Overview

"The current LGBTQQIAA acronym has been growing in length and complexity since the early days of the gay and lesbian civil rights movement. Each letter of the acronym reflects the addition of a group who felt marginalized and left out, not fitting into the communities described by the existing letters. The addition of new boxes, however, has created increasing confusion and sometimes feelings of separation from each other. In this book, Vanderburgh has explained each letter from an ""insider"" perspective while also providing historical context explaining how we got from there to here. As a queer transman who transitioned out of lesbian community and now particiaptes in gay male community while married to a genderqueer woman, Vanderburgh is in an excellent position to explain the many letters to each other. In addition, his work as a therapist allowed him deep insight into the various letters that don't reflect part of his identity. At 61, Vanderburgh came of age in the San Francisco lesbian community of the early 1970s. Personal stories are the best way to convey the experience of identity, and Journeys of Transformation contains 18 such stories: The Twentieth Generation: Joe and Vince transitioned in the 1950s. The Next Generation: Dana, now 26, transitioned in high school. I'm One, Too: Mary is a lesbian who experiences the fall-out when she falls in love with a man. That Wasn't It After All: Lesley realizes she made the wrong decision in becoming David. The Inherited Relationship: Belinda realizes she inherited her relationships from her former male self Barry. I Believe in Miracles: Audrey lives as a bi-gendered person internally, remaining a man to preserve her marriage. The Joy and Pain of Starting Over: Phyllis came out as a lesbian in the 1990s, losing her best friend in the process. Subject to Change Without Notice: Carmen goes on her own journey, remaining married as her husband transitions. A Brother's Journey: Peter is a cisgender gay man who comes to term's with his sibling's convoluted journey. It Gets Better: Seda and Kristin remain married through transition, despite Kristin losing attraction for Seda. A Non-Traditional Non-Traditional Family: Peg, a lesbian psychiatrist, comes to terms with owning a lesbian identity in the 1960s. Call me Yommie: Emily's family gradually adjusts to her transition. The Invisible (Trans)Man: Kevin is a transman who finds it hard to accept that he's trans, and wishes he was cisgender. Better Late Than Never: David is a 70-something gay man who tried everything not be gay. Transcendence Through Music: Karen is a mid-fifties transwoman who is avoiding transition until after retirement. The Exceptional Transition: Trina's transition defies every stereotype possible. The Mother of the Bride: Rache's life turns upside down when her oldest child transitions. Once Upon a Time: Jean learns after he died that her lifelong best friend Howard was a gay man."

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9781495131349

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Reviews

Vanderburgh has woven a tapestry of individual journeys that have much to teach us about identity and life transitions of all kinds. This book is an illuminating and surprising look at a diverse community. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the transition toward living an authentic life. Katherine Rachlin, Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist and Gender Specialist In 'Journeys of Transformation: Stories from Across the Acronym, ' Vanderburgh captures the stories of a divergent and diverse multi-generational LGBTQQIAA 'community' and presents their struggles and triumphs to be seen and heard through the eyes of a seeker, the ears of a storyteller and the heart of a clinician. Zander Keig, LMSW, co-editor of 'Letters for my Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect, Manning Up: Transsexual Men on Finding Brotherhood, Family and Themselves, and Manifest: Transitional Wisdom on Male Privilege. Reid Vanderburgh does a stellar job of intertwining his own life and identity to foster a better understanding of the people interviewed. Their journeys are often absent from the literature and narrative from the LGBT community. This book can be an inspiration, will assist those in the helping professions who have such little access to information about them. - Max Fuhrmann, Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist/Gerontologist

"""Vanderburgh has woven a tapestry of individual journeys that have much to teach us about identity and life transitions of all kinds. This book is an illuminating and surprising look at a diverse community. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the transition toward living an authentic life."" Katherine Rachlin, Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist and Gender Specialist ""In 'Journeys of Transformation: Stories from Across the Acronym, ' Vanderburgh captures the stories of a divergent and diverse multi-generational LGBTQQIAA 'community' and presents their struggles and triumphs to be seen and heard through the eyes of a seeker, the ears of a storyteller and the heart of a clinician."" Zander Keig, LMSW, co-editor of 'Letters for my Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect,"" ""Manning Up: Transsexual Men on Finding Brotherhood, Family and Themselves,"" and ""Manifest: Transitional Wisdom on Male Privilege."" ""Reid Vanderburgh does a stellar job of intertwining his own life and identity to foster a better understanding of the people interviewed. Their journeys are often absent from the literature and narrative from the LGBT community. This book can be an inspiration, will assist those in the helping professions who have such little access to information about them."" - Max Fuhrmann, Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist/Gerontologist"

Author Information

"Reid Vanderburgh is a writer, consultant and educator living in Portland, Oregon. A retired therapist, he worked with over 450 clients during the course of his career, helping them answer the question, ""How do I want to live my life?"" in the context of gender identity. Reid received his BA in Psychology from Portland State University in 1998, and his MA in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University's Graduate School for Holistic Studies in 2001. Reid is a transman who began his transformative process in 1995."

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