Susan Stanton's lonely transformation

A year after Steve Stanton became Susan, the physical and emotional changes are surprising sources of wonder and pain.

By LANE DeGREGORY, Times Staff Writer

December 31, 2007

SARASOTA -- Every morning, Susan Stanton wakes early and takes three pills. They help her suppress who she was and become the person she believes she should be.

At 9 a.m., still in her pajamas, she climbs the stairs in her Sarasota bungalow, clicks on her computer and goes to work. Looking for a job.

"I miss the 16-hour days, working with so many bright people, leading the city. I still love Largo," she says.

"I think I'm suffering from 'Pretty girl syndrome': People assume I'm making tons of money, traveling around speaking. But the truth is: I need help. I'm starting to approach people I know in the area, which I never thought I'd be doing.

"Maybe that's the last part of the transition: Losing my male ego."

* * *

This time last year, Susan was Steve Stanton, husband and father, a 48-year-old conservative man who oversaw 1,000 employees as Largo city manager. He had led the town of 76,000 for 14 years. City commissioners had consistently given him raises and rave reviews.

This time last year, Steve was making plans to tell city leaders that he had always wanted to be a woman.

The truth came out when a St. Petersburg Times reporter heard a rumor and asked if it was true. Steve said yes. A month later, on March 23, commissioners fired him.

So after years of fear and secrecy, Steve became his second self. Susan testified before Congress, appeared on TV with Larry King and Montel Williams and became the somewhat reluctant face of the transgender-equality movement. A CNN documentary crew followed her and still does.

Nine months later, she finds herself waking up alone in a new city, her year's severance pay running out, with no friends -- except the woman who does her electrolysis.

"I was totally unprepared for the reaction and rejection of almost everyone who'd been close to me," Susan says. "People I'd known for 20 years won't even talk to me."

Recently, over a long lunch in Sarasota, Susan opened up about surgery, family, dating -- and her greatest fear.

And for the first time since Susan appeared in public, her wife Donna and 14-year-old son Travis talked in a separate interview about what it has been like to watch their husband and dad turn into a woman. . . .

OPINION: A Medical Transition

by Gwendolyn Ann Smith

I was recently alerted to a news release that reminded me that, in spite of all the pain and struggle, all the fighting over ENDA and other bills, and all the times it feels like there is no forward motion no transgender issues, there really are some changes going on.

The release, a call by Dr. Kate O’Hanlan, pushing for other doctors in the field to perform total laparoscopic hysterectomies for those female-to-male patients in need was certainly interesting enough on the surface. I’m not a doctor and cannot attest in any way to the validity of this, of course, but the release indicated this could provide a greater likelihood of a less complicated and potentially less painful surgery for FTMs.

Consider this, however: that there would be a press release on this at all may well be more notable than the text of the release.

Transgender surgical options has long been looked at by the medical establishment with some derision. Many do not view any surgical procedures related to genital reassignment – or any other surgery or treatment related to transsexuality – to be “real medicine.” It’s treated as the lowest of surgeries, somewhere above sub-dermal implants and lower than penile extension.

Doctors who perform this type of surgery are viewed – at best – as some sort of “niche” specialist, and not seen as “real” as surgeons working on any other malady or need of the human body. Most, I suspect, are viewed as Dr. Stanley Biber once was – likable, but eccentric, the sort of guy who gets a lot of “news of the weird” style coverage that earned Trinidad, Colo., the nickname of “sex change capital of the world.”

It’s been that way for more than a century, with Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld and his contemporaries in turn-of-the-previous-century Germany being viewed positively, but nevertheless offbeat. It was Dr. Hirschfeld who helped pioneer a lot of what we know today under the umbrella of transgender.

Likewise, Dr. Harry Benjamin, who bridged the gap from Hirschfeld and the modern era, or Dr. Christian Hamburger, the practitioner who worked on Christine Jorgensen, or scores of others who practice today, have all been viewed as somewhat outside the medical establishment, performing surgeries seen as radical, even unethical, by their contemporaries. . . .

Resources: Understanding Transgender Youth

The Tyra Banks Show

Gay, lesbian and bisexual people seldom appear physically different from straight people. Transgender people must go through a process of transition where they might have difficulty “passing” as their correct gender. They can opt for surgery and/or hormone therapy to better align their physical bodies with their correct gender; changes can be made to names and identifying documents. This can eventually provide them with a way to pass as a biological male or female.

