I am sincerely sorry to hear of Katherine Cummins’ passing, I consider Katherine not only my peer and elder but also my friend.
Katherine was born in Scotland in 1935, and transitioned in 1986, Katherine was an elder of all transgender women and pioneered traditions that we observe today such as the Transgender Day of Remembrance observance in Sydney on behalf of the Gender Centre beginning in 2003.
The power of the word was Katherine’s friend, she was a brilliant writer who successfully published several books, and served as the editor of Polare Magazine, a monthly trans magazine – in itself ahead of it’s time also winning the Australian Human Rights Award for Non-Fiction for her autobiography Katherine’s Diary in the early nineties
Katherine was always an outspoken activist of the Transgender Community, born of a different era, sometimes unintentionally her language clashed with the language of today, but her beautiful heart was always in the right place.
Katherine worked for The Gender Centre for almost 20 years in many roles beginning in 2001 ending in 2020.
Katherine was born in Scotland in 1935, and transitioned in 1986, winning the Australian Human Rights Award for Non-Fiction for her autobiography Katherine’s Diary in the early 1990s.
When I asked Katherine about her hopes for the future Katherine replied “I hope for the day when trans is accepted as a simple variation from the norm, to be neither condemned nor praised. I hope that research will continue into gender and sex diversity and that when truths are discovered they will be publicised, not concealed.” She also said “ I hope for the day when trans is accepted as a simple variation from the norm, to be neither condemned nor praised. I hope that research will continue into gender and sex diversity and that when truths are discovered they will be publicised, not concealed.” She also said “ Do your best to leave the world a little better than your best to leave the world a little better than you found it. Remember that you have responsibilities as well as rights and that the aim should be to centre the pendulum, not to push it far over to the other side. Remember that trans is not a closed society but a small segment of society as a whole and that we should aim to make it fit into society, not stand out from it.”
I will always remember Katherine with great respect and reverence for her wisdom and as my elder and my friend.
Here is an interview I did with Katherine Cummins for the Star Observer:
“I hope for the day when trans is accepted as a simple variation from the norm, to be neither condemned nor praised. I hope that research will continue into gender and sex diversity and that when truths are discovered they will be publicised, not concealed.” – Katherine Cummings
