Editorial
NBC Slurs TGs
Words From the WEB
Resources
About The XX Club
Upcoming Events

Without disclosing more about my own history of procrastination in putting out newsletters for other groups, I have volunteered to be the editor of the Twenty Newsletter. First, great thanks to my predecessor, Kathy, who put a tremendous amount of time and energy into putting the newsletter out and who has gone on to an incredibly interesting job in an equally interesting place. I only hope that she will forgive me for changing the format to satisfy my data compression obsessions. Her artwork will be missed and I hope she might have time to contribute more in the future. I will try not to mess around (too much) with the style of this publication. New volunteer editors-in-chief are of course welcome.

I hope that I will be able to keep us on schedule, but since I have as many transition issues as you probably have, dear reader, you will have to forgive me my trespasses. I do not intend to make (up) news, but to simply support the kind of public forum that our community requires. That forum can only work with your voice and I hope that you will contribute. To that end, I will remind you that past newsletters and other XX Club information will be found on the World Wide Web at this URL address: http://www.intelleng.com/gender.html. We will accept e-post (i.e. electronic mail) messages (at the Web site or temporarily at "Sapphic9@aol.com") and would appreciate the saving of our own keystrokes and fingernails with such submissions or we will accept 3.5” disks with ASCII standard Mac or PC text files. Advertisers who provide Pagemaker-ready files will receive undying gratitude as well as a possible discount. Also, we will be dunning you soon!

As for an editorial position, I believe that this newsletter should not become a hardcopy version of a periodical that is electronically inaccessible to many of you. However, I would like to convey to you some of the discourse that only exists in cyberspace and that has a voice relevant to our community. To disclose a bit more, I do have a sense of the difficulties of our community in an age of mis-guided conservatism and this Newsletter will reflect the need to resist the current climate of repression. Our rights are not special, they are simply and irrevocably human rights. Get over it. A nuclear family could ruin your whole day, as a bumper sticker once told me. Note that this newsletter is being produced with the assistance of Intelligence Engineering and features this one-time-only shameless plug. All the standard disclaimers apply.

Finally, many thanks to Dr. Higgins for his wonderful presentation to the group last month. We are grateful for his insights and wisdom on the critical issues facing our community. -----A. L.

Subject: AEGIS' Reponse to SNL Transgender Slur From: aegis@mindspring.com (Dallas Denny) Date: Thu, 29 Feb 1996 23:43:46 -0400 Message-ID: <aegis.892.00599342@mindspring.com>

29 February, 1996
Warren Littlefield, President, NBC 3000 West Alameda Avenue Burbank, CA 91523
Dear Mr. Littlefield:
We are aghast at the insensitivity shown toward transsexual people by Norm MacDonald on "Weekend Update" on the 24 February episode of Saturday Night Live. He said, "In Nebraska this week, a man was sentenced to death for attempting to kill a female crossdresser who accused him of raping her. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but in my opinion, everybody in this case deserved to die." Mr. MacDonald was responding to a news item about the sentencing of John Lotter, who killed Brandon Teena and two of his friend in a rural farmhouse in Nebraska two years ago. Despite having been born with a female body, Teena lived as a man, for which "crime" he was raped by Lotter and another man, and then killed one week later. Police deliberately ignored what they knew was a dangerous situation. It is simply unbelievable that MacDonald would say that Teena deserved to die because of the clothes he wore, and that his friends deserved to die, presumably because they were his friends. An apology is due Teena's family and the families of the other victims. I hope that you see that it is given. I have enjoyed SNL's irreverent humor since its debut more than 20 years ago. I'm very sorry to see that what was once my favorite television program has sunk so low.

Sincerely,

Dallas Denny, M.A. Executive Director, American Educational Gender Information Service, Inc

by Jennifer A.

Introduction:

From time to time the XX (Twenty) Club is asked to provide speakers on topics related to transsexualism. Whenever possible and prudent we've been glad to do so, in fulfilling our stated purpose of disseminating “knowledgeable information...in hope of gaining greater understanding and acceptance...” Typical settings range from classes on human sexuality, to meetings of religious and civic groups, to forum or conference sessions. On one occasion, we were invited to address the Connecticut State Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO).

