TRANSMEN'S BOOKLIST,WEBLINKS & RESOURCES
S. Bear Bergman: Butch is a Noun
An affectionate and amusing study of the butch - i.e. masculine lesbian - largely autobiographical.
Jason Cromwell: Transmen and FTM’s: Identities, Bodies, Genders and Sexualities. University of Illinois Press, 1999
Includes a powerful apologia for transmen who choose not to have the full surgery or hormone treatment; for such guys to be “allowed” to celebrate the bodies they were born with as far as they are able, and not to feel compelled to have the full transition procedure. Very inclusive and highly recommended. http://www.libertas.co.uk/default-mainmenu-44-mptid-5-ptid-247-detail-41540.htm
Leslie Feinberg: Stone Butch Blues. Alyson Books 1993
Written by one of my TG heroes, this novel is an incredibly moving account of the life of a TG woman, or FTM, depending on your terminology and how you view the main character. This is a very powerful book, and had me in tears several times as I read it. In fact, when I had finished it, I closed up the book, put my head on Gill’s shoulder, and wept, because there’s so much in there I can identify with. Leslie Feinberg: Trans Liberation; Beyond Pink or Blue. Beacon Press 1998
Basically transcripts of Feinberg’s speeches to various organizations, but also includes autobiographical portraits of trans folk which are as uplifting as the main text. My favourite sentence in the book has to be on page 76 and is penned by trans guy Michael Hernandez: “I just am”. So simple, so right! Feinberg also writes eloquently and is always worth reading.
Leslie Feinberg: Transgender Warriors. Beacon Press 1996
An exploration of TG people in history. Well researched and interesting, with a fair amount of autobiographical thoughts from Feinberg too. Includes many examples of FTM’s and cross dressing women.
Judith Halberstam: Female Masculinity.Duke University Press, 1998
“Jack” Halberstam is my favourite queer academic, and this is a witty and comprehensive look at all aspects of female masculinity. There’s a particularly good chapter about the perceived “friction” between the two “camps” of butch lesbians and FTM’s.
Judith Halberstam: In a Queer Time and Place; Transgender Bodies, Subcultural Lives. New York University Press, 2005
More of an exploration of transmen/lesbians in various media, eg there’s an analysis of the Brandon Teena story, later filmed as “Boys Don’t Cry”.
Joanne Meyerowwitz: How Sex Changed; a History of Transexuality in the United States. Harvard University Press, 2004
A thoroughly researched work with plenty of references to transmen.
Susan Stryker and Stephen Whittle: The Transgender Studies Reader. Routledge, 2006
A brilliant book, academic in tone, very hefty and with many articles to dip into! If I had to choose a favourite article, it would be “Manliness” by Patrick Califa – witty, but insightful too.
Rose Tremain: Sacred Country. Vintage Books (Pbk ed), 2002
A novel about trans man Martin, from childhood through to transition and beyond. It has a bewilderingly large cast of characters and is nothing like as powerful as Stone Butch Blues, but has some insightful moments that any TG person, especially the guys, could empathise with.
Stephen Whittle: The Transgender Debate. South Street Press, 2000
I find this to be a really good summary of the TG issues, with succinct resumes of the various debates, and a useful glossary. This was the first time I had ever seen butch lesbians “officially” included in the TG spectrum, hence the inclusion of books about female masculinity in general in this book list!
Leslie Feinberg’s website - www.transgenderwarrior.org
The Press for Change website - very comprehensive - www.pfc.org.uk
MORF - Manchester based social and mutual support group for all Transguys - www.morf.org.uk
The Transitional Male ( FTM comprehensive Site). A great website, if only all the links worked! www.thetransitionalmale.com
FTM Network - www.ftm.org.uk
FTM International Network - America. One of the biggest FTM websites www.ftmi.org
FTM Informational Network - America. www.ftminfo.net
FTM Guide. (FTM Resources)
Has great links to really useful information on
TESTOSTERONE
PRESENTING AS MALE
GROOMING
SURGERY
CLOTHING
RESOURCES
www.ftmguide.org
FTM Success Stories. ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TSsuccesses/TransMen.html
Definitions of FTM Terms etc. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transman
E-Group for FTM’s. groups.yahoo.com/group/Transmen/
FTM Tips. www.geocities.com/tarheeltransmen/tips.html
FTM Network Scotland. www.transmenscotland.org.uk
Forum for Transmen. community.livejournal.com/transmen/profile
FTM Resources. genderology.com/service_providers/transmen
Aging Issues - Transsexuals, Transgenders, Cross-Dressers: Issues for Professionals in Aging. www.asaging.org/networks/lgain/outword-063.html
Psychology of FTM and MTF. www.genderpsychology.org
Madeline H. Wyndzen, Ph. D., a transgendered professor of psychology, discusses her personal experiences with gender dysphoria and critiques the mental illness model of "gender identity disorder". www.genderpsychology.org/transsexual/primary.html
Personal Website of TransMan, Ethan in USA. www.ftmtransition.com/index.html
Another very interesting FTM website with lots of resources. trannyboi.com
Passing Tips for FTM. www.ftmpassingtips.com
FTM Alliance Los Angeles. ftmalliance.org
Norwegian TS Site. www.lfts.no/?module=Articles;action=ArticleFolder.publicOpenFolder;ID=182
FTM Links. www.geocities.com/seanmiller32/links.html
Transgender Links. www.phs2.net/cwi/L3/o2662i.htm
Boys Don’t Cry
About transman Brandon Teena. Not a happy ending!
Southern Comfort
A documentary about transman Robert Eads, who died in 1999 of ovarian cancer. Moving, enthralling, poignant, and from my point of view, terribly upsetting, had me weeping for all kinds of reasons. A must see.