RANSVESTIA

forth in Understanding Cross Dressing) which makes far better sense than the musings of psychologists and psychiatrists because it has be- come clear to me over the years that this is not a phenomenon that is really a part of their field to begin with. It is a sociological problem and should be understood and dealt with on that level and by sociologists. It only becomes a psychological matter if the individual becomes so guilt-ridden about it that his efficiency as a human being is jeopardized. I know this to be true because on many occasions after talking to a worried FP for a couple of hours he will say, "I've learned more from you in the last two hours and for free than I got out of my psychiatrist in six months (and a lot of bread)." That is not said as a pat on the back but simply because having "been there" and having a motive to figure out what it was all about I have been able to develop insights and points of view which do not occur to the pro- fessions-yet they get paid for it. Though I have put in thousands of hours of personal and written counselling over these years, I have ne- ver accepted payment for it.

I feel that all of the public efforts mentioned above have con- tributed their bit to making society a little more open to our position. Fifteen or 20 transexuals have written books and dozens of them, starting with Christine, have been on a great number of radio and TV shows and the subject of innumerable magazine and newspaper articles proselytizing for their cause. And while the homophile com- munity has organized Gay Liberation and has had parades, elections, candidates, publicity, trials and all sorts of other events making their cause known, heterosexual cross dressing for the last 20 years has had literally only one speaker for it, namely me. It is true that a few articles here and there and newspaper interviews in a few of the larger cities have been given by others, but up until the last three years when the Outreach Foundation and its director, Ariadne Kane (also Maitress D of Fantasia Fair) began to hold seminars in a few col- leges in New England, no one but me was making any public noise a- bout the subject. Femmiphilia remains the least understood of these three behaviors as far as the public is concerned. It is to be hoped that new voices will be raised within our sub-culture, who will at- tempt to carry on with the attempt to enlighten the world about us.

Now, all of that is just by way of telling you that I think I have "paid my way" and done my part for the "cause." I have had the satisfaction of touching the lives of several thousand of my sisters for their betterment and I am proud of that. But there comes a time in

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