Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation

~edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman

I was incredibly excited when I discovered, completely by accident, the upcoming publication of Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation, edited by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman, both of whom are transgender trailblazers and activists. Bornstein wrote Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us in 1994 and the book made a huge impact on me when I read it a few years ago. I wasn't even aware that the collection Gender Outlaws was even in the works until I happened to spy its eye-catching cover on a Seal Press' list of books available for review. I requested a copy and was absolutely thrilled when it arrived in the mail. Released in 2010, Gender Outlaws was published sixteen years after Gender Outlaw, hence the book's subtitle, The Next Generation (occasionally referred to as "genderation" in the text.)

Gender Outlaws collects fifty-five short works by fifty-seven creators, including Bornstein and Bergman. The contributions are roughly divided into five vaguely thematic groupings: Part One, "Do I look like an outlaw to you." Part Two, "Being reconfigured is not the same as being reimagined." Part Three, "...which is why I'm as cute as I happen to be." Part Four, "It might not be a picnic, but there's a great buffet." and Part Five, "And still we rise." Also included are acknowledgments and sections devoted to the individual contributors and editors. Each piece is rather short--none are over twenty pages long and most are only five or so pages with plenty that are even less.

Gender Outlaws contains some powerful stuff. Generally, I expect these sorts of collections to vary in quality from piece to piece, but every one of these was strong. Certainly some spoke more to me on a personal level than others, but I was able to take something away from each offering. It's difficult for me to choose a favorite (really, they all were fantastic), but probably the piece that stood out most for me was "trancension," a comic by Katie Diamond and Johnny Blazes. Some entries were amusing, some charming, some heartbreaking, some challenging, but they were all unique and worthwhile. Overall, the collection is very positive and forward thinking although it doesn't ignore the problems, issues, and challenges that trans and queer folk still face today. Happily, things have progressed since Bornstein wrote Gender Outlaw which is one of the reasons this collection was created.

What most impressed me about Gender Outlaws was the wide variety and diversity exhibited by the content and creators. More than three hundred people submitted work to be considered for the collection and Bornstein and Bergman have done a marvelous job in selecting and editing the pieces together into one book. I appreciated the different viewpoints and experiences that each contributor brought to Gender Outlaws; they didn't always agree on everything and I found that to be illuminating and valuable in and of itself. A whole spectrum of gender identity, sexualities, religions, nationalities, and more make up the list of creators. I also loved the range of work included in Gender Outlaws, everything from academic essays to creative nonfiction, poetry, transcripts, and comics. Regardless what form it takes, each entry is intensely personal and makes Gender Outlaws an absolutely fabulous collection.

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Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us

~by Kate Bornstein

I've been meaning to read Kate Bornstein's Gender Outlaw for the last couple of years--even more so now that I've read Hello, Cruel World and have seen Kate in performance. I finally got to it.

Gender Outlaw is an exploration of gender (especially in the United States) as from the perspective of a person who was born male and had a sex reassignment surgery in adulthood, only to later discover that being female didn't quite fit or work either. Kate came to the conclusion that gender is not a strict binary as we've often been taught or coerced into believing, but that it is a vibrant continuum.

If I had read this book earlier in my life, it would have totally blown my mind and it would have been a very, very good thing form me. As it is, having already been exposed to various genders and sexualities, I was not taken aback--in fact, I found some of my own thinking reaffirmed. The book is a very accessible introduction to the discussion of gender. I can see how this book and this discussion would be offensive to some people, but Kate is adamant that this is only one person's point of view and that not everyone adheres or agree with it, trans or otherwise.

The prose isn't linear--it bounces between three sections: the main text, side notes and commentary, and quotations from other sources. Each of these sections has its own formatting and font. At first it seemed fragmentary, but ultimately the pieces created a cohesive whole. I got this same feeling from Kate's performance. In fact, the performance that I saw was very reminiscent of the book and several pieces came directly from it (or perhaps it was the other way around, I'm not sure.) The script of Kate's play, Hidden: A Gender, has been included as well as an additional afterword written for the paperback edition.

Originally published in 1994, Gender Outlaw still has a lot to offer, especially to those who have had little exposure to transgender issues. While transpeople and their lives have become more visible in recent years, there is still ground to be gained in this area. Not all will agree with Kate's position regarding gender (and some will vehemently disagree), but I think that this book provides an excellent place to begin that conversation. I find all of Kate's work to be honest, and despite the serious topics, filled with a fair amount of lightheartedness which make them extremely effective.

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Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws

~by Kate Bornstein
2006 Lambda Literary Award

Kate Bornstein's most recent book, despite its heavy subject, is a quirky and even fun little volume. While initially written for and aimed towards teenagers, the title and book was expanded to incorporate "freaks and other outlaws" as well, since the information offered is really invaluable regardless of age.

Part 1 serves as an introduction of sorts--to Kate, to the subject, and to the book--almost as if initiating a conversation with the reader. In Hello, Cruel Me we learn Kate's personal story and history and how it can apply to other people's struggles. Which is why this book was written, making it a deeply personal work. Hello, Cruel Bullies addresses issues of power and a society that demands people be either/or, regardless that nothing is ever really that black and white. Hello, Cruel Desire touches on how desire can be a positive source of motivation, but also on how it can be rather problematic.

Then comes Part 2, the real substance of the book. First is the Hello Cruel Quick Start Guide. Here Kate offers seven fairly well-accepted and sanctioned strategies that are recommended above the less unorthodox alternatives. But, it is noted that these strategies don't always work, or stop working after a time. That's when it's time to switch to something different, something that works even if its temporary. There is only one rule according to Kate, "Don't be mean. Anything else goes, anything at all."

With that, the 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks, and Other Outlaws commences. And they are just that--alternatives. Some are more positive, life and self-affirming options while others are more dangerous or even illegal. But, if it makes life worth living, even when considering the possible consequences, keep doing it.

Kate's beliefs and points of view are not particularly mainstream and some people might find them irredeemable and even offensive. Individual freedom and the expression of personal identity, regardless of society's (and other's) blessing or approval is very important and emphasized. Personally, I find Kate's approach and perspectives refreshing and compelling. Sex, sexuality, and gender play a major role in Hello, Cruel World, partially because this is what Kate knows and typically writes about, but also because these issues tend to be very important to self identity.

This is the first book I've read by Kate Bornstein. After reading it, and getting a chance to meet Kate in person, I definitely plan on reading more. Hello, Cruel World was funky and vibrant, just like remarkable Kate. While I was a little hesitant to read it at the beginning (mostly because of my own experience with depression and other people "trying to help"), even before the end I knew that what I was holding was a marvelous and potentially life-saving book. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

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