Customer Reviews

Normal: Transsexual CEOs, Crossdressing Cops, and Hermaphrodites with Attitude

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This lucid book surprised me twice: first, when it exposed me to valuable information I'd never seen before despite a lifetime of study of sexual deviance and, second, when it entertained me with a quality of writing rarely seen. Amy Bloom is, without doubt, an extraordinary writer capable of graceful prose.

Her inquiry into the three subjects of transexualism, transvestism and intersexuality mirrors that of an investigative journalist or probing sociologist: Bloom went into the field, conducted extensive first- and secondhand research and brought home interesting and unexpected insights. No matter how familiar you are with any of these subjects, you will learn something new and useful from this book.

And the pleasure of reading it makes the book doubly enjoyable.

In "Normal", Bloom chronicles her journey into understanding female-to-male transsexuals, heterosexual male crossdressers, and the intersexed. Intersexuality is the more preferred term than hermaphroditism. Intersexed babies are those born with genitals that are not as easily identifiable as either male or female, so doctors and surgeons perform often unnecessary and traumatizing surgery to force the baby to conform to what society and the medical community believe the standards to be. Bloom ultimately finds that our notions of what is normal are very constrained, and are much more variegated than the general population believes. By getting beyond the medical and technical jargon and interviewing the people in these categories, she discovers that even in minority groups like these, there are differences between the individuals, so she must dispel her own expectationss about commonalities within minorities. "Normal" is a wonderful introduction into understanding the human varieties on the margins, as well as understanding what is normal.

After a popular novel and two stunning collections of short stories, psychotherapist and fiction writer Amy Bloom turns an eye toward gender, and her new non-fiction book is a knockout. Made up of three individual essays and an Afterword called "On Nature," Bloom examines issues of gender that are outside what most of society calls "normal." In "The Body Lies: Female-to-Male Transsexuals," we are introduced to a number of people born genetically male who are living as women (with or without sex reassignment surgery); in the section on "Heterosexual Crossdressers," we learn about manly men who, at times, enjoy dressing in feminine garb; the last segment, "Hermaphrodites with Attitude," is about people born with ambiguous "genital anomalies." The author interviewed numerous transsexuals, crossdressers, and intersexed people as well as doctors, educators, sex researchers, and others to give readers an engrossing glimpse at the confusion, prejudice, and misunderstanding that occurs when people are not so easily boxed into categories of "male" or "female." With a deft touch and a wry sense of humor, Bloom makes a cogent argument for acceptance and understanding. In a segment that will no doubt be much quoted, she writes, "(O)ur mistake is in thinking that the wide range of humanity represents aberration when in fact it represents just what it is: range. Nature is not two little notes on a child's flute; Nature is more like Aretha Franklin: vast, magnificent, capricious-occasionally hilarious-and infinitely varied" (p. 149)

Anyone interested in a combination of delightful writing style and keen insight about issues of gender will find this book fascinating. I highly recommend it.

this book is not for those who have any real experience/knowledge of gender issues, but this is a great introduction to three basic gender 'differences': transsexualism, crossdressing, and the intersexed.

bloom doesn't come off as sensation or polemical or academic - which seem to be the general choices with writings about gender.

she does not by any means manage an exhaustive report, of course: the world of the transgendered is far too complex to manage that, but she does a fair job. these read like the long magazine articles they are, & i would have appreciated a little more in the way of her 'afterword' - that is, more of her thoughts, definitions, a little more of the civil rights issues at stake, etc.

but for what it is, a decent-enough read.

Amy Bloom's latest book, Normal, gives those of us who are familiar with her fiction another opportunity to luxuriate in her distinctive, elegant prose. Those not familiar with Bloom's work are in for a rare treat: a book which employs this writer's considerable talents (as both a psychotherapist and an artist) for an attentive and comprehensive examination of people whose lives include (but are not limited by) transgender, crossdressing and intersex issues. Bloom doesn't create "characters" in her exploration of these people; instead, she puts her artistry to work in giving voice to the living, breathing human beings who have the same range of responses as there are fascinating situations in this book.

Normal is compassionate, compelling and relevant.

Buy it and read it.

This book was my introduction to Amy Bloom.
She is an extraordinarily gifted writer.
This book arrived quickly and in good shape.

