals (including cross-dressers, transvestites, transsexuals, and intersexuals) who do not conform to traditional norms of gender identity or behavior. Until recent centuries, transgender behavior has rarely been the subject of scholarly or public attention. This collection contains twenty candid autobiographies of women and men who openly describe their different and often very difficult journeys to define and explore their genders. Using a decade-by-decade format, the contributors provide the reader with critical insights into the process of realization that led to their various gender expressions. The contributors include homosexuals, heterosexuals, and bisexuals, and their life stories make clear that a good deal of diversity exists within the gender community. A thorough introduction by the editors provides many insights into gender issues from a biological, socio-anthropological, and historical perspectives.
Price: $25.00