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December 1995 - On-Line Edition

Ms. Claus
Happy holidays to all our regular readers!

-Jenni, Newsletter Editor and Ms. Santa Claus


Current Events

Highlights from the November Meeting: Our speakers were from the One-In-Teen Clubhouse. We’d like to thank them for sharing their experiences. We also set yet another attendance record (45) for a meeting!

Significant Others Support Group: December 18 at 6pm.

Vals Meeting: December 9 at 7pm. We will be hosting our third annual Holiday/Anniversary party. If you would like, please bring a covered dish or dessert.

Board of Directors Meeting: December 21, 7pm. Location TBA.

January 13 (1996): Roundtable Discussion: "Telling the Children about a Transgendered Parent"
February 10: TBA
March 9: Parisienne Wigs
April 13: Board Elections and Spring Cookout


Index of Contents

The Queen's Throne - By Marisa Richmond

Wigged Out - By Ms. Jenni Love

Left of Center - By Pamela DeGroff.

Genetic Women Unite - By Charlotte

Impressions of Fall Harvest '95 - By Marlana Collins

Transsexuals' brain show traits

Woman gave sons estrogen

The Queen of Palm Springs?

RuPaul on the Cover of PETA's cruelty-free product guide

Cross-dressing Iranian Style

Nature plus nurture

Washington Follies

1996 Memberships are due

Local News

The Queen’s Throne

By Marisa Richmond

I hope you have not forgotten about the upcoming display of part of the AIDS Quilt here in Nashville. It will be shown, free of charge, at the Tennessee State Museum for three days, December 1 to 3. For further information, please call The NAMES Project at (615)259-2866, extension 113.

Speaking of AIDS, Rev. James Hawk of the Stonewall Mission Church organized the recent Right of Rememberance on Saturday, November 4, at Vanderbilt Divinity School for victims of AIDS. I had the honor of representing the Vals at the event. Bianca Paige of the Connection also participated, so I was not alone representing the transgender community. It was a beautiful, hour-long ceremony that included song, dance, and four very poignant rememberances of lost friends, family, and loved ones. Sadly, just 24 hours before the event, Ms. Diana Hutton also succumbed to the disease. Diana won Miss Gay USA 1987- 88, making her the first female impersonator from Nashville to win a national title. Recently, she became one of the co- owners of Cowboys LaCage. I had the pleasure of seeing her perform in past years at the Warehouse and even at my old stomping grounds in D.C., Ziegfeld's. She has been a mother to many of Nashville's best FI's, and her contributions have helped put our city on the map. She will definitely be missed.

By now, I am sure many of you have read about the work being done in the Netherlands showing that transsexuality is a biological trait. While I am sure that we have all known that for quite some time, I hope that increased research in the field does not lead to some push to find a "cure" or is used as a justification for denying surgery to someone who will benefit from it simply because the doctors cannot find the right "brain structure." Coincidentally, the same issue of the Tennessean which carried this story also carried one of Cal Thomas' regular homophobic tirades. In that one, he claimed that medical research showing that sexual orientation is biological is a "media shell game." It makes you wonder when they are going to start doing research on boorishness and ignorance. For THAT, we could use a "cure."

As you have undoubtedly heard by now, our own Vice-Chair, Deanna, was one of those who went and lobbied in Congress for an end to discrimination against the gender community. Well, I was quite amused recently to read JoAnn Roberts' report of the trip. One of the organizers she mentioned is Dawn Wilson of Tennessee. JoAnn is a dear friend of mine who reads our newsletter, so this is for her: Girl, your blonde roots are starting to show again. I realize geography may not be your strong suit, but PUH-LEEZE. While we would love to take credit for having Dawn here in the Volunteer State, the Louisville Gender Society, of which Dawn is a member, is in Kentucky. All us Southerners do NOT look alike!

A number of you who missed the recent Southern Comfort Convention have asked to be kept informed of the dates for the 1996 meeting. They are September 26 to 29. Mark those dates down now and, above all, start saving your pennies! I hope to see an even bigger turnout from Nashville next fall.

One delightfully funny television show that I hope you have seen is Kids in the Hall on Comedy Central. Although the show has ended its official run, the cast is now preparing its first feature length film. When I watched the final episode a few weeks ago, I found myself reading the credits for the first time. You can imagine my surprise to discover that the casting director is a certain "Marissa Richmond." And here I was thinking I was one of a kind. Well at least I can spell!

