Ginny Knuth

Ginny Knuth 1934-1997

The gender community mourns the passing of Ginny Knuth, a dedicated volunteer active in ETVC, IFGE, and the Significant-Other Support groups. Ginny died of natural causes on November 23, at home in San Francisco, after a lengthy illness. Ginny gave so much of herself to us that we named ETVC's highest service award after her. She earned international recognition as well; in 1994 IFGE honored her with a Trinity Award.

Ginny was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1934. Her first 40 years included a marriage and a business career in the Midwest. After a divorce she spent time in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, where a succession of friends introduced her to the gay community. Always heavy, Ginny had a poor self-image that these gentlemen encouraged her to improve. Like many women with close gay friends, she despaired of finding a straight lover with the same endearing qualities.

Ginny then met Don, a straight man who seemed special. After a year of dating, with dread and trepidation, Don disclosed his transvestism and introduced Ginny to his alter-ego, Nancy Ann Martine. To Nancy Ann's relief, Ginny gave her a scarf to help cover her beard when she goes out. Nancy Ann then went to the Dream convention in 1983 and discovered ETVC. Next month, Nancy Ann and Ginny visited the 1983 ETVC Halloween Social. Drawn into the group, Nancy Ann and Ginny were elected to the Social Committee, and then later Nancy Ann was elected Treasurer. Ginny served for many years as our office administrator.

Ginny's FamilyGinny's struggles to understand and accept Nancy Ann lead her to involvement with the Significant-Others Support Group and a long-running column in the ETVC Newsletter: Ginny's Tales from the Other Side. Over the years, Ginny helped organize the ETVC Library and archives, the production and publication of the newsletter, the monthly Poker Social, and numerous social events and meetings. After winning the Member of the Year Award several times in a row, it was decided to name it in her honor (partly to give others a chance to win it too!).

Ginny served for countless hours on the ETVC hot line and was the first friendly soul that thousands of us encountered in our journeys out of the closet. She was always available for wives and girlfriends who were puzzled, upset, or curious about their gender-variant husbands and answered calls and correspondence from around the world.

Ginny smilingGinny's ties with the gay community in San Francisco has lead to years of cooperation with the Imperial Court system, involvement in GLBT events, and the remarkably harmonious relationship that the San Francisco gender community enjoys with the local gay and lesbian groups. Sadly, many of Ginny's gay friends were lost to AIDS, and she gave much of herself in the battle against HIV.

A diabetic, Ginny's health began to fail in 1992. Despite this, she maintained a busy schedule with ETVC until the summer of 1997. While foreseen, her passing has brought much sadness to the Bay Area and to the larger transgender community. Ginny's life shows us how someone with a kind heart and a willingness to get involved can do so much to make the world better.

Ginny with Trinity AwardGinny’s contributions are summarized well in the 1994 Trinity Awards Ceremony program: "Ginny Knuth; A long-standing advisor to and advocate of the transgender community, Ginny has contributed notably in her association with the Educational TV Channel of San Francisco. Through the years she has contributed a huge amount to that organization’s growth. She initiated and strengthened the bonds between the transgendered community and the gay/lesbian community in San Francisco. In all her efforts and involvements through the years, we appreciate that her prime motive has been her great love for us all."

We particularly wish to extend our sympathy and condolences to Nancy Ann Martine, who was faithfully devoted to Ginny until the end.

-- Jamie Faye Fenton