The Transsexual's Survival Guide II

The Transsexual's Survival
Guide II:
To Transition and Beyond for Family, Friends, & Employers

By JoAnn Altman Stringer

1992, Creative Design Services

58 Pages


From the Preface

Two years ago I wrote the Transsexual's Survival Guide to Transition and Beyond. ... I realized, however, that there was more to it than that. So, a transsexual goes through transition, and possibly has sex reassignment surgery. So What? Much care has been taken to insure that patient is treated properly and fairly but what about their family friends, and employers? As I reminisced of my own transition, surgery, and family life after, it dawned on me this really is no different than, say, alcoholism. The parallel is quite vivid when you think of it. Just as the affected individual tackles the problems, those same problems are affecting the family (friends, employer) as well. It isn't just something that affects one person. It affects everyone equally!

...There is only one absolute in gender issues such as this: it won't go away. Never. Ever, no never. Turning your back is akin to burying your head in the sand. It'll still be there when you come up for air...no matter how many times you poke your head back into the hole. It's best to deal with it now, out in the open, as honestly as possible. Your affected person can never be cured, or rid of it per se. They can only come to some terms of exactly how to live their life as comfortably as possible.

It is also nothing to be ashamed of. Your affected individual is not a cult leader, mass murdered or child molester. They don't sit in the corner and talk to themselves. Probably, they are also not homosexual as you might believe (more about that later).

...One final thought before you go on to the Introduction. The world has not ended! OK, so you and your other person have this problem. It can be corrected. Lighten up a little. Sure this is serious but it's a lot more humorous than reading about colon cancer. Again, look for the positives in this not the negatives, which never got anyone anywhere. What good can come out al all this? Only time and effort with tell.

Table of Contents

1 Gender Bender

2 Two Cherries & A Lemon

3 Which Way to Kansas?

4 Ma & Pa

5 Oh Brother!

6 Baa Baa Blacksheep

7 Friendly Persuasion

8 Ah, Boss, Gotta Moment?

9 The Final Countdown

10 On Golden Pond

11 A Trip to Belgium