I also hope you are making plans to join us for our annual Anniversary & Holiday Party. It was only three short years ago that the first ever meeting of the Tennessee Vals took place. There were only four of us back in December 1992, but we have grown dramatically in that time. Regardless of which holiday(s) you celebrate, I sincerely hope you will share them with us this December 9.

Have a happy holiday season and don’t forget to renew your membership for ‘96. This will be your last newsletter otherwise.

Wigged Out

By Jennileigh Love

Around the first of November, the Tennessee Vals homepage on the Internet reached a milestone. We had our 5000th visit since August 1. I’d like to continue to thank Jamie Fenton of ETVC for her continuing help with maintaining the page.

Around the end of the year, we all get a bit nostalgic. I thought it might be a good idea to have a sort of transgendered "year in review", that highlights some of the local happenings in 1995 here in Nashville and around the state.

That’s the year up to the first of November. I’m not even going to attempt a national year in review - I have to keep the column at a reasonable length. It makes me wonder what 1996 as in store for us!

Left of Center

By Pamela DeGroff

In the three years since I've come out as a cross- dresser, I have, by choice, told all of my immediate family. Now before you think this is going to be another one of those long articles dripping with self-analysis, tender moments, and brief periods of heartache - forget it. Since everyone in my family "sort of" knew about me, I decided to come clean and do the honest thing by finally being up front. Besides, it kept getting harder and harder to hide a hundred or so pairs of pumps when they all came over.

My decision was based on the "need to know" criteria. They needed to know why I had certain items around my place - I was running out of closet space.

This has lead to a series of bizarre conversations I never thought I'd ever have. Both my parents are in their eighties, so you can imagine that something like cross-dressing in definitely not in their realm of experience.

Mom was the easiest to tell. Even though she has a real "what will the neighbors think" mentality, she still likes to think of herself as a liberal. (I'm a conservative, but I love her anyway.)

The last time I was home, she asked me how I did make-up with such a heavy beard line. After each part of the explanation, she froze a smile on her face, nodded her head, and said "That's nice, dear." The smile was still there when she asked if I could walk in heels. My answer was the end of the conversation, but the smile stayed frozen.

Dad was a different story. We've always gotten along well, but he doesn't hesitate to tell me when he thinks I've gone completely nuts - which lately has been most of the time. When I got interested in caving and related activities much as repelling, he was sure he had proof positive of my lack of mental stability.

"Let me get this straight," He said to me one evening. "You spend your weekends crawling underground and jumping off cliffs. But you also go out in public dressed as a woman. How can you explain this?"

"Well, I can't," I answered, "Besides, it's really great when I get to do all those activities in the same weekend."

He shook his head, left the room, and muttered something about "I fought World War II for this?"

Last August, my seventeen year old daughter, Sara, came to visit for about ten days. I thought about calling up Jennileigh and asking her if Pamela could stash some things over at her place during Sara's stay. When I realized I'd have to make two trips just for shoes, I decided it was time to tell Sara.

When she arrived, I showed her Pam's closet and said, "Your old man has another side to him, dear. You're old enough to know and I'm not going to lie to you."

"Dad," she said, "I know. I love you anyway." (Yeah, yeah, I know. Tried to sneak a tender moment by ya, didn't I? Sorry.)

Then she asked if she could go through my things. Why not? This could be interesting.

"Yuk. Cool. Yuk. Cool. What is this? Are you kidding? Grandma would wear this. Cool. Cool. Yuk. Yuk." Etc., etc. What a response.

Then she asked to go through the shoe collection. She was fascinated by all by 5" heels. I'm glad we're not the same size because she had that "Gee, can I borrow this" look about her.

Oh well, every family has a "weird relative" position available. I qualified for it in mine. Remember girlfriend, when your family passes out applications for the same job, the line forms left of center.

Genetic Women Unite

By Charlotte

Spouses, significant others and friends of transgendered persons, cross-dressers (transvestites), transsexuals -- male-to-female, female-to-male. We need your presence with us. Welcome to all. We are about to start our third year in December ‘95 of offering support, caring, sharing. We are a vehicle for opening ourselves in a protective, nonjudgemental environment to our sisters who are dealing with a transgendered partner.

To start with there were just two of us, but it was so wonderful to be able to share our feelings about being a significant other of a cross-dresser. When we began to meet at The Center (the Gay and Lesbian Center) we met as the others socialized after the formal meeting of the Tennessee Vals. From the beginning the SO’s were full members, often as leaders -- secretary, newsletter chairperson, membership and events -- program planning, etc. Initially we opened our hearts to each other and there were often tears and questions, but as we grew to 10-12 members, we told our stories and revealed our "secret", often after many years of not knowing another woman with our unique situation.

