This is the best support group I've been in and I've had a pleasant six months as newsletter editor. However, like my predecessor, I announce here my exit as Editor of Twenty effective with the July/August issue. I hope to continue my service by helping maintain the XX Club Web page. As for my reasons, you may notice that in personal classified ads often people describe themselves as "professional men" (or women) in order to give themselves the class status they lose by using these ads to recover their sexual self-esteem. Are there then "amateur" men (or women)? This analogy also applies to people who neither reconcile their current gender status nor manage an integrated personality and an authentic lived existence. Often this describes professional transvestites or "female impersonators" at some point in their lives. Transsexuals who do assimilate are often the targets of bigoted attacks by myn-born myn(sic) and womyn-born womyn(sic) who would marginalize gender dysphoric persons by denying them basic human rights. With those thoughts, I will leave the soapboxes to others while defending their right to self-expression. We are all professionals and amateurs at negotiating our lives; some are simply less aware of that dichotomy or even of democracy. XXThis is the best support group I've been in and I've had a pleasant six months as newsletter editor. However, like my predecessor, I announce here my exit as Editor of Twenty effective with the July/August issue. I hope to continue my service by helping maintain the XX Club Web page. As for my reasons, you may notice that in personal classified ads often people describe themselves as "professional men" (or women) in order to give themselves the class status they lose by using these ads to recover their sexual self-esteem. Are there then "amateur" men (or women)? This analogy also applies to people who neither reconcile their current gender status nor manage an integrated personality and an authentic lived existence. Often this describes professional transvestites or "female impersonators" at some point in their lives. Transsexuals who do assimilate are often the targets of bigoted attacks by myn-born myn(sic) and womyn-born womyn(sic) who would marginalize gender dysphoric persons by denying them basic human rights. With those thoughts, I will leave the soapboxes to others while defending their right to self-expression. We are all professionals and amateurs at negotiating our lives; some are simply less aware of that dichotomy or even of democracy. XX
by Jennifer A.
Introduction:
David Bouchier, a commentator for our local NPR station, used this
title recently to describe the saga of a family member, whom we shall refer
to here as "Little Kitty." It seems that for a long while - too
long - Little Kitty had inhabited a box at home equipped, as one might
suspect, with ever-increasingly-grungy blanket, etc., etc. Her master saw
this and, taking pity on Little Kitty, provided her a nice, new, clean,
pristine box, blanket, etc., right next to the old one. But Little Kitty
remained unimpressed by these `new, improved' accommodations and declined
to have anything to do with them. She knew where she wanted to be. And
stay, oblivious to the inexorable march of progress.
Eventually, driven of course by only the most pure of altruistic motives, such as promoting household hygiene, Mr. Bouchier took it upon himself to dispose of the old box, surreptitiously, thus gently forcing Little Kitty's hand. Er, paw. And indeed, after much exploratory sifting and sniffing about, she did deign to settle into her new abode. The event was noted and quickly passed by. We'll never know for sure, but Little Kitty seems comfortable; her relaxed purring, continued gentle presence and sweet, closed-eyed countenance, all bespeak her... contentment with the new state of affairs. Boldly Continued from page 1 What, if anything, does this little parable mean for us? On the surface it seems to be all backwards. Little Kitty had a strange new box given to her, and the old, familiar (hence, friendly) one taken away. She would have been perfectly happy to remain where she was, despite her master's wishes, superior wisdom, and kindly intentions. But she acquiesced to whatever the world imposed upon her, and has - to all accounts - settled down to a lifetime (or nine?) of bedded bliss in her delightful new box to live happily ever after, cared for simply because of who she is.
The 'Box' of Gender:
Our noble species (and every 'complex' species we're acquainted with) has chosen sexual reproduction as its favored mechanism for self-perpetuation (replication) in this world. Sex serves as a wonderful model of our human tendency to see the world through duality - either/or, either male or female, with little or no room for variance or variants. Our mere physical presence is ample evidence that it works; in a purely biological sense, anything else does not work. Further, each species, and every human culture, has evolved its own set of strategies - complex and varied practices or behavioral roles - to facilitate the process. For humans, we call this 'gender'; in general it makes things a lot simpler: again, in a purely biological sense, one would not want to waste time, effort, and resources in fruitless attempts to reproduce with another individual of the 'wrong' sex. Because of its centrality to our lives, the timeless mystery of sex and gender has become institutionalized as something deeply 'sacred,' unalterable - something not to be treated lightly.