Attendees are invariably interested in hearing what we have to say; they seem almost always open and receptive to considering our situation and point of view. As such, we are afforded opportunities to provide credible educational information and, further, to dispel ignorance and prejudice by correcting many of the inaccurate preconceptions and distorted stereotypical images of ourselves that people may carry.

The consequences of our efforts reach well beyond merely how we are perceived and treated at these sessions. In a larger sense, our activities serve - however indirectly - to influence the tenor of public opinion and, hence, affect our standing in regard to broader social, political and legal issues. The value of these presentations cannot be underestimated. We can and must use these opportunities to work to change people's unwarranted negative perceptions about ourselves - who we are and what we represent.

Background:

How, one may well ask, did these difficulties arise? Why do they persist? And what obstacles must we overcome? By examining these questions, we may hopefully point the way toward a suggested set of strategies. Our “condition” is inextricably bound up with that most highly emotionally charged subject, sex. Not just ordinary sex, but rather a markedly abnormal variant thereof. And with sex, anything “different” is suspect. This in itself links us indiscriminately, in people's minds, with other sexual variants and their associated negative connotations. To further complicate matters, certain members of these other groups, whether confused or perhaps in search of legitimization, improperly appropriate for themselves the term “transsexual.”

Most people have never knowingly known a truly transsexual person “up close and personal” - we're still pretty much a mystery to them. Much of what they do learn about “us” - the basis of our notoriety - comes heavily slanted and distorted through all-too-often “dirty” media lenses: print (lurid banner headlines trumpeting scandalous behavior: prostitution, child molestation, assaults, murders; tales of unfettered sexual license and sordid depravity, often juiced up with splashy photographs of flamboyant attire); broadcast (a proliferation of tabloid talk shows battling to out-titillate one another with tawdry exploitations of dysfunctional [cross-dressed] societal misfits); film (exotic plot lines featuring psychopathic killers or wandering/stranded drag queens). Goaded by desire for larger circulation, higher ratings, and bigger box office, media moguls keep pushing the “envelope” ever farther toward some lowest common denominator.

Such popular images infect and endure. Taken to the extreme, they tend to stimulate people's worst imaginings. Sex, crime, drugs. AIDS. And in short order, people can't tell anymore who's who or what's what. They fear for their own safety and that of their loved ones. They see all these symptoms as clear evidence of deterioration in the “moral fabric” of civilized values. Such concerns play right into the hands of “religious” and political demagogues who incite their followers (“God's people,” united in the unwavering certitude of their intolerant, absolutist convictions) to enact sociopolitical programs of discrimination and exclusion. Little wonder, then, that they target “us” as part of the problem. It's not a level playing field - we face from the outset a steep uphill struggle. We ignore these trends at our own peril.

Approach:

Given this admittedly stark introduction, what can we do to change people's perceptions about ourselves, for the better? We can:
- Provide positive information where little or none exists;
- Act to correct inaccurate or distorted preconceptions about ourselves, our colleagues, and our condition
; - Offer ourselves as real, living, breathing examples of that extremely rare, often maligned, hardly-ever-seen-up-close peculiar species, the “transsexual person.”
- We can show ourselves to be decent, caring human beings.

How best to do this? Logistically, regarding the circumstances under which we are asked to appear, we should first assure ourselves of an appropriate environment. Who is the event sponsor? What is the theme? Who is the audience? Who will be controlling the format, framing the issues? And, perhaps most importantly, who will be speaking for us?

This means selectively declining to participate in any potentially risky situation that may involve sensationalized treatment, through “ambush,” confrontation, or similar adverse or questionable tactics, or conditions that could otherwise reflect negatively upon us and our community. If not careful, even the wisest, best-prepared, most mature among us can be “sandbagged” by unscrupulous manipulators, of whom there is no dearth. For this reason, primarily, we have declined to appear on television or radio talk shows. On the other hand, we have granted interviews to selected print journalists, given assurance that we retain rights of review and approval. Under these conditions, their treatment of us has been eminently fair and accurate.

