RANSVESTIA

BOOK REVIEW

THE TRANSSEXUAL EMPIRE

Review By: Virginia Prince

THE TRANSSEXUAL EMPIRE The Making of the She-Male By Janice G. Raymond

Review by Virginia Prince

This is a whole new look at the subject of transsexuality. It is the first (and so far the only) of what might be called "anti" books. Everything else written on the subject in book form has either been an autobiography of someone who has had the surgery and as such is given to self justification, rationalization and expla- nation (and money making); or a few professional books such as Dr. Benjamin's Transsexual Phenomenon.

The Transsexual Empire takes up the whole field from an entirely different viewpoint and, therefore, is worth reading. To the author, it seems to smack of a medical conspiracy, since it is the medical profession that has set up the "empire." While I can't disagree with her that this has occurred, it was a very secondary thing. Back about 15 years ago, Dr. Richard Green, one of the early workers in the field, sent out a questionnaire to doctors so- liciting their opinions about whom, and under what circumstances, they would accept sex changing surgery. The response was highly negative, doctors being unwilling to approve such emasculating surgery except under very special circumstances. Over 15 years that attitude has certainly changed. Once a lot of plastic surgeons,

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