Historically, our culture is evolving from an earlier age that lacked our current level of scientific knowledge and sophistication. By comparison, we look back and see past modes of thought as governed by ignorance, fear, and superstition, relative to many of our present-day 'enlightened' understandings. Yet, through adherence to 'tradition' and resistance to change, many customs, attitudes, practices and beliefs from those earlier times have sustained a solid presence and impact up into the present. These relics pervade societal norms to a degree that passes largely unexamined by most people.
Among these is the concept of gender. Gender roles as we know them have undergone tremendous upheaval and change throughout the Twentieth Century, at a seemingly accelerating pace. Even though we may regard a number of current practices as quaint - even 'illogical' - it is difficult for us to conceive of a time when, in our own nation, women were relegated to caring for the household, legally proscribed from inheriting or holding property, denied the right to vote, denied access to higher education or entry to most professions, forbidden to wear articles of men's clothing, or even [for proper 'ladies'] to use men's language. Women were considered mentally, morally, emotionally, constitutionally (in a physical sense), and legally inferior to men.
In Germany the phrase 'Kinder, Kirche, Kche' [children, church, kitchen] described what was believed to be woman's rightful place: in each, she was relegated to serve under man's control, for his benefit, and at his pleasure and direction. Thus, gender served to codify social behavior and relationships, through both proscription and prescription. It served to simplify life, by eliminating the need [or freedom] to make decisions regarding social structure and roles. These were 'givens': everyone knew their place - what was 'right', what to do in particular situations, how to act, think, and believe. These circumstances offered a steady, dependable arrangement that worked, and worked well enough - especially for those whom it most benefitted.
This is not to claim that women were totally devoid of power or space; but rather that, in comparison to men, they were treated less than equally. It has been said that men had, or took, first choice of the goods, and women got the leftovers. Gender served, too, to preserve an existing power structure that embodied one type of inequality among others that also existed (e.g., inequalities of wealth, position, race, ethnicity, age, etc.). Again, one's place in society was largely determined by traditional customs, beliefs, and practices. To beneficiaries of such systems, there was no perceived need for change; any possibility of change, in fact, represented a threat to their advantageous, privileged, position, and was therefore vigorously resisted. To them, 'change' implied potential losses of unquantifiable dimensions; loss of certainty, of security. Through numerous and various means, all sorts of mechanisms were utilized to ensure the stability and continuance of the status quo.
Despite its drawbacks, for most of us there are good things to be said about tradition. Life is an extremely complicated undertaking, and whatever helps simplify it can't be all bad. Otherwise, we couldn't get anything done. People like order in their lives - it makes life so much easier, understandable, and more secure: fewer surprises, we know what to expect. For this world is filled with visions of potential dangers and hurtful things. Those who have felt damaged by it are wary of risking the pain, rejection, and uncertainty inherent in pursuing new and little-traveled pathways. Likewise, they are reluctant to see their friends and loved ones suffer. If your prime objective in life is to be secure, then you probably like nothing better than order, rules, and firm, constant, predictability. Your credo might be: "Change can be dangerous; you never know what might happen!"
As for gender, most people consider themselves, and everyone else, as occupying one of two gender 'boxes'. Like the [formerly believed to be separate and immutable] physical laws of conservation of matter and conservation of energy, there is generally assumed to be operative a similar 'conservation of gender', which works along the following lines:
There are two kinds of gender. There is a one-to-one correspondence between people and gender, such that: you are born into a gender of one of these two kinds. You are raised in that gender. You will live the entire rest of your life in that gender. You will die in that gender. Your body will be buried in that gender. You will never leave that gender. You should not want to leave that gender; it is your birthright. For the everlasting good of Nature, Mankind [sic], God, and all that's good, right, and true, these rules will be obeyed. And enforced.
Now, substitute the word 'box' (or 'boxes', as appropriate) for 'gender' in the preceding paragraph. These 'boxes' are not physical, though their effects are widely manifested in physical ways. In that sense they are not 'real' - a philosopher would say they lack 'existential import'. But if they're not real, why do they cause us so much trouble?