Normal flows logically from her clever crossdressing denouement in Come To Me - an unequivocally straight view tempered by a transcending humanism.

As usual, Bloom's prose is witty, engrossing and tight as a snare drum. She mixes her personal views, field quotes and historical backdrops like a hit record pro. The first two essays, on FtM transsexualism and MtF CDing, provide her book with its sharp polarity. Regarding the former, Bloom concludes, "I met men"; regarding the latter, Bloom allows they "are as far from gender warriors and feminists as George W. himself" - and she nails it each time. (This brings up a questionable subtext, though: Bloom, via her editing, seems to suggest that it's 'easier' to be a man because they're 'simpler.' There's no way enough material visited or studied in this slim, amusing book to justify that view.) The Intersex chapter, alas, has far fewer quotes, providing essentially a podium for ISNA (which is cool).

Bloom approaches her topic from the outside, and it is her ladylike skepticism that gives Normal its confiding, maternal touch.

After a popular novel and two stunning collections of short stories, psychotherapist and fiction writer Amy Bloom turns an eye toward gender, and her new non-fiction book is a knockout. Made up of three individual essays and an Afterword called "On Nature," Bloom examines issues of gender that are outside what most of society calls "normal." In "The Body Lies: Female-to-Male Transsexuals," we are introduced to a number of people born genetically male who are living as women (with or without sex reassignment surgery); in the section on "Heterosexual Crossdressers," we learn about manly men who, at times, enjoy dressing in feminine garb; the last segment, "Hermaphrodites with Attitude," is about people born with ambiguous "genital anomalies." The author interviewed numerous transsexuals, crossdressers, and intersexed people as well as doctors, educators, sex researchers, and others to give readers an engrossing glimpse at the confusion, prejudice, and misunderstanding that occurs when people are not so easily boxed into categories of "male" or "female." With a deft touch and a wry sense of humor, Bloom makes a cogent argument for acceptance and understanding. In a segment that will no doubt be much quoted, she writes, "(O)ur mistake is in thinking that the wide range of humanity represents aberration when in fact it represents just what it is: range. Nature is not two little notes on a child's flute; Nature is more like Aretha Franklin: vast, magnificent, capricious-occasionally hilarious-and infinitely varied" (p. 149) Anyone interested in a combination of delightful writing style and keen insight about issues of gender will find this book fascinating. I highly recommend it.

The jewel here is the section on crossdressers. It is entertaining and dead on. You see, I used to be a crossdresser--until I became a woman. One thing that so many of my sisters don't want you to know, and don't want to remember themselves, is that most transsexuals (at least the ones who weren't gay when we were men) began as straight crossdressers. As adolescents, we discovered that it was intensely erotic to wear panties, bras, and other lingerie. We did this in private, and we looked into a mirror, and we masturbated. As we grew older, the intense sexuality of this experience diminished (but did not disappear), and we discovered that we were gratified to venture out (no longer in lingerie but in skirts, nylons, and blouses). Some of us were able to enlist our wives in this activity.

Unlike so many social scientists, Amy Bloom sees what is in front of her face. These crossdressing men--just like me before them--say that they have a feminine side, which she cannot see. What she does see is the intense eroticism of their activity (for them that is). Why is it a turn on to be appraised by others as a beautiful woman? The answer is autogynephilia, which is what we all have. Autogynephilia is being turned on by the idea that you are a woman. For a good introduction to this concept read The Man Who Would Be Queen.

Also look at Deirdre McCloskey's autobiography, Crossing: A Memoir. She used to be just like the men in Normal. Like me, she made the decision to go further, and she became a woman. But there is nothing fundamentally different between those men and us.

The rest of Normal is okay but not nearly as compelling. Thus the four stars.

Wow, another book on the TG world (anticipation, anticipation)! Then -- letdown. Just imagine how your maiden aunt, or a conservative suburban club-woman, might see the transgendered world of (mostly) early Baby-Boomers as filtered through the observations of a TG-bashing mentor, i.e. the self-styled Canadian "sex scientist" Ray Blanchard. Sorry, it just doesn't live up to its promise as a fitting explication of the subject, and its WAY too short to do so, even had it gone seriously into understanding TG/TS/CD folk. A work of clever opinion, but little social merit. My significant other and I had a few good laughs over this one.