Transgender Warriors : Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman

Leslie Feinberg has written a well put together synthesis ofinteresting theories, some of which are self-generated. TRANSGENDERWARRIORS tells a story of human history as a tale of androgeny in which all men/women acted in concert and cooperation to solve all of life's problems until the rise of capitalism and patriarchy. When these two "evils" arose, they divided people against themselves by class and gender. Feinberg shows a smattering of knowledge of history but much of her book is feminist and genderist rhetoric. It is also a personal cry of outrage at how many people still treat those who are different and those who lack power. As a work of history it appears to fall short. As a personal statement, as an expression of FEELING of the author's pain and longing for justice it hits the mark. As the webmaster of a transgender website I looked forward to reading the book. I found it interesting more from a human point of view than from a particularistic self-interest group view. The biographical sections of the book were moving. I found Feinberg's "solutions" to the social problems of alternate lifestyle people somewhat sophmoric. END

This is a profoundly dishonest book, not only on the subject of Joan of Arc, as seems to have been covered in detail by another review, but also on other topics in which a similar lack of research - and therefore a lack of detailed knowledge - has produced speculation and outright invention. It is another case in which an author gathers a few convenient half-truths and spins them into a story that suits their purpose while ignoring the objective evidence. Unfortunately, such sloppy intellectual habits have become all too common.

As someone who has researched the original documents and is currently translating one of the Latin copies of the trial transcript, I can only view this book as a farce. It's clear that neither the author nor her readers have bothered to study the documents about Joan of Arc's case (especially the retrial documents drawn up when the case was appealed and examined by the Inquisition in the 1450s). According to the retrial witnesses Pierre Cusquel, Martin Ladvenu, Isambart de la Pierre, and Guillaume Manchon, Joan said that she wore male clothing as the standard "lawful" defense against the attempted rape that she had endured (i.e., the pants worn by men in that era could be fastened securely to the tunic, making it difficult for an attacker to pull them off, whereas a dress offered no such protection whatsoever), and she resumed male clothing after her abjuration because "a great English lord had entered her cell and tried to rape her" (according to Martin Ladvenu). Another witness, Jean Massieu, added that her guards had switched her dress with male clothing in the night, and she finally put on the latter after a long argument with the guards which "went on until noon", according to Massieu. She indicated at many points that she would have rather worn a dress, had it not been for the circumstances she was in. These are the facts behind the matter, based on the medieval documents. Amazon.com carries a number of books by Regine Pernoud which contain extensive excerpts from both trials, presented with respect and scholarly accuracy. Leslie Feinberg's view, on the other hand, is merely another attempt to repeat the dishonest charges made against Joan of Arc by her political enemies.

Leslie Feinberg balances the immediate/personal with the historical/community in this (marxist) analysis of trans issues. A remarkable book that is innovative in both its style and analysis of the issues from all angles - sociological/political/cultural/historical.

Those interested in transgenderism have long been teased by all-too-brief descriptions of its existence in times past. If mentioned at all in previous works, transgendered history has been soft-pedaled into vague meanderings on Native American "two-spirits".

Leslie Feinberg not only provides comprehensive documentation of the roles of transgendered people in ancient societies, but also interprets these traditions and their decline by deconstructing our current views of gender as the result of patriarchy. Feinberg also weaves into the interpretation elements of socialist theory and class oppression.

These theoretical passages are interspersed with personal vignettes from the Feinberg's life which flesh out the explanation. Even if one doesn't fully buy into Feinberg's views, the book takes you on a fabulous journey and forces you to re-examine your beliefs about gender.

Although not scholarly,the book serves the important purpose of contributing one volume that consolidates documentation of many of the instances of transgenderism that previously were splintered throughout the literature.

The book is a quick read, which is both refreshing and disappointing. Perhaps in the near future Feinberg or others will branch off this pioneering work and continue to re-discover the robbed tradition of transgenderism throughout the world.