Queer n There	Queer n There Archive

Orthodox Jewish men begin each day with a prayer that includes thanking God for being born male. Those for whom such a prayer goes unanswered have a lot of work to do. So it's no surprise female-to-male transsexuals, like other birds of uncommon feather, flock together. But like seagulls, who favor coasts, never before have they swarmed and alighted upon the Midwest for a national confab. The first-ever happens March 29th to April 1st thanks to a Milwaukee group called FORGE (that's "For Ourselves: Reworking Gender Expression").

W

View our poll archive

ho's invited to FORGE-Forward? FTM+'s and their SOFFAs. That is to say, anyone on the path from female to male, whatever their psychological or physical station-of-the-cross (that's the "plus" part), and "Significant Others, Friends, Family, and Allies."

Even if you never thought of yourself in those terms, FORGE-Forward is like a university course-catalog chock full of fascinating offerings, from gender-bending in Africa to negotiating American bureaucracy as a sex-befuddler in the era of Homeland Security. Let's sample the smorgasbord.

"Are You Ready For The Chest-Reconstruction Stage of Your Transition from Female to Male?" is the question posed in a workshop with Dr. James Reardon. "From minimally-invasive procedures, such as simple liposuction, to advanced surgical methods for the more extensive reconstruction of very large 38- to 40D-plus breasts, Dr. Reardon has the in-depth experience that allows him to hand-tailor these techniques and technologies to correct your particular problems and to enhance your unique self-image." Hats off-- or shall we say brassieres?-- to Dr. Reardon.

You'll want to follow up with "Chest Surgery Show-and-Tell," whose organizers note that "The Internet has made it much easier to view photos of chest-surgery results, but there's still no substitute for seeing those results in person."

If scalpels offend, consider hormones at "FTM Hormonal Treatment: Beyond 101." This course has prerequisites: "Topics will include greater detail about hormone physiology (including a discussion of congenital adrenal hyperplasia), risk-benefit analysis for hysterectomy in transgender men, and hormonal medications other than testosterone."

Hormone imbalances or no, even cowboys get the blues, and sometimes it's the "Trans-Enough Blues." Workshop leader Eli Green offers a hand if you're in a funk wondering whether "you aren't trans enough? That your choices about surgery or hormones make you 'less trans' than other trans-identified people? Or that your genderqueer identity makes your presence in the trans community less valid than 'real' trans-identified people?"

"You are what you love" is a thought especially appealing to "FTMs Who are Attracted to Men, and the Men Who Love Them." That's the name of a session exploring the situation of the "female-to-male transmen [who] find that they are attracted to men, either exclusively or to a significant degree. Like gay and bisexual biomales, they face different problems dating and finding a mate than their trans brothers who are attracted to women. FTMs who are partnered to men before and through transition may find their new presentation is a challenge to their significant others. Such couples face coming out as same-sex couples, sometimes in difficult social settings. They may also have children who are less than enthusiastic about their moms' transitions."

Clearly, sometimes what you love gets you into a tight spot. One of them is suggested by the workshop, "My Boifriend Was a Lesbian Separatist: Bridging the Gap Between Various Feminist Discourse Communities." Here get an airing such touchy subjects as, "Is it possible to remain a part of a lesbian-separatist community if you identify as an FTM? Did you find you had a hard time accessing this community due to your femme identity/presentation? Do you identify as female and queer but have a hard time finding community because your FTM partner is stealth?"

Wisconsin doesn't hide its unkosher love of butter, cheese, and sausage. If a visit to a city in one of the fattest US states gets you down, you'll perk up at "Full-Body BDSM: When Size is an Advantage." Workshop leader Corey Alexander relates how "full-body BDSM play is about using your whole body as a tool to inflict sensation on willing victims. The bigger the body, the more options you have. The sting of a slap on the cheek. The slam of a boot in the thigh. The intense thud of a punch to the pecs. The bite of a pinch on the nipple. The invasion of teeth on the neck. Body slams. Light strokes. Tonguing skin. Nails on the back. Your whole body can be a sex toy."

Not inappropriately for a conference in a city surrounded by dairy farms, there's a workshop on "Confronting Metronormativity." Complains Q. Gaynor, "All too often, my trans allies living in cities view my rural-dwelling neighbors as violent, queerphobic, racist, ignorant, and/or vulgar"-- propositions one presumes will be demonstrated as false, much as FORGE-Forward, as a whole, will demonstrate as true that what the Goddesses do not provide, man can invent. Call FORGE at 414-559-2123, browse to Forge-forward.org , or e-mail conference@forge-forward.org to find out more.

Author Profile:  Bill Andriette
Bill Andriette is features editor of The Guide
Email:	theguide@guidemag.com