Where do WE Fit In?
Simply put, we are people who feel so uncomfortable in the box to which we were assigned, that we take extraordinary measures to have ourselves reassigned to that other kind of box, where we believe we will be more comfortable. This constitutes a rather severe anomaly in the traditional social structure.
The historical pace of social change regarding gender and gender roles has focused primarily on redefining the boxes themselves, in order to bring them more into a state of parity, towards 'fairness' and equality. We see single custodial fathers, 'househusbands', women becoming increasingly active in the political arena, and, most noticeably, millions of women participating in the workforce. Most people - some grudgingly - have come to accept these trends. But the idea of people actually changing their sex/gender still remains a radical departure from acceptable norms; we are seen to occupy the outermost limits.
People make judgments based on what is familiar, what they are accustomed to: namely, the way they believe things should be. They defend their own self-images and personal world-views; they become enforcers of cultural values. When anomalies grow to reach levels that can no longer be 'safely' ignored, or tolerated, they are discouraged, or 'treated' away. If these anomalies still persist, they may then be cast out or, at last resort, eliminated - "out of sight, out of mind."
We are anomalies. It may seem to people that we invite the negative consequences of our 'actions', by purposely 'rocking the boat', as it were, by purposely bringing discomfort to everyone. They are either unable, or unwilling, to understand what we are about. "Couldn't you just go and do that, that transition thing, somewhere else? Or, better yet, just not do it at all?" Ah, would that life's difficulties were so easily resolved.
Finally, to go a step farther afield, there are those who resent being categorized by 'gender boxes' of any sort. They see these 'boxes' as artificial mental, or belief constructs that unnecessarily constrict the full range of expression of human experience. Kate Bornstein, in Gender Outlaw, explores this viewpoint in somewhat greater detail. Gender flexibility has also been explored in science fiction, as through various sorts of 'shape shifters' and the like, some of whom have gathered and enjoy substantial followings.
The Dream and the Reality - Divergence:
The dream, in twenty-five words or less, is to successfully assimilate yourself and incorporate yourself into one of those other kind of boxes from the one you were born in. And [ideally] to do it in such a way that nobody else knows (or ever finds out); in such a way that even you might [somehow] come to believe that whatever may have happened in the past doesn't matter. Or, in stranger moments, may never really have happened the way you once believed. The reality is, things can't be done that way.
In mathematics, as in thermodynamics, there exist the concepts of point functions and path functions. The values that describe a point function depend only upon its [current] position in whatever multi-dimensional [phase] space it resides. Values associated with a path function, by contrast, depend upon how it got to be where it is: history counts for everything. Perhaps in our dreams, we would like to think of ourselves as purely [existential] point functions; or, with a little fudging, as path functions allowed [forced?] to alter our previous trajectories, retroactively.
The reality is otherwise. We all carry histories, and many situations force us to come face-to-face with them. This is probably what gives others the most trouble in dealing with us: their (and/or our) inability to deal with reality. We don't fit into the old boxes. This puzzles and frightens people about us. They may question our motives, our morals, our emotional and mental stability - our very suitability for leading productive lives as integral members of society. Too often, in confusion or dismay, uncertainty or fear, they dissociate themselves from us.
In all likelihood, these developments are not essential elements of our initial 'dream'. In all likelihood, these judgments are based on uninformed assumptions, by people who don't know us; or based on previous experience with us [or our former selves] by people who do [or did] know us. In all likelihood, if we wish to [continue to] establish/maintain relationships with these people, we'd better be able to explain ourselves to them, to their satisfaction. Regardless of whose 'fault' it is, this is not easy and may not be feasible.
The Dream and the Reality - Convergence:
In the ideal, we strive to reach beyond these issues; to reach a point where others accept us fully, unquestioningly; to still that small, persistent internal voice of disquiet each of us carries. To overcome that deathly concern with how others perceive us, treat us, relate to us, accept us. Accept us as...what? Or, more properly, whom? Each of us is a who, not a what. We're each a person, a unique individual. And we must learn, in turn, to accept others as they are, in order to work with them, not against them. Some of us may not yet be ready to accept this.
