A prime example of hate literature. The author is just trying to feel better by belittling those who are vulnerable to her attacks.

For Janice Raymond, transsexualism isn't a theoretical issue, it's personal. When The Transsexual Empire first appeared in 1979, she tookd the show on the road, attempting to convince the government and anyone else who would listen to outlaw sex reassignment. According to an interview in the late magazine TransSisters, all this bile and malevolence came from an unrequited romance with a transwoman. Considering the hostility she shows toward transsexuals in Empire, it's difficult to imagine Raymond doesn't have a personal issue, whether with having been attracted to a transsexual or having inclinications in that direction herself.

Raymond's invective is apparent in the first few pages, when she says, of physician and tennis player Renee Richards, "it takes castrated balls to play women's tennis." No bias there. Uh-uh.

Raymond's primary problem with transsexuals is that she expects them to singlehandedly destroy the binary gender system-- while she constructs her own gender identity so as to appear unambiguously female. News flash, Janice Raymond-- transsexuals have no special obligation to fight your fights. Most want only a little personal happiness and have no responsibility to tear down gender barriers for you (although many do).

I could understand Raymond's rant if it were published as opinion-- but it purports to be a scientific study. There's evidence that contrary to her claims, she did no interviews at all.

What's scary isn't that Raymond is so crazy, but that so many people listened to her, that so many have lacked the ability to differentiate vendetta from science.

Raymond's thesis is a very stimulating discussion of the transsexual "solution". Most of the reviews here obviously have soem investment in supporting a biological approach to what even a majority of physicians see as a psychological issue. While it may be popular, "liberal" and "progressive" to support surgical transgender changes, these "solutions" are far from proven effective.

Raymond's book gives a fresh perspective to the issue. Her approach is very feminist and anti-patriarchal. So what? She makes some good points about the issues. Her arguments also have implications that go beyond transsexualism to questions of society's take on what is appropriate for each gender.

If you aren't afraid of discussion, then Raymond's ideas are interesting to explore. Especially a good book to read along with "As Nature Made Him" by John Colapinto and Christine Jorgenson's autobiography.