Sex Changes: The Politics of Transgenderism

by Pat Califia

Paperback, 1997

Status

Available

Call number

HQ77.9 .C35 1997

Genres

Collection

Dennis R. Neill Equality Center

Publication

Cleis Pr (1997), Edition: First Printing Highlighting, 309 pages

Description

Hailed a 'revolutionary antidote to America's growing sexual conservatism', Califia is the most outspoken and intelligent commentator on sexual politics writing today. Sex Changes combines his meticulously researched contemporary history of transexuality with his trademark fearless criticism of mainstream sex culture. Writing about both male-to-female and female-to-male transsexuals, Califia examines the lives of early transgender pioneers and activists. In this new edition, he speaks intimately about becoming a parent in a two-father household.

User reviews

LibraryThing member Crowyhead

An excellent overview of the history of transgender politics, probably one of the best primers I know of on the subject. There's a 2nd edition out now, which I haven't read.

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LibraryThing member f72s3e

I really enjoyed this book overall, but after a while I began to notice that almost no one can do anything right in Calfia's eyes. I admired his biting remarks regarding Janice Raymond, but when he began criticising fellow gender-queer authors I was a bit annoyed. It's been a while since I read it,

but I recall that mixed in with the highly informative text was a lot of whining and complaining I could have done without. That's really the only reason I gave it 4/5 stars.

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LibraryThing member pussreboots

While I enjoyed the book throughly and learned a great deal I felt at times that the author's personal agenda clouded some of her discussions, especially those involving women (whether straight, lesbian, transgendered or otherwise). While I agree that women have been and in some places still are

dominated and or repressed by men, I cannot agree that the experiences are as uniform and unilateral as she insists they are. Chapter three is the worst offender and quickly goes from being an academic essay to being a long winded rant.

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