Lou Sullivan

Louis Graydon Sullivan (June 16, 1951 – March 2, 1991) was an American author and activist known for his work on behalf of trans men.

"A Transvestite Answers a Feminist" (2006)
"A Transvestite Answers a Feminist" in The Transgender Studies Reader (2006), Routledge Press.


 * I challenge any person who will not admit this in themselves, such as “the woman who relies on a closet full of funny, expensive clothing or makeup and lacquered hairdos”, because I could never be that...that which I was supposed to be...and I refuse to be identified with a woman like that. I CAN’T BE! My older sister is inferior to a transvestite becuz she can’t relax, she’s trying so hard to deny her inner humanity and free-ness, to bottle up any susceptibility to feelings—while a transvestite at the very least, admits to himself his inner life and feelings, and, at the most, if he comes out, he’s left wide open for rejection by family and friends, physical harm, denial of use of public and private facilities, easy prey for others to try and fuck his head over by saying he’s sick, etc.,—all for the sake of relaxing with themselves, being free and open and alive. You ask him to come alive to the world so the world can kill him.
 * p. 161


 * The reason “FAGS” have deep and painful personality problems is cuz people like you “realize (!) they are neurotic and isolating.” And then you ask them to mold their own lives! The people in Rechy have a hell of a lot more will than any straight—the will to say fuck you to all the assholes who hate them so intensely, to say fuck you to the world of people who think they’re sick and say fuck you, I’m ME . . . a lot more will than anyone else. But you say they just “seem generally to react resentfully to situations rather than mold their own lives.” Where do you mold a life for yourself when all you do is battle oppressions day in and day out? Where does a black begin to mold his own life when he’s alone among 200 KKKs, or a woman in a room with 50 men gawking at her tits and ass. They start at the bottom, that’s where!! They band together and say fuck you everybody this is me and I’m good.
 * p. 161


 * I’m not a lesbian. I don’t want to be either. I’ve always thought of myself as a male homosexual (try and figure that one out—I can’t)... I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for transvestite and gay men becuz they seemed to me to be the most beautiful inside—the most able to abandon stereotypes which, for men, I think, is a lot harder. I think they are one group that knows better than anyone that there’s no difference between men and women... But I’m not trying to deny my “femininity”, Dorothy, I’m just trying to sneak up on it thru the back door. The front door Avon lady approach didn’t even work. I’d like to get the best of both worlds . . . what I’m trying to do now is find out how to get them.
 * p. 164