In a larger sense, our task is to bring our dreams to fruition, into 'reality'. We are agents of change. Agents of change are necessary in this world. They (we) are often misunderstood, and seldom appreciated. Accept this. It is an aspect of 'reality'. In part, the task of an agent of change is to break down some of the barriers that separate people from one another. Sometimes, the appearance is that we are doing just the opposite of this. But barriers cannot be overcome unless they are brought up to the level of consciousness, to recognition. Healing takes place in light, not under cover of darkness.
It doesn't really matter what kind of spaceship you have, as long as it gets you to where you [believe you] want, or need, to go, and helps you to accomplish what you need to do. It doesn't have to be the biggest, fastest, brightest, prettiest, latest model, or have all the fantastic gadgetry money can buy that technology makes available. It really doesn't matter, either, whether you are Feline, Canine, Avian, Human, Vulcan, or Klingon (Kirk's long-time sworn enemies, who - we all know - became Picard's allies in a New Generation), or Romulan, or whatever. None of these things really matter, as long as you appreciate that you are a sacred Child of the Universe, a seeker, a traveler; and act accordingly, respecting yourself and others in equal dignity.
But you must go forth, boldly! Go where you gotta go, do what you gotta do, be who you gotta be. Pax vobiscum. Safe journey, Space Fans, wherever you are. And - oh yes, lest we forget: live long and prosper!
"Why are we now travelling into space? Why indeed do we trouble to look past the next mountain? Our prime obligation to ourselves is to make the unknown known. We are on a journey to keep an appointment with whatever we are." Gene Roddenberry (1921-1991)
Sexual Behaviour and Security Risk: Background Information for Security Personnel By Richards J. Heuer, Jr. CIA Executive Summary There is today no community consensus on value judgments regarding sexual practices or how these practices should be evaluated in a national security context. Conflicting interpretations of sexual behavior that were widely accepted during earlier time periods continue to influence the public psyche, the legal code, and organizational practices.
The record of past espionage cases and the bulk of scientific research suggest that the connection between sexual behavior and personnel security is more complex than a simple notion that "normal" sex is acceptable but"nonconforming" sexual practices are a security risk. Self-control, social maturity, strength of character, and overall psychological adjustment are more important security indicators than the specific sexual practices in which people engage.
This report identifies criteria for relating sexual behavior to security risk. Specifically, sexual behavior may be of security concern when it is criminal, when it is compulsive or out of control or indicates a personality disorder, when it exposes the individual to pressure or coercion, or when it is notorious. Sexual behavior offers such a significant window into an individual's psyche that it may also serve as an indicator of broader emotional problems. The bulk of the report provides background information on the nature, causes, and prevalence of a wide variety of sexual behaviors. It then discusses security concerns that may or may not be associated with these behaviors.
Sexual behavior of any type, including "normal" heterosexual intercourse between consenting adults, is a security concern if it is compulsive and out of control. Indicators that sexual behavior may he out of control are seeking sex as a means of coping with problems of loneliness, stress, anxiety, low self esteem, pain, or sleeplessness; an obsession with sex that dominates one's life, including sexual fantasies that interfere with work performance; so much time devoted to planning sexual activity that it interferes with other activities; feelings of shame about one's sexual behavior; a feeling of powerlessness or inability to stop despite predictable adverse consequences; inability to make a commit went to a loving relationship; extreme dependence upon a relationship as a basis for feelings of self-worth; or little emotional satisfaction gained from the sex act.
It is not the frequency or type of sexual activity or number of partners that is of greatest significance, but a pattern of out of control behavior that causes problems for the individual with employment, health, marriage, social relationships, or the law, or that causes a significant lowering of self esteem.
The report discusses the origins of homosexuality and cites research conclusions that being homosexual does not predispose one to unreliability, disloyalty, or untrustworthiness. Lifestyles of homosexuals are as varied as heterosexual lifestyles. Homosexuality does not by definition reflect poor judgment, nor is it an emotional disorder. To the extent that it is concealed, homosexuality may cause a person to be vulnerable to threats of exposure, but not necessarily more so than the adulterer or any other person who conceals an embarrassing personal secret.
For these reasons, sexual orientation alone is not an appropriate basis for security concern. However, the regular "cruising" associated with some homosexual lifestyles does involve a degree of promiscuity and sexual indiscretion which is difficult to reconcile with some security requirements, especially if the individual may travel or be assigned abroad.
