Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
65th out of 402 books
—
913 voters
The Last Time I Wore a Dress
At fifteen years old, Daphne Scholinski was committed to a mental institution and awarded the dubious diagnosis of "Gender Identity Disorder." She spent three years--and over a million dollars of insurance--"treating" the problem...with makeup lessons and instructions in how to walk like a girl. Daphne's story--which is, sadly, not that unusual--has already received attent...more
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
October 1st 1998
by Riverhead Trade
(first published October 1st 1997)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
It's hard to know how to review this memoir. When it first came out, I remember deciding not to buy it after reading a shelf tag at a feminist bookstore. That tag said that there was contention between staff members because some of them apparently knew the author and believed that she was representing her experiences in a way that differed from how they remembered events unfolding.
Finally reading it around 10 years later, I find myself with many questions as well. I don't want to doubt Scholins...more
Finally reading it around 10 years later, I find myself with many questions as well. I don't want to doubt Scholins...more
Dec 09, 2007
Toni
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
GLBTs enthusiasts, survivors of mental health treatment, teachers and social workers
An almost unbelievable memoir of a young woman that grows up in an abusive household and ends up institutionalized at the age of 15. Rather than treating her depression, the doctors at the institute do everything they can to "feminize" her. Some of her daily goals include wearing makeup, trying on a blouse, taking an interest in boys, and walking in a more feminine manner. Despite enduring three years of intense therapy she comes to the conclusion that she has Gender Identity Disorder after she...more
5 likes · like · see review
Jan 06, 2009
jo
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people interested in mental health, kids, and queer issues
just reread this for my class. there are so many issues this book brings up, it's hard to do justice to all of them. first of all, the devastating consequences of parental neglect and parental abuse. secondly, how abused kids can and often do develop an amazing tenderness and capacity for love that makes them treasures of comfort and light to others. then, how abuse breeds abuse, how trauma forces itself into daily life and exacts endless repetition. fourth, the role of lying in the book and out...more
Oct 13, 2007
Lewis
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
gender variant people, mental health workers or advocates
This book is some scary $#*@. It's a lot like Girl, Interrupted, where the "patient" isn't really crazy, but their "treatment" is. In 1981, for a girl who didn't look or act "feminine", the treatment was eye shadow, girly blouses, and feigning crushes on boys. Oh, and hospitalization and anti-psychotics.
The book is engaging and a quick read, alternating between life in the mental ward, actual notes from the author's psychiatric records, and flashbacks to the author's life pre-institutionalizati...more
The book is engaging and a quick read, alternating between life in the mental ward, actual notes from the author's psychiatric records, and flashbacks to the author's life pre-institutionalizati...more
This book is a quick and easy read, but I was kinda disappointed with it. When I first started reading it, I thought: Wait. Have I read this before? It seemed strangely familiar. But I think it's because it feels and reads like every other book written by someone who spent time in a mental institution. This review is not intended to slight the experiences of Daphne Scholinski, as they *were* awful and ridiculous and she shouldn't have had to deal with any of them. But honestly, this book offers...more
It is important to note that since publishing this book, the author has legally changed his name to Dylan.
Prior to knowing that, this book really confused me because I no longer understood the difference between a masculing/butch woman and a transman since this book made it seem like masculing/butch women could experience dysphoria the way transmen do.
It is the moving story of a psychiatrict survivor who shows it is not a lack of will or effort on a transperson's part to be unable to be cisgende...more
Prior to knowing that, this book really confused me because I no longer understood the difference between a masculing/butch woman and a transman since this book made it seem like masculing/butch women could experience dysphoria the way transmen do.
It is the moving story of a psychiatrict survivor who shows it is not a lack of will or effort on a transperson's part to be unable to be cisgende...more
2 likes · like · see review
I was hoping for more insight pertaining to the gender issues Daphne was facing. I thought the book lacked significance and missed an opportunity to really dive in to bring me into the world that I'm relatively unfamiliar but open to learning about. Clearly she has gone through some horrid experiences in her life but somehow the style of her writing made it feel a bit impersonal-and I suppose I could see why, however considering it is a memoir I would expect more to be put on the line. I had muc...more
Daphne (now Dylan) Scholinski relates his experiences (and some medical records) from when he was a teenager in a mental hospital in the USA. Dylan’s story is a heartbreaking warning about families, society and a broken psychiatric profession and their inability to accept (and love) people for who they are. What is more frightening is that his story did not happen that long ago.
Dylan describes his life before, during and after being institutionalised, but most of the book relates his life in th...more
Dylan describes his life before, during and after being institutionalised, but most of the book relates his life in th...more
1 like · like · see review
Like so many people have said, this is a rather quick read and the material is interesting enough and it's an important book, which should be for obvious reasons. It's like Stone Butch Blues, where I didn't really care for the style, but I realize how important the story is for people to be able to find and connect with, and perhaps change from. So, that being said, although it is a quick read I wouldn't necessarily call it "light", as I felt pretty devastated several times, and maybe my heartst...more
When this book first came out, I was in the habit of attending readings at Black Oak Books in Berkeley on a semi-regular basis, if the book seemed interesting at all. This was one of them. I had never heard of the book or its author but went anyway. Seeing the author read excerpts aloud to you is often a compelling way to be introduced to a book--- I recommend it.