We will be meeting with Dan Ramey, a licensed clinical social worker, at 6:00 pm, Monday December 18, 1995. Call the Vals for directions. Dan has had much contact leading our group in the past and individually with significant others, cross-dressers and transsexuals. He’s a most caring and special person.

Impressions of Fall Harvest '95

By Marlana Collins

Fall Harvest was spectacular for me! For those who may not know, Fall Harvest is a transgendered convention sponsored by M.A.G.G.I.E. and hosted this year by the St. Louis Gender Foundation. Next year it will be at the Hilton in Cedar Rapids, Iowa hosted by Iowa Artistry. I am pre-registered for next year! One can save many dollars by pre-registering. Now, for the scoop. I counted a little over 100 people that attended. They were like our group in the sense that there was a variety of individuals that spanned the total spectrum of the transgendered community. If you must label yourself, that "label" was there. There were many professionals at the meeting including counselors, sexual reassignment surgical team members, therapists and make-up and wig specialists. Many of these people you probably recognize from their books, articles, political activities, etc. - Joanne Roberts, Jim Bridges, Dr. Randi Ettner, Allison Laing, Dr. Debra Thompson and Dr. Friedman. These people were experts on developing speech, comportment, dealing with guilt, interacting with the public, politics, make-up techniques and advanced techniques, hormones and surgery, and law, as well as other areas. There were parties, fashion shows - starring us, the Miss Fall Harvest pageant - open to any of us, workshops seminars, meals and cocktails together, and of course, late night escapades arranged at your own discretion (which I took full advantage of) to the many local clubs. The meeting ended with Sunday morning brunch, and it was great to see some of the more brave souls out of drag to compare the marked transition from "dressed - to not dressed." I went as Marlana, I suppose because I am still shy about revealing my masculine side to people I don't know well. However, there was a lot of hugging and a few tears as we all departed. I cried for the first time in many months, and that was a great feeling - to let out all those emotions of happiness from having had the time of my life while also letting out the sadness of having to leave that comfortable, secure, warm, tender and accepting environment. An environment made by all who attended. I felt pretty close to heaven on earth. This convention probably meant more to me than it did to others. This was my first one. I should tell you that my wife joined me on this trip. She attended one of the conferences for SO's. She interacted easily with everyone and felt well received. There were plenty of SO's there. My wife was a huge factor that ensured my attendance. We learned many things together that has brought us closer together. I believe the total experience has strengthened our marriage. However, Tennessee Vals brought me out. I owe a great deal to all of you for your support and encouragement. Although I have not met each one of you personally, I feel all of you have contributed to helping me really be me. I am honored to be a member of the group Tennessee Vals, and I told everyone I was what a sensational bunch of folks "y'all" are! I look forward to seeing each of you at our next meeting. Until then, do yourself a favor and just be you - remember, society is the real problem.

Newsnotes and Articles

Transsexuals’ brain show traits

Researchers warn estrogen could cause change

Men who want to become women may have key brain structures that are biologically female already, a study of male-to-female transsexuals suggests.

"It might be an explanation for the fact that those people feel female although genetically they are male," Dr. Dick F. Swabb said.

Researcher Swabb and his colleagues examined brain samples from dead people. They reported that on average, the size of a certain brain structure in six male- to-female transsexuals was about the same size as what they found in women, and smaller than what they found in gay or heterosexual men.

Other scientists cautioned that the result may have been produced by estrogen in the sex-change therapy transsexuals go through.

Still, the study is "adding to all the studies that have come out in the past 10 years pointing to biological factors that influence human sexual behavior", said Sandra Witelson, a professor of psychiatry and biomedical sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Swaab is director of the Netherlands Institute of Brain Research in Amsterdam and a professor of neurobiology at the University of Amsterdam. He and Dutch colleagues present the work in today’s issue of the journal Nature.

The study focused on a brain structure called the BSTc that plays an important part in rodent sexual behavior and may do the same in people.

Researchers found that on average, the structure was 31% smaller in 11 heterosexual women than in 12 heterosexual men. The BSTc in transsexuals was on average about the same size as it was in the women’s brains. Nine gay men had about the same average size as the heterosexual men.

Swaab said he doubts the BSTc itself is responsible for transssexualism. Instead, it appears to be part of a larger brain network that makes a man feel like a woman, he said.

