Gender Trouble / Shane Patrick

Shane Patrick comes to us from Tucson.  I met her at my transgender support group in Tucson—the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA).  Shane has led a very interesting life and it still continues to be interesting, as she has started transitioning from male to female at the age of 75.  She says she new that something was wrong at the age of four, but she says she had no words to describe how she was feeling.  She says she always identified and played with girls while growing up.  Of course, this led to years of teasing and harassment by boys who love to bully anyone different than themselves.

When she was young she studied dance, but in middle school this resulted in constant bullying and humiliation.  On top of this she had a terrible home life and found herself attempting suicide.  Eventually she ran away from home.  She was able to finish school and even graduate from college as an accountant.  She supported herself as a female impersonator while going to school.  She tried to transition at the age of 26, but she said her doctor discouraged her.  This made her extremely depressed for many years.  After her third attempt at suicide she was able to turn her life around.

She became the public relations manager for Billy Jean King, the tennis player, and traveled all over the world.  After Billy Jean King quit playing singles on the pro circuit, she enrolled into the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco to study acting.  After graduating she moved to Las Angeles and worked for the next 25 years as a successful actor for stage, screen, and television.  She also wrote an awarding winning play, No Place Like Home a one-person play which she performed in Las Angeles and toured with throughout the US and Canada to rave reviews.

She is now retired and living in Tucson with her long time husband.  She says she believes her transition will take as long as two years to complete, but she says she is committed to finally getting her mind and body in alignment.

Susan Golightly holds a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on counseling and gender studies. Susan is a long time activist for the rights of all oppressed minorities. And, of course, your host for Gender Trouble.

Gender Trouble airs Thursdays at 4pm.

The program is currently in post production and when ready, you can listen at your convenience via this link…
Gender Trouble! / Shane Patrick