A Transphobic Pioneer?

For those "more mature" girls here in Cyrsti's Condo, the "dark ages" of information during our youth and longer is hard to remember. How did we exist back in those days without our cellphones and all the other electronic info devices we have today.  The answer is simple, unless you lived in a major metropolitan area, obtaining any information concerning your gender identity issues was tough to come by.

One of the first persons I discovered was Virginia Prince (left). As with most issues in our community Virginia is thought of in many different ways. On one hand she lived nearly 40 years as a woman but denied being a transsexual, which today could be considered transgender but also was perceived as being homo and transphobic.

None of that really mattered to me as I eagerly read her first couple of books including the "The Transvestite and His Wife"- and never showing it to my wife who knew I was a cross dresser.  Shortly after that in the early 1990's I began to attend far away Tri Ess meetings, a  nearly 150 mile one way trip and subscribed to Transvestia. Published by Virginia.  Ironically, I benefited so much from many of the exact problems she had with others. Transsexuals in particular.

Very quickly I found there were several groups within a group at the so called hetero cross dresser "only" meetings.  One of the "groups" would always separate from the main bunch in the hotel we met at and go to the nearest gay venue. Those evenings included some of my first contacts with the diverse subculture I was in including transsexuals and drag queens. Let's just say I had a fairly good idea a portion of the group were not completely "hetero" cross dressers. I loved the diversity of the group.

Then as today, I do think of Virginia Prince of one of the gender pioneers in my life. She opened my world, although I did view her as a throwback to my stodgy old grandmother.

If you don't know much about her, Dallas Denny has written an excellent in depth look at her life. To take a look, go here.

Virginia Prince-Role Model?

If you are more mature you will remember Virginia Prince and her book "How to Be Female Though Male".(1979) and an earlier book "The Transvestite and His Wife".(1967).
Recently, Prince who passed away in 2009 has been credited and not credited with first using the Transgendered term.
Regardless of all of that, I remember buying both books and wishing I still had them as transgendered collector items! I'm thinking of coming up with the 12 bucks or so to reread them to see what is still relevant. As far as I know it all  could be.
When I read it I was 30 something and really going through my transgendered adolescence. I viewed Prince as a prude Grandma type (and still do!) But I did use both books to help educate my wife!
Every once in awhile, her name does come up and I even thought of her the other night in a restroom.  I was going through my purse looking for my lipstick. As I was looking I came across the "feminine hygiene product" I carry in my purse. Why do I carry it? Because so many years ago my "Grannie Virginia" said I should.  She said it was a sure fire way to solidify your female image in the women's room. You could be able to help a fellow girl in need!
As I was mentally reliving my past Virginia Prince's name came up loud and clear.
If by chance you don't know much about her, she is an interesting pioneer of sorts in our transgendered culture. Her legacy still provokes quite a bit of pro and con discussion!
She also founded "Tri-Ess" still very much in existence today. Tri-Ess  bills itself as the (The Society for the Second Self) ; an international educational, social and support group for heterosexual crossdressers, their partners, the spouses of married crossdressers and their families.
Tri-Ess has more than 30 chapters nationwide in the United States, and is a member of the World Congress of Transgender Organizations.
The group initially provided me with my first steps out of the transgendered closet and ironically introduced me to many individuals of all sexual persuasions. I vividly remember the first meetings with my wife.  From rooms with cigar smoking men in dresses (before it was chic) to beautiful girls getting ready to out on the town, the group was wonderfully diverse. I met friends I knew for decades, had my first makeover and first attempted pick up move by a guy in a bar. That was only the beginning.
Over the years I grew past Tri-Ess but highly recommend the organization for those who need a high level of discretion or are just discovering  more of their female self. It certainly worked for me and is another huge reason I'm the girl I am today.

Transistion Pioneer?

The first crossdresser to transisiton?
A couple of days ago, I read  a comment in one of the groups I'm in. The person said she had never met a person who transitioned who was a crossdresser.. I really didn't understand but then again I did.
I know many today are moving towards labeling transsexuals as a medical situation rather than a mental one.  I'm not smart enough to even try to get into that debate. (or want to)
I've always maintained  that all of us are crossdressers. From the guy who wears his wife's panties once a week to a fully changed woman, we are still wearing the clothes of the opposite sex. Having said that, I don't think of myself as a crossdresser. Why? Because I SO much feel like a girl most of the time. Even that can be argued.  How could I ever know what a real girl feels like?

"Virginia Prince" circa 1948.

Who cares, it's all sematics. (and boring at that). Back to trans pioneer women.
We will never no for sure, but "Virginia Prince" could have been the publicized first. She was a trans pioneer who took the full time path without any surgery. She did take hormones and underwent electrolysis however and was one of the few resources for "hetero crossdressers" back in her day.
So, by not going through surgery was Virginia more of a crossdresser
who went through transisiton than Christine Jorgensen?
We will never know how Virginia herself would have approached this. She excluded gays and transsexuals and was a huge proponent of "ladylike" behavior.
Her opinion today would certainly be interesting.
I f she stepped to the podium to accept her pioneer award. She certainly would have been dressed appropriately!

Read more: http://zagria.blogspot.com/2008/04/virginia-prince-1912-pharmacologist.html#ixzz1Fb6FCs6k
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