True Selves

True Selves:
Understanding Transsexualism - For Families, Friends, Coworkers, and Helping Professionals

By Mildred Brown and Chloe Rounsley

1996, Jossey-Bass

234 Pages


From the Cover

Mildred Brown - one of the country's most experienced clinicians in the field of transsexualism - and journalist Chloe Rounsley have written the first book that combines authoritative information and compassionate insight into the transsexual experience. Filled with wisdom and understanding, this groundbreaking guide paints a vivid portrait of the myriad conflicts transsexuals face on a daily basis and the courage they must summon as they struggle to reveal their true essence to themselves and to others. Using real-life stories, letters, poems, and other compelling examples, the authors give a clear understanding of what it means to be transsexual.

The book breaks down common misconceptions about transsexualism and offers important recommendations for the friends, families, coworkers, and professionals who treat these frequently misunderstood individuals. Guidance is given for dealing with both the phenomena and with the transsexual person.

The authors illustrate how the support of caring individuals can be crucial in helping to ease the burden of confusion, fear, and frustration that plagues the lives of transsexual people.


Table of Contents

Introduction: A Question of Gender

1. The Transsexual Dilemma
What Is a Transsexual? / Prevalence of Transsexualism / Ratio of MTFs to FTMs / Gender Dysphoria: The Invisible Handicap / Confusion About Terminology / The Motivation for Cross-Dressing / It's Not About Sexual Orientation / It's Not About Sex / It's About Gender Identity / Theories About Causation / Historical Perspective / Recent Well-Known Transsexuals / The "Grandfather" of Transsexualism

2. The Childhood Years
"Who Am I, and Why Am I Different?" / Cross-Dressing / Games Children Play / Tomboys and Sissies / Taunting, Teasing, and Bullying / Young Actors, Chameleons, and Impostors

3. The Teen Years
Nature's Cruel Trick / "Nobody Understand - I'm All Alone" / Problems with Self-Esteem / Cross-Dressing During Adolescence / Parental Conflict over Cross-Dressing / Longing to Belong / Dating / "I Must be Gay" / "I Must Be Crazy" / Escape Through Alcohol and Drugs / Self-Mutilations and Suicide

4. The Adult Years
Functioning in Daily Life / Adult Cross-Dressing / Relating to Others / Dating, Sex, and Intimacy / "But He's (She's) Married with Children" / Gender Dysphoria Takes Its Toll

5. Therapy
The Turning Point / Finding a Gender Therapist / Types of Patients / Standards of Care / Real-Life Test / Gatekeeper Issues / Determining a Diagnosis / The Therapist's Role / Issues in Therapy / Group Therapy / Coming Out to Self / Preparing to Come Out to Others / Coming Out to Others

6. Beginning the Transition
Restructuring Identity / Making Legal Changes / Changing Outer Presentation / passing / Sex and Intimacy / Discrimination and Violence

7. Transition and the Workplace
Whether to Stay or Leave / Ways of Coming Out at Work / Logistics of Transitioning / Bathroom Issues / The Transsexual's Reactions to Transition / Letters / Coworkers' Responses

8. Bring the News Home
Parents / Spouses / Children

9. Medical and Surgical Options
Hormones / A Spectrum of Changes / Surgical Options / Male-to-Female Surgeries / Female-to-Male Surgeries / Cost of Sex Reassignment Surgery / Surgery Is a Personal Choice / Life After Sex Reassignment Surgery

10. Guidelines for Support
Common Reactions to the News / Help for Family, Friends, and Coworkers / How You Can Help the Transsexual

11. In Their Own Words
This Moment / Remarkable Journey / Is There a Place for Me? / The Girl Beyond the Glass / Loneliness and Isolation / Images / Hidden Within / Partings / A Future Time / Freedom! / Hello Out There