The following websites are resources for transgender youth:

YouthResource
Created by and for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) young people 13 to 24 years old, takes a holistic approach to sexual health by offering support, community, resources, and peer-to-peer education about issues of concern to GLBTQ young people. YouthResource has four focus areas: health, advocacy, community, and issues in our lives.

www.youthresource.com


Trans Proud 

OutProud's website for transgender youth. Headline news, links to other transgender sites for trans youth, loads of resources and information, stories of other transgender teens, message boards, as well as resources for parents of transgender children.

www.transproud.com . . .

Berlin Journal: Gay Muslims Pack a Dance Floor of Their Own

BERLIN — Six men whirled faster and faster in the center of the nightclub, arms slung over one another’s shoulders, performing a traditional circle dance popular in Turkey and the Middle East. Nothing unusual given the German capital’s large Muslim population. . . .

“Depending on which part of Berlin I go to, in one I get punched in the mouth because I’m a foreigner and in the other because I’m a queen,” said Fatma Souad, the event’s organizer and master of ceremonies. Ms. Souad, 43, a transgender performer born in Ankara as a boy named Ali, has put on the party for over a decade. . . .

Gender Identity

31 December 2007


So, recently some people have linked to me in blog posts while under the impression that i was female-identified... which has led me to try to work out why...

I tend to assume that it's obvious to people that i'm (physically) male, because, well, if you can see and/or hear me "in the flesh" then it is obvious; i'm about 5'11", with a body consisting almost entirely of straight lines and right angles, no breasts, big feet, a bass voice (albeit one that goes up or down a couple of octaves somewhat randomly, but still a clearly male-sounding voice), and prominent facial hair. (I can't find a decent picture of myself to put here, but you can see me in the photos on this post; i'm the one with long dark hair and a beard, in the general style of Aragorn or Faramir in the Lord of the Rings films, or a typical 16th/17th century English Catholic style, such as Guy Fawkes or King Charles I.) . . .

Susan Stanton Doesn’t Support Trans Rights?

We’re truly disturbed. Susan Stanton, the former Largo, Florida city manager who left her job after transitioning from male to female, made some comments recently that make us question our unwavering support for her decision:

…Susan has said all along that she’s not like other transgender people. She feels uncomfortable even looking at some, “like I’m seeing a bunch of men in dresses.” . . .


See responses same page.

Deportista renuncia a su carrera para convertirse en hombre

Female Olympic pole vaulter to become a man

Olympic pole vaulter Yvonne Buschbaum, who finished sixth in 2000, has said on her Web site that she is beginning the process to become a man.

“I feel as if I am a man and have to live my life in the body of a woman,” Buschbaum said in a statement on her Web site, according to AOL Sports blog FanHouse. “I am aware of the fact that transsexuality is a fringe issue, and I do not want to be responsible for it remaining on the fringe.” . . .

Pakistan: Govt grants no special representation to eunuchs in assemblies

12/25/2007

* Around 1.5 million eunuchs in the country
* APEA says eunuchs harassed at men’s election booths
* NADRA spokesman says providing special treatment to eunuchs could ‘create trouble’ for others

By Hasan Ali


LAHORE: The government has not fulfilled the demands of eunuchs to register them as a third sex and to reserve seats in the national and provincial assemblies of the country. This is not fair to many members of the community, the All Pakistan Eunuchs Association (APEA) told Daily Times on Tuesday.

APEA also said that there are around 1.5 million eunuchs living in Pakistan and they are all treated as male voters while most of the eunuchs prefer to be recognised as females. . . .

Challenging Transsexuality?

12.24.2007


"Without gender differentiation... There would be no need to reconstruct genitalia to match identity - interests and life-styles [would] not [be] gendered."
– Judith Lorber

The above quotation by sociologist Judith Lorber is an example of the so-called gender-progressive challenge to transsexuality (understood as a process of surgical changes to the body that would transform one’s sex or gender identity). The standard argument goes something like this: Transsexuals are victims of society’s oppressive gender diktat. They mutilate their bodies because gender norms require having ‘the right’ genitalia in order to be a ‘real’ man or a ‘real’ woman. Wearing dresses and high-heels is contingent on having a vagina and breasts; facial hair and tuxedos are only for those with penises and a flat chest. And as good gender-progressives, we all know that these norms are a sham, and that many people with vaginas do ‘masculine’ things and many people with penises do ‘feminine’ things. We are aware of the terror and discrimination faced by these gender non-conformists, and thus, we are tempted to explain away transsexuality as a relic of gender oppression: transsexuals are forced to change their bodies because that is the only way they can construct a socially acceptable gender. They would be subject to shame, prejudice and violence if they did not change their bodies to conform fully to the gender prerogatives they want to enact. Thus, in a world without a tyrannical, binary gender ideology, transsexuality would cease to exist. . . .