It is essential that any formal speaking engagement be coordinated under the aegis (good word!) of the XX Club Speakers' Bureau - especially if the presentation is to be made in the name of the XX Club. In the past, unfortunately, individual Club members have taken it upon themselves to independently initiate, or enter into, discussion of transsexual issues in the public media, without sufficient knowledge or preparation, and without consulting anyone else. Moreover, unqualified individuals have at times publicly identified themselves as spokespersons for the XX Club, without prior permission or consultation, to the detriment of our stated goals and good standing. While each of us does enjoy a First Amendment right to free speech, we must each hold ourselves accountable for our behavior and the effects of our words and actions, well-intentioned though they may seem in the heat of the moment. We must act responsibly - the mistakes of one can affect us all.

Whenever one of us, or someone thought to be connected to us (e.g., a gay person or crossdresser) is involved in a “newsworthy” event or situation, we become immediate objects of public speculation and scrutiny. Should you be approached by any information seeker, regardless of their supposed “credentials” or offer of “anonymity,” and asked to provide a statement or discussion regarding the situation, or solicited for any “opinion” or “explanation,” your wisest course of action is to decline: a simple “no comment” will suffice quite adequately. Alternatively, should the situation warrant, you may either direct the inquiry to Canon Clinton Jones or Dr. George Higgins of the Gender Identity Clinic of New England (GICNE), or contact Canon Jones or Dr. Higgins yourself. You can have complete confidence in their ability to handle the matter.

Your Participation:

There is something you can do to help. If you think you might like to speak publicly or appear on a panel with us, but feel you're not ready, or not smart enough, or not “whatever” enough, fear not. You need not be (or believe yourself to be) among the “wisest, best-prepared, most mature” people in the world in order to do so. Perhaps the best way to start is to attend, as an observer, one or more sessions in which others participate; to see, by experience, what happens - what people say, how they say it, how audiences respond and interact, and what sorts of things they want to know about. Then, pretty soon, you'll become comfortable with the idea of doing it yourself.

It's a good idea to keep two thoughts in mind about communication, especially public speaking - the message and the meta-message:

The message means the content of what you have to say, its accuracy and relevance, as you provide honest, well-informed, insightful discussion of the issues involved. This is what would appear in a transcript if someone were to record your words. The meta-message refers to a broader, more subtle concept. It stretches to include such elements as your personal comportment and appearance, your mode of presentation through body language, gestures, tone of voice and inflection - aspects that would not necessarily be evident in a verbatim transcript.

Your personal credibility, and the credibility of your communication, depend on both of these components. Thus, to embody a positive sense or impression of ourselves as responsible, capable, sincere, caring human beings, we should adhere to the highest standards of conduct. Integrity is perceived where the message and meta-message are fully consistent.

What To Expect:

People generally want to know who you are and, through you, who the rest of us are. They may - quite understandably - be skeptical about first meeting you, yet curious to learn more about you and what you are going to tell them. Your meta-message - the way you act and the person you seem to be - carries as much weight as your spoken words, if not more, in shaping the image or impression you leave with your audience. This point cannot be glossed over: what they “see” in you, what they “sense” about you, their conclusion about who and what you are, favorable or otherwise - your credibility - is conveyed in large degree by non-verbal cues. Unless you are a skilled professional actor, or trial lawyer, or salesperson, you probably won't be able to “fool” people, so don't even be tempted to try. If you're right for this, you won't have to or want to.

Believe it or not, most people of goodwill are going to be pulling for you. You're a good person - let them see that. It will show. Be attentive, but not overly anxious: if you run into any difficulty, others are there to help out - you won't be alone. And take comfort: if you believe in what you're doing, it will show, and people will be drawn to your side. Believe it or not, others have gone before you and actually lived to tell about it!

Generally, you'll introduce yourself and tell a bit of your own personal history, including your hopes and fears, your ups and downs - how you got to where you are now and where you'd like to go. People tend to relate more closely when we share openly and honestly, from the heart. It helps cut through barriers. Our lives are portraits of diversity - across age, race, family background, beliefs. Yet still, we are brought together by a common, shared experience - this is what people want to know aboAbove all, though, relax. These people won't do you physical harm. If they see that you accept yourself as human and lovable and fallible, foibles and all, then they will surely accept you, too. Mistakes or embarrassments? Extremely rare. Maybe an occasional initial case of nerves, which quickly dissipates. So don't worry. Relax, enjoy. You'll have a good time. You'll probably get hooked and come back for more.

