Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #99, Fall 2002.

The following was submitted as a letter to the editor. Zantui Rose is Holly Boswell?s life partner. Holly received the Virginia Prince Lifetime Service Award in April at the 2002 IFGE Coming Together conference in Nashville? Ed.
I had the privilege of watching Holly Boswell receive the Virginia Prince award last April, which is given each year in recognition of a lifetime of service to the transgender community. Holly?s message over her 16 years of service has been a continuous one of transcending gender as it is defined by our culture. Her vision may seem radical, but it is based on timehonored traditions as well as the critical element of spiritual awakening.

This writing is not about congratulating Holly. It is about speculating upon what this recognition of Holly?s work means to the community at large. What does this say about the transgender community in the year 2002?

I happen to share this vision with Holly, and over the years have watched the response from this community to her words of wisdom. I have seen and heard some of her peers confirm this wisdom, while adding their own voices. I have also witnessed fellow gender seekers seemingly agree with this vision, yet continue on their gender path by accepting the binary paradigm. The transgender community itself has a voice that refutes this expansive gender vision. Friendly discussions have ensued, as well as defensive responses by people who have made binary choices. Given the varied responses to this vision that Holly and others espouse, I find it interesting that a panel of her peers choose to honor her with the VP award, thereby honoring her words. This is all very curious to me.

I?d like to think that this recent honoring indicates that deep down in the crevices of our true Spirit-knowing selves, we recognize Holly?s words to be true and that we do long for a world that exists beyond gender duality. Perhaps it was that nagging voice of Truth which spoke to Holly?s peers as they decided where this year?s VP award should go. I want to believe that Holly?s name on that plaque of distinguished service providers signifies a turning point in vision, thought and action for this transgender community. Is that possible? Let?s assume it is.

Then where do we go from here? What will it take to keep the wheel of gender freedom turning? not the back and forth of the seesaw, but a constant turning, spiraling out of this vision which was so recently awarded? We do not easily give up our acculturated ways, even when they give us pain and eventually the death of our spirit. Such is the nature of our programming. Albert Einstein once observed that ?the significant problems of the world cannot be solved at the same level of consciousness which they were created.? Similarly, Carl Jung believed that often the most important problems in life cannot be solved? they must be outgrown. Our consciousness opens and we move on. A significant problem in the world is culturally-defined gender duality. It boxes us in and restricts our play, our freedom, our Spirit. We must move beyond the gender duality, and eventually outgrow gender entirely. This outgrowing requires a whole new level of consciousness, and I believe honoring Holly?s work with this award signifies that an old level of consciousness is being laid to rest and has played itself out. Let us believe that the gender duality schema has exhausted its possibilities, reached its extreme polarity with Barbie and Ken. I believe we are sloughing off an old level of gender consciousness, and it is taking us a while to grow a new one? one without the boxes and restraints. It appears this death of binary gender is not happening logically, but rather slowly dying when confronted with the fresh air of moving beyond gender entirely? an idea being created by a stronger life force than that followed by the present paradigm.

Given enough time, humanity will emerge from the confinement of the gender boxes. We must believe this and continue to see it happening. We must not stop short by giving in to Western Medicine?s solution to our unrest, as though the physical presentation is all that hurts. The soul is crying out through you and me. The people who awarded Holly this recognition have spun the wheel a bit further. We must keep this momentum, consciously opening ourselves to proceed. Let us look closely at what has so recently transpired, and build on it.