Gianna Israel passes away

on February 21, 2006

Gianna Israel (1963-2006)

Transgender counselor and writer
 

Remember her best by doing something someone told you that you could NOT do -- because you were not
educated enough, or smart enough, or good enough somehow -- -- and -- pass that on -- that
inspiration, that limitless determination - that giant talent --

  -- Max Wolf Valerio

From:     Max Wolf Valerio
Subject:  Gianna Israel - announcement
Date:     February 22, 2006 12:35:50 AM PST

My dear friend, Gianna Israel, passed away tonight - around 8:00
PM, apparently, from what I know now.

Gianna was a counselor, writer, and irrepressible wit -  she helped
many people in the transsexual and transgender community, and left a
legacy of hope, and an example of extreme resourcefulness and
bravery.

Gianna was a real life JT Leroy.  And, possibly, because she was the
real thing, she never played the victim.  Gianna was proud, and set
out to prove herself - capable and whole.  She helped others.

Kicked out of her house by her parents as a teenager because she was
transsexual, Gianna lived in the streets for a time and then,
became, through sheer will and intelligence, a counselor and writer - the
editor and author of the book _Transgender Care_ , a community
counselor who helped many of us (I got my letter from her in 1989)
probably hundreds when all is said and done-- and wrote a column
for "Transgender Tapestry".   She set out to learn Chinese on her own,
and - violin. She was a paragon of someone - who challenged
themselves constantly -- to become more -

She did all of this without a high school degree, let alone a college degree.

We had a lot of fun together, she was a trickster -- a joker, a
sweetheart-- tons of fun to be around- generous -- and able to see
through pretense --

Remember her best by doing something someone told you that you could
NOT do -- because you were not educated enough, or smart enough, or
good enough somehow-- -- and -- pass that on -- that inspiration,
that limitless determination - that giant talent--

   -- Max Wolf Valerio

For more about Gianna's life and her wonderful writings, see the following pages:

1. Gianna Israel's Gender Library via Dianne Wilson's website:

     http://www.firelily.com/gender/gianna/index.html

2. Gianna Israel library via Transgender Ireland:

    http://www.transgender.utvinternet.com/gianna.htm

3. CounselSuite: Gianna's professional site via Internet Archive:

    http://www.transgender.utvinternet.com/gianna.htm

4. Gianna Israel tribute via Andrea James' TS Roadmap:

    http://www.tsroadmap.com/mental/gianna-israel.html

5. Gianna Israel entry via Gwen Smith's blog:

    http://www.gwensmith.com/weblog/2006_02_01_oldblog.html#114065983813732634

6. Gianna Israel entry via Helen Boyd's blog:

    http://www.myhusbandbetty.com/?p=664

7. Transgender Care: Recommended Guidelines, Practical Information, and Personal Accounts,

    by Gianna E. Israel and Donald E. Tarver II, M.D., Temple University Press, 2001:

    http://www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/1373_reg.html