Helen Boyd Explained

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]

Biography

Helen 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

My Husband Betty

My 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

Boyd'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

• List of transgender publications
• List of transgender-related topics

External links

• (en)Gender: Author's weblog
• Helen Boyd Books

Notes and References

1. Seal Press '"Helen Boyd's Author Page", accessed February 13, 2011
2. Web site: Helen Boyd Kramer Lawrence University . 2024-01-17 . www.lawrence.edu.
3. Web site: First Event 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110728082129/http://www.tavausa.org/News/First%20Event%202007.htm . 2011-07-28 . 2024-01-17 . Transgender American Veterans' Association.
4. Web site: Gender Revolution. Inthelifetv.org. https://web.archive.org/web/20110928232251/http://www.inthelifetv.org/html/episodes/7.html. September 28, 2011. July 2007. dead.
5. Web site: Helen Boyd . September 6, 2004 . PBS show – correction . (en)gender .
6. Web site: Lawrence University Gender Studies Faculty. https://web.archive.org/web/20130308060507/http://www.lawrence.edu/dept/gender_studies/faculty.shtml. March 8, 2013. dead.
7. Web site: The Advocate's 2020 Champions of Pride Come to Life in AR Experience.
8. Web site: mHB Forums . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090701053151/http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/community/ . 2009-07-01 . 2011-01-12.
9. Web site: Lambda Literary Awards.
10. Scott . Whitney . Boyd, Helen. My Husband Betty. . . 100 . 11 . . 1 February 2004 . 937.
11. My Husband Betty . 17 January 2024 . . November 15, 2003.
12. My Husband Betty: Love, Sex, and Life with a Crossdresser by Helen Boyd . 17 January 2024 . . December 22, 2003.
13. Web site: On the Issues. 29 July 2009 .
14. News: Bader . Eleanor J. . Boyish Girl Meets Girlish Boy: A Review of "She's not the Man I Married" . 17 January 2024 . . July 9, 2007.
15. News: She's Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband . 17 January 2024 . . January 29, 2007.
16. Schlichenmeyer . Terri . A gender dilemma . . 14 . 4 . . July–August 2007.