Club in transgender dispute now caters to gays

29 December 2007

Brian Powell, Tribune

Anderson’s Fifth Estate, which had a 25-year run as a downtown Scottsdale nightclub and was most recently known for its ban on transgendered patrons, is now a gay dance club.

Club Forbidden opened its doors Friday evening in the same building that once housed the rock, comedy and dance club at 6820 E. Fifth Ave.

Bar owner ends transgendered patron ban
Club slapped with complaint from gay rights group
Scottsdale bar owner fights discrimination claim

“This will be more like a New York nightclub, and I couldn’t do that under Anderson’s Fifth Estate,” owner Tom Anderson said.

Anderson, who recently lifted his ban on transgendered customers and settled a discrimination dispute with transgendered woman Michèle deLaFreniere, said the club’s change is a business — not a political — decision. . . .

OPINION: It looks like Ford Motor Co. is into more than just selling cars -- promoting sex changes

December 28, 2007


The American Family Association, which has called for a boycott of Ford Motor Co. because of their aggressive advocacy for and support of homosexual causes including redefinition of marriage, has brought to light another of Ford's efforts along these lines -- promoting sex changes.

According to an AFA email action alert,

The December 18 edition of The Advocate, a magazine for homosexuals, featured the transgender issue. A transgender is a person appearing or attempting to be a member of the opposite sex, as a transsexual or habitual cross-dresser. The Advocate article showed numerous pictures of people who had sex operations to change from male to female, and vice-versus (I'll spare you the details).

Ford Motor Company placed a full page ad for its Volvo brand in the publication.

Ford offers medical benefits to help pay expenses of those who choose to undergo sex change operations. Ford pays for mental health counseling, hormone therapy, medical visits, and short-term disability after surgical procedures for employees who desire to change their sex. . . .

"Gender Identity: Transform vs Conform"

CITY'S FIRST CROSS-DRESSING 'WEDDING'

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08:00 - 24 December 2007

A glamorous drag queen with a tiara to rival Jordan's has tied the knot in Lincoln's first cross-dressing 'wedding'.

Stunning Simon Hollingsworth wore the most expensive dress ever sold in one Lincoln shop when he wed David Tuxworth.

The popular 25-year-old drag artist also brightened up the aisle by wearing a five-and-half-inch tiara at Saturday's ceremony.

Mr Hollingsworth, who runs Christopher's Bar in Newland, said: "The wedding cost a fortune but it was worth it. My dress was gorgeous - I saw it and I wanted it straight away." . . .

Roller Coaster Ride: 2007 Trans Year In Review

TransNation
12/27/2007


By Jacob Anderson-Minshall

From a transgender perspective, 2007 was a year with a lot of peaks and valleys. The entertainment field, in particular, witnessed many accomplishments but the community as a whole was tested with some significant blows.

ACHEIVEMENTS

A number of trans folk received recognition for their notable achievements including Just Add Hormones author Matt Kailey, who became the first trans managing editor of a LGBT publication (Colorado’s Out Front). Performer Scott Turner Schofield received a special award from the Princess Grace Foundation. Trans actor and screenwriter M.C. Brennan won an Outfest Screenwriting Lab award for her transgender teen comedy script, Dramatis Personae. Filmmaker scholar Joelle Ruby Ryan became the first MTF-spectrum trans person to receive a prestigious Point Foundation Scholarship. Transgender consultant Debra Davis clocked her 1,000th presentation while your friendly TransNation columnist passed the 100th column mark. After 20-years as a sports writer for the Los Angeles Times, Mike Penner came out and transitioned in the predominately male field to become Christine Daniels. . . .

