ransvestia

Because of him I see it is not in my "nature" to be all "feminine" nor is it against my "nature" to be all "masculine." Because of him, I will never have to read or hear any more arguments whether a woman really is passive or just seems that way, or just learned that way, and now is that way, etc. And, possibly even more important, the feminine male has taught me that to possess "feminine" qualities is not a step up or down a ladder of human personality attributes. Being passive and receptive is not any better or any worse than being active and assertive undoubtedly the clear combination of these qualities is the truly liberated and more complete personality for a woman and for a man. Thus, the man lacking the qualities of gentleness, emotionality, personal charm and grace is as unliberated as the woman possessing only these "feminine" qualities. And so it follows: the woman who masters a skill, determines her own life, is self-sufficient and in control of any situation is still an incompleted, oppressed and unliberated woman if she possesses none of the traditional "feminine charms."

Femininsts, then, are barking up the wrong tree. By rebuking the transvestite, they are only attacking the very situation their own attitude toward the feminine man has caused. Feminists, by renouncing men in make-up, men in soft fabrics, men who flirt and fawn, are creating the transvestite. Feminists assist in the oppression of the feminine male and so assist in the pressure he feels to pass in society as a woman. Feminists are saying to him: you are a disgrace as a feminine man, you are humiliating to women and to men-you are only displaying your hate for women!

This type of reasoning plays a big part in the feminist attitude. toward transvestites. This attitude may possibly be due to the mis- conception that all, or at least most, transvestites are homosexual, and this misconception looms large even in the gay world—but the fact is quite the contrary. "The majority of transvestites are overly heterosexual..." (Benjamin, Harry. The Transsexual Phenomenon. The Julian Press, New York, 1966, p. 13), although the gay world seems to be the only world which even recognizes the existence of transvestites (hence my use of quotes from and about homosexuals concerning transvestism).

No doubt there are some transvestites who show signs of hating and fearing "real women," their transvestism being a defense against and a denial of the existence of female genitalia. But I would venture to

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