Sex reassignment surgery, hormone therapy and cross dressers are just some of the topics found in the pages of the newest items donated to UTSA Libraries Special Collections.
Last month, the library received a treasure trove of unique items from the Digital Transgender Archive (DTA), an international collaboration of colleges, universities, nonprofits and private collections that provide an online hub of transgender history. Because the DTA does not maintain physical materials on-site, they find suitable homes for their materials among their contributing partners after they digitize donations.
The donation includes 10 issues of Female Mimics magazine, which was the first publication to focus on cross-dressers. Also included are two issues of Drag magazine, which was the official voice of the homophile organization Queens Liberation Front. The third serial in the donation, LadyLike, is a magazine dedicated to the principles of beauty, fashion and style. All three publications contain content that was considered revolutionary at the time they were published.
“The items are of great value to scholars researching transvestism, the evolution of trans-identities, and gender fluidity,” said Melissa Gohlke, assistant archivist. “As we strive to represent diverse identities of underrepresented populations, LGBTQ materials are a collecting priority.”
Materials are currently being cataloged and will be made available for research in the near future. For inquiries and more information, contact specialcollections@utsa.edu.
The UTSA Libraries Special Collections brings national recognition to the university for distinctive research materials documenting the diverse histories and development of San Antonio and South Texas. Collecting priorities include the history of the Mexican American, African American and LGBTQ communities in our region, the history of women and gender in Texas, activism, the Tex-Mex food industry, and urban