Could there be problems? Yes, it's possible, though we've never encountered anything like a “crisis” or “emergency,” nor would we realistically expect to. But it's good to anticipate people's concerns. Be aware that some groups of people may be more likely than others to feel “bothered” or threatened by us. Some younger people, for example, (adolescents) may be struggling to come to grips with their own developing sense of sexuality, adjustment, and well-being. Likewise, more males than females seem to be made uncomfortable by the thought of SRS, the surgical removal/alteration of [esp., male] genitalia; much of their self-concept, their core sense of identity - of who they are - resides there. Some older people, more set in their ways, with rigid concepts of “right and wrong,” may believe that what we are doing is somehow “immoral;” possibly their religion and social support structures reinforce this idea. And for some, even straight “normal” sex is a taboo subject, something they may be uncomfortable talking or hearing about.

If such people are present and make known their concerns, try to treat them gently, with kindness and compassion. It must be difficult for them. Most likely they will remain silent, not wishing to disclose their own close personal feelings. But if they do speak out, be patient. Remember, this can be much more difficult for them than it is for you.Occasionally, you may run into an idiot. Unfortunately, there are times when the world seems full of idiots. If confronted by someone who wants to put you down, try to remain reasonably calm and conciliatory, but don't give up your ground. Chances are, the rest of your audience will support you, and the idiot will more or less isolate himself. Meet him(/her?) with grace, good humor, understanding, and even forgiveness, but not arrogance or condescension. Above all, don't let yourself get sucked into an argument - that's a trap: it's shortsighted and almost always counterproductive. Remember Rule Number One: “Never argue with an idiot. People watching can't tell the difference.” Let someone else put the idiot down. If that really needs to be done, they'll do it. Otherwise, let it go and move along. You'll look better and gain credibility.

Many items of “do's and don't's” are basically common sense, but one in particular has occasioned negative feedback. When speaking, try not to get too deeply involved in reciting a litany of your woes and sorrows, or presenting an “attitude.” People quickly lose interest in and sympathy for someone who gets sidetracked into complaining how bad their life is, etc., etc... Yes, we've all had bad experiences. Yes, certain aspects of life can be troubling. But these are peripheral issues: if you're looking for sympathy, don't curse the darkness - this is not the appropriate circumstance or avenue. Save that for close friends who will listen and lend support, or your therapist. That's what they're there for, if you need them. Instead, light a candle - that's what this is for.So, finally, what specific kinds of things do people want to know? They tell us directly through the questions they ask. Not too surprisingly, the same sorts of questions are posed again and again, regardless of the nature or background of the audience, though some age-related differences have become apparent. For instance, younger students (high school, college freshmen and sophomores) [and psychologists generating research surveys] tend to focus more on sex and sexual function, while more mature audiences inquire about relationships and psychological aspects of adjustment - your happiness, your ability to get on with your life.

The following is an actual, recent (3/96) written list of twenty-five [fairly representative and universal] questions; they have been reordered and grouped for clarity, but remain virtually unedited. These are supplemented by a few “other typical questions.”

General questions:

Why? [Ans: “Because.” The universal cosmic answer to the universal cosmic question.]
What do you consider your gender?
At what point in your life did you realize...
What did it feel like before you had a sex change [sic]?
Problems faced daily?
Do you enjoy acting stereotypically feminine? Masculine?
What was your puberty like?
Ever truly disappointed with your physical appearance?
Drugs/alcohol/depression?
Hangouts - places to meet other TS's?
Was it worth it?
How do you start over? (i.e., after [beginning] transition vs. before, assuming that you don't want anyone to know.)
How were you treated differently (as female vs. male)?

Personal and family issues - relationships, employment, etc.

Emotional support by family, friends?
Are/were you married?
Do/did you have children?
Parents' thoughts?
Whom did you tell first?
Were you able to keep your job?

Questions related to the transition process, SRS, sex:

Have you had genital surgery?
If so, are you happy with your sex change [sic]?
How much does it cost?
Can you have intimate sexual relationships with someone?
Gender attracted to before surgery? After?
Do you consider yourself homo/hetero-sexual?
Pain after surgery?

