The story of is not one that comes wrapped in a neat little package with a beginning, middle, and end.
This story B次元官网网址� of gender, of maleness and femaleness, of adventure and courage and heartache B次元官网网址� is a story all over the map, quite literally. Through her words, both written and performed, Bornstein has made an invaluable contribution to the study of gender and sexuality.
She will continue that work when she visits the University of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 , Saturday Oct. 21.
Aaron Devor, chair of the Transgender Studies program at UVic calls Bornstein fascinating. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 one of our founding mothers in a sense,B次元官网网址� Devor says. B次元官网网址淪heB次元官网网址檚 always out there leading people to be more inclusive, to be more kind.B次元官网网址�
The trans archives at UVic are the largest collection of transgender history in the world, bearing records of research that date back more than 100 years. They are privately funded on a fixed term, but Devor is eager for them to remain, after he says items came flooding in, the amount of which now fills the length of a football field.
Are you thinking about attending Kate BornsteinB次元官网网址檚 performance at ?! This is what Auntie Kate has to say.
B次元官网网址� TransChairArchives (@TransArchives)
BornsteinB次元官网网址檚 2006 book, Hello Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws is part of those archives and a followed by a that Bornstein describes as a trip down memory lane.
B次元官网网址淚 think thatB次元官网网址檚 the job of an elder in any community, is to provide context and space for co-operation and thatB次元官网网址檚 what I hope to achieve with this show,B次元官网网址� she says.
Bornstein, now B次元官网网址�69 1/2,B次元官网网址� has made her home of the last 20 years in New York City, a place she calls B次元官网网址渁n island of sanity in an otherwise insane country.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淸NYC is] active in terms of art, in terms of activism, there are coalitions here,B次元官网网址� she explains. B次元官网网址淧eople do know how to get along beyond race, beyond age, beyond class. IB次元官网网址檝e never been anywhere where people have dealt with these divisions better.B次元官网网址�
Formerly a Scientologist, Bornstein sailed the globe as a high-ranking officer of the Sea Org, which she documents in 2012B次元官网网址檚 A Queer and Present Danger. She split from the church in 1981 and transitioned in the mid-80B次元官网网址檚, because she didnB次元官网网址檛 identify as a man, but a woman was the only other option.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 writing about this,B次元官网网址� she says of the labels society has imposed, based on its penchant for binaries. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 working on a new book, writing about how language has been in a crazy dance with the formation of all of our sex and gender communities.B次元官网网址�
While the mainstream is just starting to have conversations around the fluidity of gender and sexuality, itB次元官网网址檚 been BornsteinB次元官网网址檚 lifeB次元官网网址檚 work. And as the concepts expand, sheB次元官网网址檚 gone back to revise old editions of Gender Outlaw and My Gender Workbook. B次元官网网址淚 think enforcing a label or insisting that your label is never gonna change is foolish.B次元官网网址�
Of the archives, Bornstein is tremendously moved to see the roots of her ancestorsB次元官网网址� history. She is grateful Devor is at the helm of the project because heB次元官网网址檚 taken great care with it. SheB次元官网网址檚 amused by the change sheB次元官网网址檚 seen within the LGBTQ community, and her hope is that it continues to evolve.
B次元官网网址淚 found out early on B次元官网网址� the trouble with gender is there are too many answers and not enough questions,B次元官网网址� Bornstein says. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to give people answers, there are enough answers.B次元官网网址�
