Virginia Prince
Virginia Bruce (1912 – 2009, born Arnold Lowman), better known as Virginia Prince, was a well-known author, activist, and organizer within the TG Community.
This is not intended to be a detailed biography of Dr. Prince. Her life and activities are well-documented. This article is intended to hit the high spots and give a brief overview.
Contents |
Early Life
Coming Out
Activism, Organizations, Publications
Books:
- The Transvestite and His Wife, Argyle Press, 1967
- From Martin to Marion, Chevalier Publications, 1970
- How to be a Woman Though Male, Chevalier Publications, 1971
- The Turnabout, Chevalier Publications, 1972
- The Birth of Barbara, Chevalier Publications, 1973
- Understanding Cross Dressing, Chevalier Publications, 1976
Periodicals:
- Femme Mirror, Journal of TRI ESS
- Transvestia, ca. 1959 - ????
Jargon and "Prince-isms"
Virginia Prince was quite the wordsmith!
Transvestia and other publications were sprinkled liberally with Virginia's jargon and lexicon.
Some of the terms attributed to Virginia include:
- "GG", for "Genetic Girl", a term which is highly popular and regularly used within the TG community.
- "FP", for "Femme Personator", a suggested alternative to TV and stressed "personation" rather than impersonation.
- "Male Woman", a term which never really caught on.
The term "Transgender"
The terms "transgender" and "transgenderist" are often times attributed to Virginia Prince but there is no evidence that Dr. Prince used these terms prior to them being in regular use within the TG community. These terms can be dated to 1965, with documented usage occurring in the Journal of Sexual Hygiene and Pathology. The terms began to appear in Dr. Prince's writings around 1980.
The term "transgender" has been mistakenly attributed to Understanding Cross Dressing (Chevalier Press, 1976) but the term does not appear within the text of the 1976 printing of the book.
It is very likely that Virginia was exposed to the regular usage of these terms by attendees of Fantasia Fair 1977 and 1978. Virginia attended both conferences and the terms were in common use by attendees at the time.
Criticism
Virginia was frequently criticized for being set in her ways and failing to adapt to evolving circumstances in the TG community and in life in general.
Virginia was often criticized for being homophobic and in some cases transphobic. She was adamant about keeping gay men, drag queens, etc., out of FPE and Tri Ess, along with those who admitted the pursuit of transition.
Virginia's management and leadership style was frequently criticized as well. She was regarded, both in professional and volunteer circles, as a hard-line detail-oriented hands-on manager. Although she was usually pleasant and personable in her interactions with associates, "my way or the highway" was the rule.
Despite all criticism, Virginia gained the respect and admiration of many, including some of her harshest critics.
Arrest and conviction
The term "Convicted Felon" is certainly not befitting any well-respected TG activist, particularly when the alleged crime has to do with sexual issues. To understand and to put in perspective this particularly unflattering portion of Virginia's life, we must consider the sociopolitical climate of the times, the early 1960s. This was the height of the Cold War, and fighting the influence of "Godless Communism" was high on the priority list of public officials along with self-appointed guardians of the public morals. The US Postal Service was still under the influence of the Comstock Act, a 19th. century set of regulations having to do with the mailing of material deemed "obscene", along with material of the subject of reproductive choice.
In 1961, Virginia and several others became entangled in a Postal Service investigation of mailed "obscene" content, which in actuality was personal correspondence of a very intimate nature. Virginia was charged with mailing obscene material, and the Postal Service offered to drop the charges if Virginia would cease the publication of Transvestia.
Virginia decided to fight the charges instead of pulling Transvestia from circulation. She was convicted, but served no prison time.
Later life
Virginia remained active in the TG community through the early 2000s. When she was unable to care for herself, she moved into a retirement facility. The nature of her background was only known to a few select members of the care facility staff, and discretion prevailed until her death in 2009.
Trivia
Virginia Prince was a cousin twice removed of George Ferris, inventor of the Ferris Wheel.