Other typical questions:

What causes it? Nature vs. Nurture? (See “Why?” at the top of the list)
Frequency in the general population? MTF vs. FTM?
How did you find out about the Clinic? The support group?
What happens in the transition process? Steps required? Tests? Hormones? Electrolysis, plastic surgery, surgeons, surgical complications, etc...)
Difference between TV's, TS's, gays?? Drag queens?
How did friends react? Neighbors? Family? Lose any/many?
Change professions? Were/are you in a predominantly male/female/ neutral profession before? Afterwards?
Your emotional status? Sense of well-being? Are you happy now?
Physical changes? Emotional changes? Do you behave differently now?

And, ah yes. No list can be complete without mentioning that perennial all-time favorite: Which bathroom do you use? [Ans: “Neither. Ever since my surgery I haven't needed to use the bathroom.” This implies, of course, that SRS has elevated you to the exalted status of Mistress of the Universe, for whom such mundane physical concerns are a thing of the past. If your fans don't go for that, however, just throw them a Mona Lisa smile and a wink, and hope for the best. (For MTF post-ops only- others modify as applicable.)]

Summary and Conclusion: The Speakers' Bureau is a valuable resource of the XX Club. Through dissemination of accurate, positive information about ourselves and the nature of transsexualism, we can act to change public perception and understanding of ourselves, for the better. This, in turn, can improve the quality of our lives both individually and collectively, while serving to raise society's consciousness regarding critical issues affecting us in social, political, and legal arenas.Those who are interested in participating, who understand the nature of this activity, and who recognize and accept the responsibilities it entails, are encouraged and invited to join us. We've always got room for a few [more] good people.

Come, join us: plant a seed - watch it grow.

Note: the following comes from an Internet newsgroup and will be a regular feature of the newsletter. It features a dialogue between K1 and K2 that while discussing the merits of a TS-only newsgroup, also includes some interesting Gender Identity issues.

> K2: "Again, I ask, why aren't dyslexics classified as mentally ill?
> >After all, there's nothing really wrong with them. If they wanted to
> >read, they could! The idea of their brain being miswired? Poppycock!
> >(But we all accept that, in fact, dyslexics ARE born this way.
> >And insurance covers their treatment without question.
> >Why? Because they don't threaten anyone's sexuality. That's why.)"

> K1: That point is true, but dyslexia is considered a mental disorder ...
> just not one that has the degree of concern that would require intensive
> institutional care. It is on that basis that insurance companies
> consider the treatment of dyslexia valid on medical grounds.

K2: Actually, it has a pathology and a classification in medical textbooks. As does transsexualism (if you spell it right ;) Some dangerous groups (Like Transexual Menace) are trying to “de-pathologize” the diagnosis of “Gender Identity Disorder” in order to get health care on-demand for any reason whatsoever. The effect of this would be to classify transsexualism as a “lifestyle choice” and make any surgeries merely optional. Hence, insurance carriers would drop coverage, claiming that the SRS is only cosmetic surgery, and not required to a person's well-being. This would further assume that if a person still has a problem living a transgendered lifestyle, therapy would fix this (or “manage” it). We know this to be false. GID has a clear pathology, a clear course of treatment, and SRS works to stabilize the distress a TS person is in. Further, nothing else yet tried has worked when the source of the distress is extreme discomfort with inappropriate physical characteristics defining sex. The GID label really means that we are dysphoric because we cannot make our internal sense of gender align with our physical sex. We cannot change our minds about this, or make ourselves accept what is an untruth to us. Can't change the mind? Death is looking more like Jack Kavorkian's(sic) claim to fame? Let's make the body match up with the gender. That works! If it (the method) ain't broke, don't “fix” it.

K1: But some insurance companies also cover therapy for a variety of less
> serious mental disorders, and they include the coverage of
> psychotherapy for crossdressers *and* transsexuals.

K2: Sure. And they'll happily pray that TS people will settle for therapy and go away. But, as any gender therapist with experience treating this can tell you, therapy won't work. The therapist will wind up with a dead person on their couch one day. That's why therapists write referral letters to surgeons, K1.

