Book Review

Transgender Warriors

Making History from Joan of Arc to RuPaul
    Written by Leslie Feinberg

Beacon Press, Boston, Mass., 1996.

Reviewed by Lee Etscovitz


Leslie Feinberg's Transgender Warriors is a serious voice of passion speaking logically to both the transgender community and the public at large. Her book passionately proclaims the right of all people everywhere "to define, determine, or change their sex in any way they choose - whether female, male, or any point on the spectrum between. And that includes the right to physical ambiguity and contradiction." She goes on to say: "My goal in this book is to fashion history, politics, and theory into a steely weapon with which to defend a very oppressed segment of the population." Feinberg is thus both a writer and an activist in the cause of overcoming transgender oppression.

As a writer, Feinberg builds a logical case for the above proclamation out of her extensive and fascinating historical research. But as she herself points out: "Transgender Warriors is not an exhaustive trans history, or even the history of the rise and development of the modern trans movement. Instead, it is a fresh look at sex and gender in history and the interrelationships of class, nationality, race, and sexuality." Feinberg is quite eloquent and even inspiring in the further clarification of her overall purpose both as a writer and as an activist:

"Today, a great deal of "gender theory" is abstracted from human experience. But if theory is not the crystallized resin of experience, it ceases to be a guide to action. I offer history, politics, and theories that live and breathe because they are rooted in the experience of real people who fought flesh-and-blood battles for freedom. And my work is not solely devoted to chronicling the past, but is a component of my organizing to help shape the future. This is the heart of my life's work. When I clenched my fists and shouted back at slurs aimed to strip me of my humanity, this was the certainty behind my anger. When I sputtered in pain at well-meaning individuals who told me, 'I just don't get what you are?' - this is what I meant. Today, Transgender Warriors is my answer. This is the core of my pride."

It is the passionate yet logical use of history, therefore, which rivets the reader's attention throughout the book. The author covers much historical ground to clarify and to support the contemporary struggle against transgender oppression. She begins with her own personal struggle as a masculine female who discovers in the study of history the roots of her own gender difficulties as well as the roots of transgender oppression in general. Feinberg shows the reader evidence, both prehistoric and historic, for transgendered behavior, such as among native Americans and in Joan of Arc and RuPaul. She then shows the development of transgender intolerance, bigotry, and oppression as part of the change from matriarchal to patriarchal society, the rise of ruling classes, and the emergence of Christianity.

We are next given the history of effort on the part of activists - transgender warriors - to combat injustices against the transgender community, such as the Stonewall Rebellion in New York City on June 28, 1969. She also shows the close connection between the struggle of women and the struggle of the transgendered for greater self-expression. It is in terms of this historical perspective as a whole that Feinberg sees the basis for making history, that is, for bringing about social change in the direction of greater freedom for the transgendered and for all the oppressed. I should add that the book is well illustrated throughout, with a separate section devoted to even more pictures of contemporary transgender warriors. Each picture is clarified with a commentary. Overall, I find Transgender Warriors to be truly educational and even inspiring. I am better for having read it.


Transgender Warriors is available from the CDS Bookstand.


© 1996 Renaissance News and Views. No reproduction without permission of the publisher.