The International Foundation for Gender Education

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



by Monica F. Helms



As always, Dallas has given me more work than an Army pack mule. She even has a mule whip in her office to keep me and the other columnists in line. I suspect some act up on a regular basis just so Dallas can pay them a private visit with the whip. I don?t understand. Am
I missing something here?

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



by Alison Kemp





It?s midnight and Ayten?s red glossy lips and long black hair make him shimmer in the darkness. He?s not had the operation, so he?s still got his penis and sees no need to get rid of it. He?s just
left a regular customer, a married man with children who is so enamored of his sexual forays with Ayten that he wants to give it all up, wear a dress and join his lover on the street.

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



Dear Ari,

I began my transition two years ago with my ex-wife?s support (sort of). At first she really seemed happy that I was finally becoming myself, but lately she has been difficult to get along with and I feel she?s trying to take my kids from me. My son is seven years old, and my daughter is 10, and they both ?know,? but I?m not sure they understand. Recently, my ex yelled at me on the phone and told me the children could never call me ?Mommy.? This hurt my feelings. What do you think the kids should call me? Daddy doesn?t really fit anymore, does it?

Just sign me ?Parent?

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



Dress Codes
Review by Spencer Bergstedt


Dress Codes: Of Three Girlhoods?My Mother?s, My Father?s, and Mine. (2002). Noelle Howey, Picador USA/St. Martin?s Press, 332 pages, $24.

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



Eunuch Monks of Krat



Review by Sam More



The Insatiable Adventures of the Eunuch Monks of Krat. (2002). Tucker Lieberman, XLibris, $14.95.

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



Exploring the Gender Frontier



Review by David Steinberg, Photos by Mariette Pathy Allen



The Gender Frontier. Photographs
and text by Mariette Pathy Allen, with essays by Grady Turner, Riki Wilchins, Jamison Green, and Milton Diamond.
In English and German. Kehrer Verlag, Heidelberg. 2003, 168 pages, ISBN
3-936636-04-4, $36.

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



In June 2003, Andrea James published on her website, www.tsroadmap.com, a disturbing article about Anne Lawrence?s behavior. Although James? article is in part an ad hominem (i.e., personal) attack, her allegations about Lawrence?s conduct are nonetheless of concern; in fact, they mirror our own long-held apprehensions and provide corroborating evidence to previous allegations we have received about Lawrence?s behavior.



The Swedish Hospital Incident



In her on-line article, James describes and links to images of supportive documentation for an incident that occurred in 1997, in which Lawrence, who was employed as an anesthesiologist at Seattle?s Swedish Hospital, allegedly
performed an inappropriate and unauthorized vaginal inspection of an unconscious patient. This action resulted in an investigation by Washington officials
and was followed by Lawrence?s resignation from the hospital staff. Lawrence no longer practices as an anesthesiologist.
Lawrence told Transgender Tapestry, ?The circumstances of my departure from Swedish Hospital were investigated in detail by the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission. The commission found no evidence of unprofessional conduct. I was not reprimanded or disciplined in any way and there was no action taken against my license. I maintain and have always maintained an unrestricted Washington state medical license.?

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



My partner is a transgendered person (FTM) and we are both readers of Transgender Tapestry. We have noticed that there are not many articles on or about FTMs. There is really no specific magazine and very few books on this topic. We have been to drag king conferences, which are helpful and supportive, but to my partner this is part of his identity and not just entertainment.
The support groups available in our area are primarily for MTFs and even though they say they welcome FTMs, there are none in attendance. My partner could attend one of their meetings but doesn?t feel they can fully identify with his issues.



Could you please make a connection with someone in the FTM community who would be willing to write one or two articles for each edition of Tapestry? Knowing there would always be something on this topic would help to validate that FTMs really do exist.

?Joanne L and my partner SP



Tapestry is committed to equity in content by and about FTMs and their significant others. Since I became editor in 1990, we?ve published every FTM-themed article we?ve received?and I expect the previous editors did also.
Ten years ago, Jason Cromwell was kind enough to edit a special FTM issue of Chrysalis, a magazine I edited at the time. It took him a full year to beg, bribe, wheedle, and cajole enough FTM-specific content to fill 60 pages. It?s not that there?s a lack of FTMs, but there certainly is a scarcity of FTMs who write. Those we know who do write tend to be overcommitted and unavailable and we wouldn?t presume to further burden them?although we would be joyous to hear from them. Yes, this is a hint, Jamison Green!
Perhaps someone who reads this will be inspired to write for Tapestry. Perhaps you will?Ed.





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Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



by Allana Allen





I arrived in Provincetown on Sunday, the first day of Fantasia Fair, and couldn?t even bring myself to walk into the inn where I had reserved my room, even though I was in boy clothes. I was so scared I drove past the inn twice and eventually parked in a public lot so I could walk around the town to go CD spotting before I could decide whether
I had the nerve to try it myself. Either there were no other crossdressers in Provincetown that day, or they were so passable I certainly wouldn?t fit in.



Disheartened, with tears welling in my eyes, I walked back to the car, where I sat for a very long time, trying to decide what to do. I had all but decided to forget this silly fantasy and make the three-hour drive back home when it came to me that the worst-case scenario was that I could simply check into my room and spend a pleasant week in this lovely little tourist town on Cape Cod?as a man. It took me more than two hours before I had enough nerve just to check in.

Originally appeared in Transgender Tapestry #105, Spring 2004.



by Moonhawk River Stone



I crossed the bridge again tonight, picking my way among the icy leftovers of the intense early arrival of winter. Found my brick, too; midnight and the new year would wait while I considered
it one more time, feeling so inconspicuously anonymous in the crowd of New Year?s revelers. Just one of hundreds come to see the old year out and the
new in with the midnight fireworks
over the river, my transness, my queerness invisible in the revelry, and heavy clothing for the night?s chill.