Customer Reviews

In Search of Eve: Transsexual Rites of Passage

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I've read this book five times now. I learn more every time I read it. If you are a confused person of what and how to concieve your transistion, read this book. There is no mistake of what Anne Bolin is saying in this book, that she understands the interactions of Transsexuals and their journey's.

On the whole I really liked the book. It was fairly informative, however fairly dry, as it was written from a anthropological point of view.

The two major issues that I had with it were that some of the information is dated, but not terribly. Most of the information is about 10 years old at the moment. The thing that bother me more about it is that it has a somewhat narrowed view on transsexualism. Admittedly, this is due to the fact that it was written about a group of approximately 15 transsexuals, in one city, belonging to the Berdache society, but at several points it sounds as if this covers the entire gammut.

Points that I really liked, though. It was very informative, including personal insights from the women, measurments showing effects of hormone therapy, a few methods on transition, etc. The major item with this is that although, yes, it is a rather scientific discussion, it was written from an inside viewpoint, by someone who had befriended the women and supported them. At no point was she in any position to act as the gatekeeper, and so has a very unique insight to transsexual thought that most psychologists and therapists miss out on due to their position during transition.

It discusses how the group rapidly distributed information about therapists, who would write letters of reccomend, how to behave, etc. I found it refreshing, especially with the more realistic surveys done, showing that, although many therapists find that transsexuals are more femminine than many natural females, that without that gatekeeper position intruding on test results, they fell into a close-to-natural-female category.

I highly recommend this for anyone trying to understand the transsexual mind a little better, due to the closer relationship with the women involved. I would not consider it a be-all-end-all answer, but it does have great information regarding aspects that other authors miss.

The leading feminist ethnographer and sexologist researcher in the US in Transgender Studies made her mark with this groundbreaking text on MTW (MTF) transsexuality. Bolin writes that we need better "rites of passage" for gender transitioning. Ones that are not hyper-psycho-medicalized. Ones that do not make of transwomen diseases and disorders.

Using Victor Turner's "rites of passage" theme throughout her reflexive analyses of transwomen's lives was and still is ground-breaking in Transgender Studies. Bolin is one of the first feminist sexologists who unapologetically succeeds in reframing the defaming sexism of the Janice Raymond-type of insulting, but on point, arguments about the psycho-medical micro-management of transwomen.

This text does not seem to go out of date. It could be offered as a required text in feminist ethnography, sexology, Transgender Studies, gender studies, anthropology, and cultural studies. A thorough reading of Bolin's works that follow is recommended. Transwomen would find this text affirming and a primer for self-discovery.

Anne Bolin
In Search of Eve:
Transsexual Rites of Passage

(South Hadley, MA: Bergin & Garvey, 1988) 210 pages
(ISBN: 0897890825; hardcover)
(ISBN: 0897891155; paperback)
(Library of Congress call number: HQ77.9.B65 1988)

Original anthropological research based on two years
of being with 16 male-to-female transsexuals.
Bolin attempts to get beyond the standard transsexual story
that had to be told to doctors in order to be approved for a sex-change.
This sample of transsexuals does not conform to the stereotypes
expected by the early 'explanations' of transsexualism:
close mother-distant father,
being a sissy in childhood, hating one's penis.
Bolin gives considerable attention to the various processes
(social, educational, emotional, hormonal, surgical)
that the transsexuals must undergo
in order to emerge as complete women a few years later
--women's personality, emotional responses,
appearance, voice, hair, nails, walk, interests,
& perhaps marriage to a man and children by adoption.
This is an important document of the transsexual phenomenon
as seen by a participant-observer
who was not driven by any preconceived theory
of the 'causes' of transsexualism.

Search the Internet for other "BOOKS ON TRANSSEXUALISM".

Excellent book! Anne Bolin captures our journeys very well. Not the newest book available, however, it is still very relevant. The information remains helpful, and I found myself remembering going through many of the paths I had to go down, and many experiences I have had.
I recommend this book for anyone who is beginning their journey, and those who have completed their journey. It helps us remember what we have learned, and that there are those who can use our help and guidance. Learn and enjoy from this book my sisters!

This book is very important as it was the first book to accurately describe Transsexuals, both developmentally, psychosocially, and in the context of family and society. It exploded erroneous stereotypical "theory" promoted by the Psychoanalytic School and Radical Feminism (e.g. Benjiman, Stoller, Money, Green and Raymond) portraying transsexuals in the human context, more the same than different that any other person. While it does describe a small population, it's rich information gathered from an ethnomethodical approach using the tool of participant- observation stands as tall today as when first published in 1988. As a psychotherapist who has worked with more than 200 transgendered people, her research supports my own clinical observation that transsexuals are really no different generally than any other person presenting for treatment. That is to say, the majority fall within normal limits of mental health and show no more personality disturbance than any sample of patients I have worked with over the 30+ years that I have been in practice in a variety of settings from early childhood to gerentological populations and from outpatient treatment to those institutionalized in mental hospitals, forensic units and corrections settings.

Anyone interested in historical research for academic purposes, or to learn they are not alone in the world if they are transsexual should make this a must read.

Micahel G. Tancyus, LCSW, DCSW
Diplomate in Clinical Social Work

If you want Dramatic stories, this is NOT the book. But if you want a good 0verall view of the multiple dimensions of Transsexualism, This is a GOOD place to start.

The statitics of butch/femme/androgny are interesting and fly in the face of some conventional (non-TS) wisdom. Or as I say to those who question my choice (rather butch), 'Goddess Forbid that a woman would wear things like Jeans, Tee-shirts and Birkenstocks'.