Richard F. Docter - From Man to Woman: The Transgender...

2004, English, Richard F. Docter, Virginia Prince,

Full title: "From Man to Woman: The Transgender Journey of Virginia Prince" by Richard F. Docter.

This book "tells the life story, including the sexual and gender development, of a transgender pioneer who was the founder/editor of Transvestia Magazine and who helped to organize support groups for cross dressers throughout the world since 1960.

She invented the term "transgender" and has lived full-time as a woman since the age of 55 without transsexual surgery, which she opposes."

In the 100th issue of Transvestia, Virginia Prince included her biographical article: "l also recall buying my first pair of heels. As Charles I went downtown to Broadway which was definitely not the highest class district. I remember going into this little shop which was down a small flight of stairs below the street. I explained to the man that my aunt had been bedridden for sometime and was just now able to get around but that she wanted a new pair of shoes and had sent me to get some for her. Of course it just so happened that her feet and mine were the same size - fortunate coincidence.

I got the shoes, all right, but as I think back on it today, I feel embarrassed at the ridiculousness of the story — a woman who has been laid up for some time wants a pair of high heels yet and sends a young man to buy them. I can't imagine what the salesman thought but I think it was a good proof of what I have said many times since, namely that shopkeepers are only interested in sales and couldn't care less who is buying what and for whom."

"The first occasion in which I willingly appeared before others as a girl occurred in 1930. I was active in a church group and of course they had a Halloween party and I was debating what I should wear. Across the street lived a family with a boy and girl about the same ages as my sister and I so we were great friends and often in their house. When I mentioned the party, Mrs. S came up with a great idea. Why didn't I go as a girl—she would fix me up with one of her daughter's dresses. I demurred rather weakly at first but managed to agree in time. So she got me up as shown in one of the accompanying pictures. I won first prize - and why not, coming events cast their shadows a long way before them.

After the party, five or six of us drove down to the beach and walked around in public. It was my first trip out with anybody who knew anything about me and naturally it was great. The next day I got dressed all over again before returning the clothes so that I could get some pictures taken of the event and this was my first picture. I was eighteen years old."

Available via goodreads.com

and digitaltransgenderarchive.net

Photo via University of Victoria Libraries, Transgender Archives