The Man Who Would Be Queen: The Science of Gender-Bending and Transsexualism (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An associate professor of psychology at Northwestern University, Bailey writes with assuredness that often makes difficult, abstract material-the relationship between sexual orientation and gender affect, the origins of homosexuality and the theoretical basis of how we discuss sexuality-comprehensible. He also, especially in his portraits of the women and men he writes about, displays a deep empathy that is frequently missing from scientific studies of sexuality. But Bailey's scope is so broad that when he gets down to pivotal constructs, as in detailing the data of scientific studies such as Richard Green's about "feminine boys" or Dean Hamer's work on the so-called "gay gene," the material is vague, and not cohesive. Bailey tends towards overreaching, unsupported generalizations, such his claim that "regardless of marital laws there will always be fewer gay men who are romantically attached" or that the African-American community is "a relatively anti-gay ethnic minority." Add to this the debatable supposition that innate "masculine" and "feminine" traits, in the most general sense of the words, decidedly exist, and his account as a whole loses force.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...a highly interesting and very worthwhile book. In fact once I started I had difficulty putting down!" -- GLIP (Gay and Lesbian Issues and Psychology) News, August 2003

"...interesting and provocative... Bailey has written a book worth reading." -- Frontiers, March 14, 2003

"...recommended reading for anyone interested in the study of gender identity and sexual orientation. ... a thoughtful book..." -- Out Magazine, March 2003

"...the first scientifically grounded book about male femininities written for a general audience." -- James Cantor, PhD, in the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Issues (American Psychological Association) newsletter, summer 2003

"Compassionate without attempting to be politically correct... It will interest anyone with curiosity about the variety of human sexuality." -- The Times (London), December 6, 2003

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Joseph Henry Press (March 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0309084180
• ISBN-13: 978-0309084185
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #671,223 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars who's the actual liar?, December 3, 2004

By	L. Heffner - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Here is what one reviewer wrote of Bailey:

"When it comes to the many transsexuals who disagree with him as to their experiences or motivations for gender transition, he simply dismisses them as liars: 'Most gender patients lie...' or 'many autogynephiles provide misleading information about themselves'. Transgendered narratives are not to be trusted and are ignored '...(transsexuals) tell stories about themselves that are misleading and, in important respects, false.'

[...]

How could [Bailey] know that Danny was going to turn out a gay man rather than a transexual woman like "Juanita"?.....His whole book was setting up this either/or proposition (leaving out a real third possible future which was Danny committing suicide!).....Either Danny was going to be almost exactly like "Juanita" ....A real possibility because both Bailey and I knew about "Juanita's" childhood and how it closely resembled Danny's, and that being the case how could Bailey not be as certain of that outcome....."How could he be so certain? is what I wanted to know.....

Asking [Bailey] as I did in my best "National Enquirer" inquisitive tone of voice.....His reply......

"I made it up."...... he said.....

Excuse me, What did you say?.....

"I said I made up that final scene....it never happened "......he replied......

-------------------------

Bailey is obviously using the book to promote his career and his personal ideology based on his claims of "scientific fact".

36 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The most unsympathetic account of transsexuality ever, March 14, 2004

By A Customer

This book is advertised as based on original research and grounded firmly in the scientific method. So it was surprising that it turned out to be primarily a platform for offensive opinions about transsexuality. Though the book claims to be sympathetic to transsexuals, instead of portraying them as otherwise normal people with an incongruent gender identity, it portrays them as primarily low socioeconomic, sex-focused losers, prostitutes, and fetishists. There appears to be no scientific basis for this opinion, and certainly no new relevant peer-reviewed research. As experts on the subject have long ago discounted these offensive views, why dredge them up again now? This is one of the most unsympathetic portrayals of transsexuality ever written.
Ben Barres, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Neurobiology
Stanford University School of Medicine

88 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Totally off base, April 13, 2003

By A Customer

I am a postop transsexual woman. I find this book to run counter to my personal experience and to the experiences of the dozens, if not hundreds, of transsexual women whom I've met in the past decade.

Mr. Baily might be discussing drag queens, transvestites, or transgendered people, but he is certainly not discussing transsexual women. He certainly interviewed a number of DQs, TVs, and TGs, but few, if any, transsexual women.

If there were a lower rating than one star, I'd "award" it to this book.

Don't waste your money on it. If you want to read a decent book about transsexuals, get a copy of _True Selves_ by Millie Brown and Chloe Rounsley and/or _Confessions of a Gender Defender_ by Randi Ettner