Transformations
Mariette Pathy Allen 1989
ALL TR 1989
Three
to five percent of the adult male population of
the United States feels the need, at least
occasionally, to wear women's clothing. From
corporation presidents to workers, musicians,
policemen, and bus drivers, these men represent the
full range of American society. They live in the
fanciest suburbs and the toughest barrios: they
teach Sunday school, lead Boy Scout troops, and
are members of the Kiwanis Club. The majority of
these men are heterosexual, a higher percentage
than the national average, and are husbands,
fathers, and grandfathers.
Transformations is a book of photographs and
interviews with these men who depend on feminine
imagery to reach full personality expression. The
crossdresser often sees his femme creation as his
better half - the kinder, more charming person who
has greater access to feelings and a greater ability
to enjoy life. In the desire to find release from the
straightjacket of a strictly defined masculine role,
some may adopt an equally defined feminine
stereotype. Others may reach a synthesis of the two.
This is a radical subculture dressed in fifties
apparel.
The book features both color and black-and-white
photographs depicting these individuals and their
relationships with family members and others of their
community. These images are as tender as they
are powerful, and this provocative study reveals a
fascinating subculture that challenges the concept of
male identity.
After a wonderful two-page introduction, and an
eighteen-page photo essay showing the diversity of
crossdressers, there are 32 personal profiles with both
text and photos.
Gloria Steinem, author, feminist, and co-creator of Ms.
magazine says "Anyone concerned with human
wholeness as a goal and the sex role prisons that still
fragment both women and men should be fascinated
with Transformations: Crossdressers and Those Who
Love Them."