Helen Boyd is the pen name of Gail Kramer (born 1969), an American author, academic, and activist. Helen is the author two books[1] about her relationship with her trans partner. Her partner is referred to in both books as "Betty Crow", though this is also a pseudonym. Helen is on staff at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin as the I.D.E.A.S. Division Affinity Groups Coordinator and PRIDE Center Coordinator.[2]
Gail Kramer | |
|---|---|
 Gail Kramer (right) and Betty Crow in 2005 | |
| Born | 1969 |
| Pen name | Helen Boyd |
| Occupation | Academic and author |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | The City College of New York |
| Subject | Autobiography, Transgender Liberation |
| Website | |
| www | |
Biography
editHelen Boyd graduated Phi Beta Kappa from City College of New York in 1995 with a degree in literature. She has been a guest speaker at trans conferences, including the IFGE, First Event,[3] Fantasia Fair, Southern Comfort, the Chicago Be-All, and also at special events like Trans Issues Week at Yale University. Helen and Betty have spoken about LGBT marriage on PBS's In The Life.[4][5] As of 2011, she is also a Lecturer of Gender and Freshman Studies at Lawrence University.[6]
Boyd's activism was recognized in 2020 when she was named a "Champion of Pride" by The Advocate.[7]
Boyd formerly ran the mHB Forums, a message board for the discussion of crossdressing- and transgender-related topics.[8]
Bibliography
editMy Husband Betty
editMy Husband Betty (2003, Seal Press) is a non-fiction book by author Helen Boyd about crossdressers and their partners. It was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award.[9]
Unlike many other books about the topic of crossdressing, it is written specifically from the partner's point of view and takes a distinctively feminist approach. Although the author's spouse was a crossdresser at the time of publication, she now considers herself "trans", a word chosen specifically because it was less well defined (and therefore less restrictive) than "transgender".
The book was reviewed in Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly.[10][11][12]
She's Not The Man I Married
editBoyd's second book is She's Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband (Seal Press, 2007). An excerpt of this book was featured in On the Issues magazine.[13]
The book was reviewed in The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, The Indypendent, and Publishers Weekly.[14][15][16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Seal Press '"Helen Boyd's Author Page" Archived 2013-07-30 at the Wayback Machine, accessed February 13, 2011
- ^ "Helen Boyd Kramer | Lawrence University". www.lawrence.edu. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ "First Event 2007". Transgender American Veterans' Association. Archived from the original on 2011-07-28. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ "Gender Revolution". Inthelifetv.org. July 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011.
- ^ Helen Boyd (September 6, 2004). "PBS show – correction". (en)gender.
- ^ "Lawrence University Gender Studies Faculty". Archived from the original on March 8, 2013.
- ^ "The Advocate's 2020 Champions of Pride Come to Life in AR Experience".
- ^ "mHB Forums". Archived from the original on 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
- ^ "Lambda Literary Awards".
- ^ Scott, Whitney (1 February 2004). "Boyd, Helen. My Husband Betty". Booklist. Vol. 100, no. 11. p. 937. Gale A113377637.
- ^ "My Husband Betty". Kirkus Reviews. November 15, 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "My Husband Betty: Love, Sex, and Life with a Crossdresser by Helen Boyd". Publishers Weekly. December 22, 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "On the Issues". 29 July 2009.
- ^ Bader, Eleanor J. (July 9, 2007). "Boyish Girl Meets Girlish Boy: A Review of "She's not the Man I Married"". The Indypendent. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ "She's Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband". Publishers Weekly. January 29, 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ Schlichenmeyer, Terri (July–August 2007). "A gender dilemma". The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide. 14 (4). Gale A166095073.