Katherine Cummings - Katherine's Diary: The Story of a Transsexual

1992, 2008, Australia, English, Interview, Katherine Cummings,

Full title: "Katherine's Diary: The Story of a Transsexual" by Katherine Cummings.

The book was published in 1992 and republished in 2008. In addition, Katherine authored "The Live and Loves of a Transgendered Lesbian Librarian". "In 1986 John Cummings became Katherine Cummings, and a whole life changed. In this painfully honest account of John's transformation into a woman, Katherine tells of years of fantasizing and cross-dressing behind locked doors, of the betrayal felt by her family and the final relief of surgery. Katherine's Diary covers a lifetime of self-discovery and self-destruction told with acerbic wit and crisp observation.

I think that I was irrational, even insane, at the time. My transsexualism had taken hold of me with such obsessive force that I could not concentrate on anything else. There I was, a fifty-year-old professional academic librarian who had desperately wanted to be female ever since memories began."

Katherine Cummings was an icon of the Australian transgender movement, librarian, sailor, activist for transgender people, award-winning author; she worked at Sydney’s Gender Centre – an organization set up in 1983 to help people with gender issues – and was the information worker and edits the Centre’s quarterly magazine Polare.

In 2015, I interviewed Katherine for my blog and asked her about the book: "The book grew out of a series of radio talks I wrote and delivered on the national broadcaster’s “Health Report”, which came about because I was lunching with a friend who worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and said my story would be of interest. I contacted them and they asked for some sample scripts which I wrote and they liked.

I then broadcast my talks on what was happening to me as I transitioned and how I felt about it for just over two years. When I had my affirmation surgery I thought that would be a sensible time to stop, so I did and sat down to write the book. Recently the “Health Report” asked if I would do an interview with them on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the original series, which I did."

"Monika: You decided to transition into a woman at the age of 52. Was it a difficult process? Katherine: Difficult because it jeopardized my family life. I loved my wife and children very deeply and hoped, rather unrealistically, that we could all stay together, but I felt my life was slipping away and I had never had the chance to live as my true self. I could think of little else and my thoughts often strayed into suicidal areas.

I think, however, I had little choice. I could kill myself or I could transition. I came to the conclusion that transitioning was more rational as I would at least be around to help my family if they needed me. I should add, however, that I didn’t take a vote. My wife has remarried and two of my three children do not want to know me. The third is my best friend but lives in the USA, which makes it a long-distance relationship. My mother and sister accepted me but my mother is now dead. My sister and I are as close as ever and talk often."

Katherine passed to the other side in 2022. You were my best friend, you were my second mother. Rest in peace my Angel. I miss you so much.

Available via Amazon

and The Heroines of My Life