Today's Out Spotlight is a transgender author of fiction, nonfiction and
poetry. His writings explore sexuality and gender identity, and have
included lesbian erotica and works about BDSM subculture. Today's Out Spotlight is Patrick Califia.
Patrick Califia was born female on March 8, 1954 and raised by Mormon parents in Corpus
Christi, Texas. His father was an itinerant road-construction worker and he moved his
family from job to job. His mother was a housewife. Califia was the
oldest of six children. He started writing stories and poems in his youth. He
graduated a year early from high school and matriculated to the
University of Utah. While in college, Califia—who was still living as a
woman—came out as a lesbian to his parents in 1971. They placed him in a mental
institution.
In 1973, Califia moved to California and joined the women’s
liberation and anti-war movements. He joined the lesbian separatist
movement, but was rejected for his interest in S&M. In 1978, Califia
cofounded a lesbian S&M group.
In 1980, his book “Sapphistry: The Book of Lesbian Sexuality” was
published. He wrote many works on gender theory, erotica and LGBT
issues. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s
degree in counseling from San Francisco State University. 
He received Lambda Literary Awards for his short story
collection, “Macho Sluts” (1988), his novel “Doc and Fluff: The
Dystopian Tale of a Girl and Her Biker” (1990) and his columns published
in The Advocate Adviser (1991). In 1997, he wrote “Sex Changes: The
Politics of Transgenderism,” chronicling gender nonconforming identities
through historical and social perspectives. 
In 1999, at the age of 45, Califia transitioned from female to male, noting that “neither one is really a very good fit for me.” 
Califia has published over 20 books. He is a marriage and family therapist practicing in California. 
“By coming out to ourselves, we free up the energy we spent keeping a part of ourselves hidden.”
