What I'm Reading Now

Cathy's Comeback Dress

I read a lot!

At any time, I am typically working my way through three or four books simultaneously. Lately, it has been three books: a radio history book and two trans-related books.

The Airwaves of New York: Illustrated Histories of 156 AM Stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921-1996 by Bill Jaker, Frank Sulek and Peter Kanze.

"This heavily illustrated history traces the development of AM radio in the New York metropolitan area. While technical information and program schedules are fully covered, the work also provides unique insight into radio's influence on the development of the city. The photographs reinforce the sense of change brought about by the medium."

Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution, Second Edition by Susan Stryker

"Covering American transgender history from the mid-twentieth century to today, Transgender History takes a chronological approach to the subject of transgender history, with each chapter covering major movements, writings, and events. Chapters cover the transsexual and transvestite communities in the years following World War II; trans radicalism and social change, which spanned from 1966 with the publication of The Transsexual Phenomenon, and lasted through the early 1970s; the mid-'70s to 1990-the era of identity politics and the changes witnessed in trans circles through these years; and the gender issues witnessed through the '90s and '00s.

"Transgender History includes informative sidebars highlighting quotes from major texts and speeches in transgender history and brief biographies of key players, plus excerpts from transgender memoirs and discussion of treatments of transgenderism in popular culture."

Trans Like Me: Conversations for All of Us by CN Lester

"A personal and culture-driven exploration of the most pressing questions facing the transgender community today, from a leading activist, musician, and academic

"In Trans Like Me, CN Lester takes readers on a measured, thoughtful, intelligent yet approachable tour through the most important and high-profile narratives around the trans community, turning them inside out and examining where we really are in terms of progress. From the impact of the media's wording in covering trans people and issues, to the way parenting gender variant children is portrayed, Lester brings their charged personal narrative to every topic and expertly lays out the work left to be done.

"Trans Like Me explores the ways that we are all defined by ideas of gender--whether we live as he, she, or they--and how we can strive for authenticity in a world that forces limiting labels."

On the blog front, two recent blog posts got my attention.

Faith DaBrooke of Adventures of a Gender Rebel fame, hopped on the wayback machine and presented an interesting gallery of annotated herstoric photos in her recent Some Old Favorites post.

Peter Lappin of Male Pattern Boldness fame, also hopped on the wayback machine and came up with a vintage pattern to sew a dress for his cousin Cathy's comeback. The circa 1959 dress is to-die-for and reminds me of something my mother might have sewn for herself or me.

Wearing Bebe (Source: Bebe)

Peter Lappin's cousin Cathy Lane