The Stage
1950s-1960s: Homophile Movement (cont’d)
Transgender Organizing
In 1960, Virginia Prince began publishing Transvestia, the first cross-dressing magazine in the United States. The first organization for transsexuals was founded in San Francisco in 1967. COG (alternatively known as Conversion Our Goal or Change: Our Goal) helped transsexuals navigate their way toward sex reassignment surgery and educated the public about transsexuality.
This ad for Transvestia explains how transvestites differ from homosexuals. The focus on education and understanding is very similar to that of the homophile publications of the time. Transvestia’s goals included providing “INFORMATION to those who, through ignorance condemn that which they do not understand” and educating “those who see evil where none exists.”
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Advertisement for Transvestia. “A Brief Discussion of the Nature of Transvestism.” Chevalier Advertising Leaflets. Human Sexuality Collection. [zoom] |