POLICY STATEMENT

Someone once said "the more things change the more they remain the same". And so it is. Twice before in the history of the magazine I have had to explain the reasons for the editorial policy of TRANS- VESTIA. On both occasions it was necessary because of the appear- ance of other groups of cross-dressers who saw this in a different light and who instead of just going ahead with their own activities and point of view and justifying them by the success of their efforts, found it necessary to attempt to elevate themselves by attempting to downgrade me and TRANSVESTIA.

Although things have changed in the past 12 years this particular problem still remains. One part of me says, "ignore it and don't honor it with any discussion," but the other side says, "no, when readers and prospective readers are put in a position to have to make decisions they are entitled to have both points of view before them in order to have a chance to make a comparative decision.” Thur I have decided to restate my position one more time.

There are several other kinds of groups now existing around the country which claim to serve the interests of cross-dressers of various kinds and in various ways. In addition to this common bond they have another, namely that they all indulge in and enjoy tossing various little barbs, insinuations, untruths and half truthful accusations at me and at what I've stood for for 12 years and expect to continue to stand for. I suppose it is necessary for persons who stand on a newly built and not yet entirely secure platform to reassure themselves and their followers by attempting to undermine and weaken the platform of anyone who has built it soundly as indicated by its long survival. So in this sense if casting innuendoes at me makes them feel better I expect that I can afford to indulge them. Either they will survive and gain a sufficient measure of security that this tactic will no longer be necessary or they will find that they built on shifting sands and will fall back into the anonymity whence they came. This has already happened to three other groups and can easily happen again.

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