I was moved enough by the reading that I bought a hardcover copy right then, something that I rarely do. I also kept it in my persona...more
I was moved enough by the reading that I bought a hardcover copy right then, something that I rarely do. I also kept it in my persona...more
I'd been wanting to read this book for a while. It's an autobiographical story of a troubled teenager who spends a couple years during the 80's in mental health facilities being treated for, among other things, a so-called gender identity disorder. I thought when I picked it up that she had been hospitalized only for this but then I figured out that the book is also about the mental health system in general, and what happens to young people who are abused/
troubled/ "wild". The thing that seemed...more
troubled/ "wild". The thing that seemed...more
Imagine that you're a girl and someone tells you you aren't girly enough because you don't care for dresses or make-up or dolls? No big deal, right? Doesn't matter what other people think, it's how you feel, right? But what if those people have the power to put you away because they think you aren't girly enough, because they can convince other people that your behavior is indicative of something being wrong with you? Sound scary? Sound like a scenario from the middle ages? Well, it's not - it's...more
The Last Time I Wore A Dress is much more than a stark look at society's response to GID, it's an account of a person that spent years locked up for no particular reason. I found the book incredibly compelling and eye-opening as an unforgettable memoir, a document on the state of mental wards in that era, and internal thoughts that the author really needed to purge all along. There's nothing to change about this book. At the end of it are lists of resources, although possibly dated by now that...more
I'm not sure how to feel about this book.
On one hand, this book was really interesting. It was a nice insight into the life that someone in an institution has. I felt a bit personally attached to it on some level, for one because I'm from Chicago & know of these hospitals, & then again because my girlfriend, in the past, has struggled with some gender issues of her own.
With that being said, in the book, Daphne lies. All the time. About everything. It makes her stay far worse, plus, it m...more
On one hand, this book was really interesting. It was a nice insight into the life that someone in an institution has. I felt a bit personally attached to it on some level, for one because I'm from Chicago & know of these hospitals, & then again because my girlfriend, in the past, has struggled with some gender issues of her own.
With that being said, in the book, Daphne lies. All the time. About everything. It makes her stay far worse, plus, it m...more
I tried to write a review on this book about 10 times. It is kind of hard, when I'm still not sure what I think of it. Fist of all, It is not a must read for everyone, but im happy I did.
I was loaned this book, from a girl I work with. My friend told me it was one of the most touching books she had ever read.
This book did not touch me, it enraged me. I took on the grief, anger, and frustration of an adolescent, Scholinski.
This book isn't light reading, but it is easy to read. It took me a...more
I was loaned this book, from a girl I work with. My friend told me it was one of the most touching books she had ever read.
This book did not touch me, it enraged me. I took on the grief, anger, and frustration of an adolescent, Scholinski.
This book isn't light reading, but it is easy to read. It took me a...more
I had to read this for a Multicultural Counseling class, but I found it to be a really interesting memoir. The one thing that is frustrating about it, is that the book seems to focus a great deal on the idea that Daphne (the author and main character) was institutionalized for not being feminine enough, yet the author mentions (and proves multiple times throughout) that she had a conduct disorder. Conduct disorders can be fairly serious, and it's not unusual that she'd need some assistance. Rega...more
A memoir of teenage years in the early 1980s spent in residential facilities for the mentally ill, by someone who was not actually mentally ill. The author came from a troubled family and had sexually abusive neighbors, and she "acted out" a bit by stealing candy, fist fighting, and so forth. Somehow she ended up in treatment for drug addictions she didn't have, and she was also held suspect for her gender-nonconforming dress, short hair, and disinterest in cosmetics, which her psychiatrists str...more
I read this book over ten years ago and I just finished reading it a second time. I can see how some reviewers wonder about how true some events were, or how self-aware the author was/is about what really happened. However, as a reader, I'm not concerned with that. I was swept away in Daphne's world and I appreciated her voice and the tone the book has. No one remembers things accurately, and we all see what we want to see--but the feelings we have about certain events can't be denied or rationa...more
this book would get 3 stars for topic, 1.6 stars for content, and half a star for style. daphne scholinski tells about the three years she spent in mental institutions in her adolescence in the 80s for not conforming to standards of femininity, aka 'gender identity disorder.' I'm unclear about the role of each of the authors in compiling this book. I suspect that the hand of jane meredith adams andor editors and marketers are to blame for the less-than-exciting writing style, but still definitel...more
I read this on the bus from New York to DC in pretty much one sitting. It's very light reading, a glossing over of a woman's life while she spends time in a mental institution for not being feminine enough. It's got a nice list of transgender resources in the back in case you're interested in learning more.
