Wrapping Dreams in Lavender |
Gregory was only five when he knew he should have been born a girl. But it took till his mid-50s to harness the courage to become Susan. The gender he knew he was in his brain was different to the sex of his genitals. This is now known to be a medical rather than psychological condition but is still commonly confused with cross-dressing - where people dress as the opposite sex to fulfil a psychological need. For Susan this diagnosis of transsexualism was a godsend. But for Mary, his wife, it was devastating.
This program was a finalist in the Australian Human Rights Media Awards for Radio.
Wrapping Dreams in Lavendar was produced by Kirsti Melville of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's "Street Stories" division. It airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
Links:
Laura's Playground: Worldwide Transgender Support Groups
A list of transgender, transsexual, cross-dresser and transvestite support groups around the world.
Transsexualism: A Primer
Learn what transsexualism is and the challenges that transsexual people face in society.
The Transsexual Person in Your Life
Responses to frequently-asked questions about transsexualism.
Books:
Call Me Kate: The Story of Katherine Marlowe, a Transexual by: Nelson 2000 A story about a transexual and his obstacles with society.
In a Queer Time and Place: Transgender Bodies, Subcultural Lives by: Judith Halberstam 2005 A study of how transgenders are depicted in mainstream culture.
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