Bladensburg woman a mother to many Sarah Williams has cared for dozens of foster children

by Maya T. Prabhu

December 27, 2007


Over the past 15 years, Sarah Williams has been a foster mother to over 100 children, whether it was for a few days or a few years.

Bringing home her most recent foster child has given Williams the passion to work toward starting a group home for gay, lesbian and transgendered youths, as her newest foster child, Kiyana Wills, is transgendered.

‘‘She has so much love and care that I’ve never seen from anybody before,” said Wills, 18, who moved in with Williams in June when she was 17. ‘‘And it’s overwhelming sometimes.”

Wills continues to live with Williams, whom she calls Mom, in Bladensburg, even though she is technically no longer in the foster care system. Williams, 60, who gave birth to four children, also opened her home to one of Wills’ friends, a young gay man, who is not in the foster care system.

‘‘A lot of these kids have been put out because their families don’t accept them. Their families are putting them out and they have nowhere to live so they’re sleeping in the streets,” Williams said. ‘‘I see so many kids in the schools that are transsexual, gay or experimenting with their sexuality. There’s a need for a group home for these kids.”. . .

TransNation Portland’s Not-So-Good Queer

by Jacob Anderson-Minshall

2007-12-26


It would be easy to dismiss Lisa/Lee Iacuzzi as a troublemaker. Iacuzzi—who uses the names Lisa and Lee interchangeably, identifies as bi-gendered and prefers the pronoun s/he—has been arrested four times for petty crimes like jaywalking and calling 911 when a police officer videotaped her/him. One summer, while driving a Volvo on which s/he’d written “Legalize marijuana,” s/he reportedly was pulled over two dozen times by Portland, Oregon police.

Iacuzzi is the blogger behind NotAGoodQueer.Blogspot.com—not to be confused with notagoodqueer-oae.blogspot.com, which seems dedicated to undermine Iacuzzi and “her fantasy that, contrary to physiological evidence, she is a ) a male; or b ) a transgendered female.”

Once a schoolteacher, Iacuzzi allegedly lost her/his job to gender discrimination four years ago. Afterward, s/he publicly accused the school of mishandling asbestos removal, and s/he’s still hoping to organize a class action suit against the school. . . .

That's one large step for women

A new specialty shop offers large shoes for large feet.

By PAUL SWIDER, Times Staff Writer

December 26, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG

Jodi Grace is not a big woman, only 5 feet 2 with a proportionate size 7 shoe. But like the market she is addressing, she knows people with big feet.

"When a woman has big feet, all her friends and family know it," said Grace, who in October opened Big Foot, a store that caters to women needing large shoes.

"I've had a lot of people come in and say, 'My father saw this store and told me about it.' How many fathers know their daughter's shoe size? Fathers of big-footed women do."

Grace's best friend is a size 12 so she has heard the stories for years about how impossible it is to find stylish shoes for big female feet. . . .

McCulloch County gender bender

ET hunter bags doe.... with antlers

12/25/2007


Cliff Smallwood of White Oak took a business trip to McCullogh County shortly after Thanksgiving. It is a convenient place for Smallwood to work. He has a 550-acre deer lease just outside of Brady and keeps a travel trailer at a nearby RV park.

Small took off work early on the afternoon of Nov. 30 so he could do a little deer hunting. He and Jeff Cox, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden, were approaching Cox's box blind when they heard a grunting noise coming from some brush beneath the ridge.

Initially, the men thought the noise might be a feral hog. They scanned the brush and eventually spotted a buck moving through the mesquites, about 30 yards away. The deer appeared to have a respectable rack with tall tines.

"I actually thought it was the same buck I'd passed on opening morning of the season," said Smallwood. "I killed a real nice buck out there last year and I didn't want to shoot another one unless it was better than that one, especially during the first hour of opening day. So I let it walk." . . .

Appellate court upholds annulment

Aiming to get to funds, future husband lied about marital history, finances, transvestism

By Howard Fischer

Capitol Media Services

Tucson, 12/25/2007

A woman whose future husband lied about his financial condition and his previous marriages, then didn't keep his promise to stop dressing in women's clothes is entitled to have the marriage annulled, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled.

In a unanimous decision, the three-judge panel rejected arguments by Ronald Cuthbertson that Karen Adam, a judge pro tem from Pima County, should not have granted his now-ex-wife's petition to annul the six-year marriage. Cuthbertson represented himself. . . .