That said, if you read this don't expect to be blown away. It reminds me of that lady who, despite being from the suburbs, wrote her 'memoir' of growing up in South Central LA, only to have h...more
That said, if you read this don't expect to be blown away. It reminds me of that lady who, despite being from the suburbs, wrote her 'memoir' of growing up in South Central LA, only to have h...more
The idea of this book was very interesting to me mainly because I thought it was specifically about someone diagnosed with so called "gender identity disorder" and treatment. It was definately about this but I would classify it more about being institutionalised in general as the idea of gender identity disorder didnt enter the picture until book was half way finished.Very eye opening and disturbing.I appreciate the authors willingness to re-live this dark period in her life in order to write th...more
I think this is a very important topic and a story that needs to be read. I found it compelling and sad and shocking that it all happened oh-so-recently. That all being said, the narrative style wasn't my favorite. It jumped around in time more than I would prefer. I can think of lots of good reasons for this, including it being a symptom of the actual problem described in the book. I absolutely think it is worth reading, but it won't be my go-to "here, read this queer book!" book.
I have to agree with some of the other reviews I have read here. The author constantly lies and exagerates to get what she wants. Also, she exaggerates because she wants acceptance so she tells them what she thinks they want to hear. And this book has a co-author. How much of it has been changed just by the simple fact that someone else is writing down the story? I just wasn't compelled to believe her, and it wasn't until the VERY end that she finally admits that she likes girls and that her sex...more
A commonplace tragedy, that no-body tried to fine out about her abuse and instead decided to treat her for acting out and being "an inappropriate female". So much of what she says and her reaction to events seems so eminently sane.
I worried about how she managed to shut off the many different abuse situations she had, the string of men who forced themselves on her. Oh humanity, how badly we fail.
I worried about how she managed to shut off the many different abuse situations she had, the string of men who forced themselves on her. Oh humanity, how badly we fail.
I loved the title. That's why I picked it up. (I'm not a dress wearer, will probably never be a dress wearer.) The injustices Scholinski suffered because she was "gender inappropriate" are horrifying. My sympathies were with the mixed-up girl who spent time trapped in the mental health industry, who "grew up" in the same era that I did. But the narration lacks some punch and focus.
Sometimes it feels like writing a memoir is part of a transperson's journey in life. Trans memoirs are almost their own sub-genre at this point. I'm not sure how I feel about that. And really while I read this book all I could really think was that I would rather be watching Girl Interrupted. Is it a bad memoir? No. It just doesn't stand out in the huge field of trans memoirs.
Great. I have an ex that spent time in an institution and a lot of her issues sprung her parents not being able to deal with the fact that being a lesbian is not a mental disability. It's really horrific that on top of other problems a person is dealing with sexuality could (thank god not so much nowdays) count against them as the root of all their problems.
I can't stand books by self proclaimed pathological liars. Oh, most of what's about to follow is probably bullshit? What's the point?
I'm glad Daphne was able to become Dylan and is doing a lot better these days, but he used to be such a little shit with a bad case of Conduct Disorder. It's hard to empathize with someone like that.
Hated this book.
I'm glad Daphne was able to become Dylan and is doing a lot better these days, but he used to be such a little shit with a bad case of Conduct Disorder. It's hard to empathize with someone like that.
Hated this book.
First, read the review by Osho - it pretty much sums up how I felt about the book as well, only in a way that is worded much better (and in greater detail) that I care to commit to my goodreads reviews. Overall, I feel like this novel was popular at one point because of the subject - the shocking subject that someone would be committed to a mental hospital b/c they weren't "girl" enough. However if you were to rate the novel on overall writing, as well as the self-reflections and revelations mad...more
I thought this was a good read, with a lot of drama and true story credibility. Some of the material could be unsettling, depending on one's experience of the traumas the main character goes through-- but when she finds art and describes its cathartic effect on her life, I was amazed.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Share This Book
1 trivia question
More quizzes & trivia...
“Being high felt as if half of me was wandering lost in the streets and half of me was calling out, hoping that I'd make it back before someone took advantage.”
—
3 people liked it
“Each person in the group said something except for me. My silence became noticed. About halfway through the meeting I started to think, I've got to talk. Today, I've got to talk. Fear racked me so bad that sweat ran down my sides. I thought, After the curly-haired woman stops talking I'll raise my hand. A man with a cocky smile told the curly woman that her story was nothing compared to his, he'd been passed out cold from heroin and God knows what, and I wanted to tell him to quit glorifying hinself. I was just about to say the words, a few faces turned toward me as if they could sense my imminent speech, when a man across the circle interrupted.
The opportunity passed; what I wanted to say wouldn't fit now. I tilted on the back two legs of the chair and waited for my desire to speak and be noticed and be part of the group to travel back through my nervous system. Up the synapses condemnation rushed: Why couldn't I spit something out like a normal person?”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
The opportunity passed; what I wanted to say wouldn't fit now. I tilted on the back two legs of the chair and waited for my desire to speak and be noticed and be part of the group to travel back through my nervous system. Up the synapses condemnation rushed: Why couldn't I spit something out like a normal person?”
Jan 09, 2009 03:05pm
Jan 13, 2009 09:08am