Tennessean, 10/17/95

Woman gave sons estrogen

A Fayetteville (GA) woman who gave estrogen pills to her sons was put on probation Monday. Linda Haney, 47, was taking the female hormones herself last year when she started giving doses to her two sons, now ages 11 and 9,said Randy Coggin, an assistant district attorney. "She said, It made me feel good so I thought it would make them feel good,'" said Coggins. "She said she didn't realize she'd given them something harmful." He said it doesn't appear the boys suffered any permanent damage. Haney pleaded guilty to one count of reckless conduct and two counts of obstruction of a police officer, all misdemeanors. She was only prosecuted for giving the pills to the younger boy during a one-month period last fall. Fayette County Superior Court Judge Paschal English Jr. sentenced her to three years probation and ordered her to continue counseling.

Atlanta Journal/Constitution, 10/24/95

The Queen of Palm Springs?

Running for office can be a major drag. Just ask Kitty Cole, the 26-year-old Palm Springs, Calif., mayoral candidate stands 6 feet 5 - before he slips into a pair of heels and one of his "fabulous" blond $2500 wigs. "I care about this city and I want it to be what it used to be - an entertainment center where Hollywood and the jet set come to play and spend their money," says Cole. Among the Chanel-clad candidate's suggestions: make downtown "more enticing by glitterizing the curbs" and use golf courses for a celebrity croquet "showoff." "The winners can have their mallets decorated and we'll auction them off!" Cole enthuses. Before you dismiss his run, remember: This is the town once presided over by Mayor Sonny Bono, now Mr. Congressman.

Newsweek, 10/30/95

Palm Springs, Calif. - Kitty Cole a 6-foot-5 drag queen who campaigned on a platform of bringing decadence back to this resort town, finished fourth in a field of nine. The winner was Councilman Will Kleindienst.

Tennessean, 11/9/95

Editors note: Why is it, that when transgendered folks are described in the media, they always tell how tall they are??? What's going on here?? We don't hear things like "Today, Newt Gingrich, a 5'10" congressman, met with Bob Dole, a 6'1" Senator." It just shows that they aren't being taken seriously by the media.

RuPaul on the Cover of PETA's cruelty-free product guide

Add RuPaul to the list of supermodels speaking up for animals. The singer/spokesmodel and gay con is featured on the over of the 1996 Shopping Guide for Caring Consumers, a guide to products not tested on animals and made available by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

"Mama used to say, 'It's got to be fat-free, duty- free and cruelty-free," RuPaul told reporters. In his recent autobiography, RuPaul declared himself a "natural queen" who used only cruelty-free products.

In addition to appearing on the cover of the Shopping Guide, the supermodel also appears in print advertisements for MAC cosmetics.

The Shopping Guide may be ordered from PETA for $7.95 by calling (301)770-PETA, and it will be available in natural food stores and other retail outlets.

Query, 10/20/95

Editors note: No animals were harmed in the making of this newsletter. Except maybe the editor.

Cross-dressing Iranian Style

Tehran, Iran - Female commuters beat up an Iranian man who rode on a bus dressed as a woman to win a $33 bet with his father.

A court later sentenced him to 20 lashes Ettelaat Daily reported Sunday. The man, 31, identified only as Mohsen, Tuesday rode in the segregated female rear section of a bus dressed as a woman. But Mohsen's shoes and large body gave him away.

"Some women on the bus got angry and beat me up," Mohsen said. The newspaper quoted judiciary officials as saying Mohsen, a member of a well-to-do family, committed "an ugly and improper" act.

Memphis Commercial Appeal, 10/30/95

Nature plus nurture

Searching for how experiences influence sexuality

Of all the motley forms of humanity, surely the one type that is made - laboriously, painfully - and not born would seem to be transsexuals. These men (and, rarely, women) submit to hormone therapy and complicated surgery to mold the bodies they were born with into the bodies they want. But new research suggests that biology sculpts transsexuals long before surgeons get near them. According to neuroscientists led by Dick Swaab of the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research, one tiny region in the brains of six male-to- females transsexuals is only 52 percent as large as in other men, they report in the journal Nature - and almost exactly the size of the region in female brains. "Our study", they conclude, "is the first to show a female brain structure in genetically male transsexuals."