K1: You were right on the mark when you started this thread, K2. Sex
> reassignment surgery, when deemed medically necessary by competent
> therpaists, should be covered just as any other medically necessary
> procedure. But attaching that argument to the vitriol that has
> surrounded new newsgroup proposals solves neither situation.

K2: Sure it does. It shows someone who is not TS will NEVER understand what we're feeling. Further, it shows we can try to explain this until we are blue in the face, and it does no good. We are different. But we need to be able to say to someone else, “You really DO understand, don't you?” And we need to discuss issues specific to us. Why are there separate newsgroups for different interests, K1? Let's merge the Macintosh Quark Express Group with the PC Microsoft Publisher group. Why not? Who cares that the programs are radically different, use different commands, run on different platforms, and have even political topics discussed from time to time. Who cares about the differences? After all, the finished products both look pretty much the same, right?

The XX Club, Inc. The Transsexual Support Group of the Gender Identity Clinic of New England, Inc.

The Twenty Club, Inc. P.O.Box 387 Hartford, CT 06141-0387---------ph(860) 646-8651 http://www.pcnet.com/~elspeth/xx.html

Nature: The XX Club is the transsexual support group of the Gender Identity Clinic of New England, inc. Our purpose is to provide knowledgeable information and ongoing peer support to transsexual persons through the many stages of their transition as well as information about the Gender Identity Clinic of New England, Inc. Friends and relatives are encouraged to attend in the hope of gaining a greater understanding and acceptance of their loved one’s gender dysphoria. The XX Club, Inc. is non-profit and non-sexual. We are not a religious organization and have no affiliation with any religious denomination. We hold no prejudice against any other group of people.

Services: The XX Club, Inc. publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, Twenty, serving persons with gender dysphoria and helping professionals. We meet twice a month as indicated on page 10 of this publication. Meetings are structured to provide support, information and open, accepting understanding. On Occasion we have professional speakers on educational and medical subjects of interest to gender dysphoric persons. Additionally, we have social get-togethers, club parties, outreach to New England and New York gender organizations, and a speakers bureau. Smoking is not allowed during our meeting. Local ordinances restrict smoking to outside the building. During the course of the meeting we enjoy a half hour break during which people are encouraged to get to know one another and to help themselves to food and beverages. Please feel free to bring food and/or beverages to share with our group.

Security: We are a peer support group, not a dating service or an instant source of new best friends. Persons interested in attending meetings are welcome to come so long as they have a personal interest in gender dysphoria, understand the supportive nature of our group, and are willing to respect the anonymity of all persons attending. At no time may another persons name, address, telephone number, or any personal information be given out without the full permission of that individual. Cameras, recording devices and members of the media are not allowed at our meetings.

Membership Dues and Meeting Fees: Annual membership dues for The XX Club, Inc. are $20 (US) per year. Dues include a one year (6 Issues) subscription to this newsletter. Members and visitors are encouraged to contribute $1.00 per person at each meeting to help defray our expenses. Dues and meeting fees are applied to facility costs, newsletter production and distribution costs, and refreshment costs for XX Club and GICNE meetings. While these contributions allow us to remain self-sustaining, no-one will be turned away due to inability to contribute.

“Twenty” is published bi-monthly as a service of The XX Club, Inc. All original material may be reproduced with proper credit to the author and to “Twenty, The Official Newsletter of The XX Club, Inc.” The opinions and views expressed in articles are not necessarily those of The XX Club, Inc.,its newsletter, or the Gender Identity Clinic of New England, Inc. Newsletter articles referring to specific programs, services and/or products do not necessarily constitute an endorsement by The XX Club, Inc. or The Gender Identity Clinic of New England, Inc. Articles involving medical aspects of gender dysphoria are not intended to be medical advice and readers are cautioned not to make any changes in treatment based upon such information without consulting a physician.

Newsletter submissions may be mailed to The XX Club at our address shown above, or submitted at a club meeting. Whenever possible, please submit contributions on an MS-DOS or Mac 3.5” computer disk using any ASCII text format. This newsletter staff reserves the right to print only submissions of relevance to the transsexual community. Due to various constraints, submissions may not be printed immediately. The newsletter cannot be responsible for returning submitted materials. When submitting contributions, clearly state what personal information you want/don’t want included with your article. Contributors personal Information will remain confidential. Be sure to credit any sources appropriately. Photographs must be accompanied by a signed release from all individuals shown. The staff appreciates all contributions. All materials submitted will be considered for publication.