To protect employee rights to privacy and civil liberties, adjudication of sexual behavior needs to be based on demonstrable security concerns, not on commonly accepted myths or the personal moral values of individual adjudicators. This will be aided by improved understanding of the wide diversity of human sexual behavior and the specific connections between various forms of sexual behavior and security risk.
Findings in this report suggest a need to rethink criteria for evaluating a number of forms of atypical sexual behavior, some of which may be unrelated to security risk. The report reinforces the importance of case-by-case judgments rather than automatic disqualification of some categories; this emphasizes the need for qualified medical expertise in making many of these judgments.
Transsexualism, literally, means going from one sex to another. A transsexual experiences strong discomfort with his or her biological sex. There is a conviction that, mentally, one is a man trapped in a woman's body, or a woman trapped in a man's body. As with other gender and sexual anomalies, this occurs with varying degrees of severity. In more extreme cases, it may result in a request for a sex change operation, which is usually granted only after the person has spent at least two years living as a member of the preferred sex. In the United States, several thousand people have undergone surgery to change (insofar as possible) their external genitalia to that of the opposite sex.
Transsexuals generally also suffer from a moderate to severe personality disturbance. They frequently report anxiety or depression, which they may attribute to inability to live in the role of the desired sex. Any associated personality or adjustment problems would be a security concern. Transsexuals sometimes take strong doses of hormones, and this entails some risk; testosterone, for example, can cause people to become aggressive.
Prevalence of transsexualism is estimated at one per 30,000 for males and one per 100,000 for females. The wish to be a member of the opposite sex commonly dates back to one's earliest childhood memory. The young child may make very emotional assertions that he or she is the other sex. Cross-dressing normally begins early in life, as do play which is more typical of the opposite gender and choice of playmates exclusively of the opposite gender. Although transsexuals almost invariably report having these gender identity problems in childhood, most children who report these problems do not grow up to be transsexuals. The transsexual tends to be asexual and may be so aversive to the genitals that there is a reluctance to touch them to masturbate. Attempted self-mutilation is not uncommon. Transsexuals are usually attracted sexually to members of the same biological gender, but they perceive themselves as heterosexual as they are themselves in the wrong body. One would assume, intuitively, that the U.S. military is the last place one would find transsexuals. Actually, there are grounds for speculating that transsexuals may be more common than expected in the military. An Air Force psychiatrist assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base reported evaluating 11 male transsexuals during his 3-year tour there. Eight were current or former active duty military personnel, while three were civilians. Of the eight who had extensive military service, seven had joined the service voluntarily at a time when no draft existed or other options were readily available. All were requesting either female hormones or sex reassignment surgery.
Young male transsexuals in the throes of adjusting to their situation appear to go through a hypermasculine phase in which they try to purge the feminine side of their personality and prove their masculinity both to themselves and others. Transsexuals pass through this hypermasculine stage during late adolescence and early adult years, which coincides with the time when men consider military service. Quotes from taped interviews with military transsexuals are typical: "I tried to do things to make me feel more masculine, like joining the Navy and getting married." "I thought it would make a man out of me." "I joined the Navy hoping maybe the problem would go away." "I joined the Air Force as a cover. In uniform, my masculinity would not he questioned." Also typical is the civilian doctor who advised one young man who had come to him for treatment of feminine feelings to "join the Army, go to boot camp, and learn how to run over trees with a tank." These military transsexuals tend to seek out the more macho military specialties. One who had been assigned as a lab technician volunteered for combat-helicopter training during the peak of the Vietnam war; his hobbies were mountain climbing and race car driving. Another became a Green Beret. These are natural choices for the young transsexual in the hypermasculine phase making a last ditch effort to adjust to what society expects from a male. This effort eventually fails in many cases, however, and transsexual urges return, although transsexuals have had successful military careers of 20 years or more.
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 phone(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 phone(860)657-4344 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 phone(215) 630-1437 TV & TS Support Group and newsletter
TGIC - Transgenderists' Independence Club P.O.Box 13604, Albany, NY 12212-3604 (518) 436-4513 meets (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 phone(404) 939-0244 (eves and weekends).Publisher of a TS Newsletter.
HBIGDA The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association, Inc. The International association 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 Info 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 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.
The Newsletter "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