Other research had also seemed to strengthen the biology-is-destiny camp, at least for sexual orientation. A 1991 study found differences in the brains of gay and straight men. Two years later researchers led by Dean Hamer of the National Cancer Institute reported evidence of what has come to be called a "gay gene". Last week Hamer and colleagues unveiled, in the journal Nature Genetics, stronger evidence that a region of the X chromosome, long enough to contain 200 genes, is linked to homosexuality. The evidence: gay brothers are more likely to inherit this region than are their straight brothers. But instead of clinching the case for predestination, the studies are prodding scientists to search for how experiences influence sexuality.

Consider the male transsexuals. Perhaps they are not born with a brain that tells them they are really female, suggests neurobiologist S. Marc Breedlove of the University of California, Berkeley. Instead, "social and other experiences" - how friends and parents treat them - might make these men feel that they are women. These experiences might then feed back on the brain. Three decades of research "have made it clear that experience can dramatically alter the structure and function of the brain," Breedlove points out.

Even a "gay gene" might not mean that homosexuality is predestined. As Hamer admits, it is only "in some families but not in all" that gay brothers inherit the suspect stretch of X chromosome; in many gays this DNA is absent. That suggests that the DNA is not necessary for homosexuality. In fact, it may not be sufficient, either. Of identical twins in which one brother is gay, the other twin is gay only about half the time - even though he has the identical DNA. Clearly, experience, relationships and happenstance - this hodgepodge called environment - play a role in shaping sexuality. Psychiatrist William Byne of New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center spins a theory in which a gene that makes a boy avoid rough sports might hurt his relationship with his father who adheres to sex-role stereotypes, but not with a more enlightened father. The impaired relationship might induce brain changes that make the first boy gay but not the second.

None of the studies on gay brains, gay genes or transsexual brains has been replicated by other labs. One of Hamer’s ex-collaborators even accused him of selecting only data that support his hypothesis; Hamer calls that a "wild accusation." Even if the findings hold up, they barely address the deeper question: how genes, brains and life itself interact to shape sexuality.

By Sharon Begley, Newsweek, 11/13/95

Washington Follies

Dear Senator Frist

[also Dear Representative Clement]

I am writing because I am concerned about the wording and passage of the Employment Non Discrimination Bill. We in the transgender community are interested in seeing the bill pass. As you are well aware, this country's history is marked with many examples of groups being denied their basic constitutional rights, and only through a commitment by the federal government to enforce those rights, have they been achieved. We are also concerned, however, that the current bill does not include language that guarantees protection for the rights of those who are born transgendered.

The transgender community is a large and diverse one within Tennessee and has long contributed, in many ways, to the overall growth and development of the state.

As on of our elected representatives, we hope that you will work to include language that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity and will support passage of the final, inclusive bill.

Sincerely,

Marisa Richmond, Ph.D.

Tennessee Vals

Founder and Board member


Dear Dr. Richmond:

Thank you for contacting me regarding issues affecting the transgender community. As always, it's good to hear from you.

I appreciate your sharing with me the Tennessee Vals brochure. I read it with interest. You may be assured that I will keep your views in mind as Congress votes on legislation which may impact your rights.

Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. Please feel free to contact me in the future on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,

Bob Clement

Member of Congress


Dear Dr. Richmond:

Thank you so much for contacting me about legislation dealing with homosexuality. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you in the Senate, and it is a privilege for me to be able to respond to your concerns.

As you know, legislation has been introduced to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include prohibitions on discrimination based on "affectional or sexual orientation." This bill would give homosexuals a special, protected minority status, and would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing or use of public facilities.

While I believe that every human being is entitled to respect and the protection of fundamental civil rights, I do not believe that a person's sexual orientation qualifies that individual for special rights. It is not the federal government's role to endorse or promote homosexuality, and I will oppose legislation that attempts to do so. Each and every American should be treated fairly under the Constitution.

At this point, no specific legislation on this issue has been brought to the floor of the Senate. I will keep your input in mind when we address legislation dealing with homosexuality.

Thank you again for letting me know your concerns. I hope you will continue to give me the benefit of your thoughts and opinions during the coming years.

With warmest regards, I am.

Sincerely,

Bill Frist

United States Senator

1996 Memberships are due

For all who are interested, the Tennessee Vals are now accepting memberships dues for 1996. We have different membership schedules to fit your needs. See the table below.

For those of you who read our newsletter online regularly, I must let you know that you miss out on a lot of extras when you don't recieve the paper newsletter (photos, cartoons, extra articles, etc.) Our dues are used to support the cost of the church facilities for meetings, newsletter publication and postage, food and refreshments at meetings, charities and other group expenses. All current memberships expire December 31, 1995, even if you paid late this year. Our memberships run for one year. Thanks!


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