Jonquil Wegmanns article (8/29/97) about queer support/resource groups at ISU was excellent, but the word Transgender in Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Student Services (LGBTSS) was left out of the article.

Simple oversight? Probably. Transgender persons, however, have been overlooked and misunderstood for too long.

To dispel some of the darkness, I’ll give you a very brief overview of the transgender experience.

Transgender: An umbrella term for those who do not conform to the traditional understanding of labels like gay, lesbian, heterosexual, male or female.

Included in this very diverse group are transvestites, also known as cross-dressers (people, usually heterosexual men, who like to wear clothing that is typically associated with the opposite sex), transsexuals (those whose gender identity does not match the anatomical sex of the body they were born with), intersexed individuals (formerly called “hermaphrodites), drag queens & kings, female & male impersonators and gender benders (those who cross-dress for shock value).

If you would like to learn more about transgender persons, lesbians, gay men or bisexuals, please call LGBTSS at 294-5433, or drop in to look at the many great resources that we have on transgender persons.

C.A. Johnny Rogers

LGBTSS Office Assistant

Senior

French/English Literature