Change of Address: Please send changes to the address shown above. Include both the new and the old addresses and zip codes. XX and Twenty are registered trademarks of the XX (Twenty) Club, Inc., Hartford, CT

Twenty Club meetings Regular meetings of the XX Club are held the Second and Fourth Saturday of each month from 1:45 until 4:45 PM Meetings are held at: Christ Church Cathedral (Parish House) 45 Church Street Hartford, CT 06013

POSTAL ADDRESS: The XX Club P.O.Box 387 Hartford, CT 06141-0387
WEB SITE: http://www.pcnet.com/~elspeth/xx.html

Advisor: The Rev. Canon Clinton R.Jones
President: Jamie Hartwell
Vice Presidents: Jennifer Winters Sue MacDonald
Treasurer: Michelle Hendricks s
Secretary: Jaye Müller
Newsletter Editor: Open
Community Liaison: Standing Committe
The Gender Identity Clinic of New England
(860) 646-8651
The Rev. Canon Clinton R. Jones, D.D. (Coordinator)
George Higgins, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist (President
John H. Felber, M.D., J.D., Clinical Psychiatrist (Vice President)
L. Everet Seyler, M.D., Clinical Endocrinologist
Kathleen M. Sterner, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
Gary E. Russolillo, M.D., Cosmetic Surgery
Donald J. Cantor, J.D., Attorny

The following organizations are known by the editors to provide valuable support to the gender community. This does not constitute an official endorsement by Twenty, The XX Club or the GICNE. However, you are encouraged to investigate any and all resources and judge their value to yourself. Updates and additions are welcome.

Regional Resources

The Connecticut self-Help Mutual Support Network 389 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT 06511 (203) 789-7645 Non-profit CT state organization with knowledge of over 400 support groups of all types.

Connecticut Outreach Society P.O.Box 163, Farmington, CT 06034 Meetings: 2nd Saturday and 4th Wednesday of each month in West Hartford, CT TS & TV Support and social group.

Crossroads of Buffalo 2316 Delaware Ave. Suite 102, Buffalo, NY 14216 TS & TV Support Group.

Renaissance Education Association P.O.Box 552, King of Prussia, PA 19406 (215) 630-1437 TV & TS Support Group and newsletter

TGIC - Transgenderists’ Independence Club P.O.Box 13604, Albany, NY 12212-3604 (518) 436-4513 (Thursday 7-9pm) TV & TS Support and social group.

The XX Club, Inc. - “That’s Us!” P.O.Box 387, Hartford, CT 06141-0387 TS Support group and newsletter

National Resources

GICNE - Gender Identity Clinic of New England 68 Adelaid Rd., Manchester, CT 06040 (860) 646-8651 Provides coordinated services for help with attaining SRS through adherence to the Benjamin Standards of Care.

Aegis - Chrysalis Quarterly P.O.Box 33724, Decatur, GA 30033 (404) 939-0244 (evenings and weekends).Publisher of a TS Newsletter.

HBIGDA The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, Inc. The International associations of gender professionals. Establishes the standards of care.

IFGE - International Foundation for Gender Education TV/TS Tapestry Journal. P.O.Box 367, Wayland, MA 01778 (617) 899-2212 and (617) 894-8340 (weekdays 2-10pm). Provides communications, outreach and networking for entire TV/TS community. Publishes TV/TS Tapestry.

J2CP Information Service P.O.Box 184, San Juan Capistrano, CT 93693 TS Information and referrals.

Ingersoll Center 1812 East Madison Suite 106 Seattle, WA 98122-2843 Support for TS and TV. Provides coordinated services for help with attaining SRS through adherence to the Benjamin Standards of Care.

The Eden Society P.O.Box 22742, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33335-2742 (305) 791-2476 TS Support.

The next GICNE Board meeting will be on 16 May at 7:30pm in Dr. Higgins' Office. Anyone interested in presenting themselves to the Board should contact Canon Jones or Dr. Higgins

XX Club Meetings: 13 & 27 April, 11 May, 25 May, 8 June, 22 June.