From: "Clare Howell" Subject: IYF-Interview With Calpernia Adams Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1999 08:13:10 -0700 MEDIA ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Editor: Clare Howell, clare@gpac.org AN INTERVIEW WITH CALPERNIA ADAMS ================================== [Nashville, TN: 6 Sep 99] IN A CASE THAT HAS ATTRACTED national attention, PFC Barry Winchell was bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat in his barracks at Fort Campbell, KY on 5 Jul 99. He had been the subject of anti-gay harassment for four months prior to the murder, from the time he began dating transgender woman Calpernia Adams. Two soldiers were charged in the killing: PVT Calvin Glover with wielding the bat, and SPC Justin Fisher with encouraging Glover, being an accessory after the fact, and obstructing the investigation. Military court proceedings are still in the preliminary stage. Reportage of this case highlights the difficulties trans-people present to the mainstream and queer media. The cultural verities--man, woman, gay, straight--become moving targets when the press attempts to portray trans-lives. In most media reports following the murder, Callie Adams’ identity as a woman was effectively erased. In press reports she became, simply, 'a man.' Ironically, Ms. Adams' trans-identity and the freedom it gave Barry Winchell may have led to the tragic events in this story. We interviewed Ms. Adams on 25 Aug 99. An abridged version of that interview follows. The complete text is available in the IYF portion of GenderPAC’s website, www.gpac.org. IYF: In news accounts, you’ve been referred to as ‘a man’ and ‘a female impersonator.’ How were you approached by the media? CA: When Barry was murdered, I was very shocked and confused, and did not realize that it would receive national attention. It’s hard to remember exactly who spoke to me first after the incident, but I think it was the local newspaper and the local CBS station. Before I spoke to them, I was contacted by Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). I think it was sort of an unspoken general consensus among those I spoke to that I not correct the initial reports that Barry had been dating ‘a man.’ I inferred from what they told me that it would be easier for the public to understand that Barry’s murder was a hate crime if they referred to me as male. IYF: How do you feel about that now? CA: Looking back, I wish I could have had the presence of mind to clarify things, but I am so insecure in my own identity, and things were so hectic and scary at that time, I guess everyone made some bad decisions. Ultimately, I feel like I was responsible for allowing the media to represent me as a man, although now I would prefer to be referred to as a transgendered woman, ‘she’ and ‘her.’ IYF: When, where, and how did you meet Barry Winchell? CA: Sometime near the end of March, on a Sunday night (the last night of my workweek) there was a table of four soldiers in our pretty empty showroom. [Ms. Adams works at The Connection, a gay/mixed nightclub in Nashville.] Sundays are very low-key, with a much smaller attendance than other nights, so in between shows we have more time to come out and meet and greet. The soldiers had been particularly vocal and excited during the show, so I went over and was introduced to them. The outgoing ones were the two straight ones, and they introduced me to Fisher and a very shy-seeming guy who turned out to be Barry. Barry and I were attracted to each other immediately, and we talked for awhile and he asked me out for the following week. From there we quickly moved into a full relationship. Barry later told me that Fisher had been out the previous night (Saturday) and saw me, and told the other guys, "You have to come see this girl! She’s amazing!" So that’s why they had been there that Sunday. Fisher never came out anymore after Barry and I began dating. IYF: You mentioned that Barry was ‘polite, calm and masculine.’ CA: Barry was a really a good match for me. He had something that's hard to find in a man, especially if you are looking for a man who would be attracted to me. He was old-fashioned, respectful, and yet totally boyish and manly at the same time. Very attractive to me physically, emotionally, and mentally. IYF: I got the impression from earlier comments you made that Fisher may have had a crush on you and may have been jealous when you and Barry hit it off. Tell us about Fisher. CA: I never thought about Fisher much during our relationship. After Barry told me what I’ve related above, I assumed Fisher was jealous, but I never thought anything would come of it. Fisher did have a reputation for being a drunk, short-fused, and violent, but I assumed never deadly. IYF: Tell us more about Barry. CA: Barry was a simple man, and I don’t mean that in a demeaning way. He was smart and goal-minded, self sufficient and successful, but he was not pretentious or judgmental. So many of the people I interact with in my community have been driven into a mode of constant bitterness, criticism, and cruelty, and in Barry I only found a simple commitment to his life and the few people important to him. Barry had an honest, almost child- like laugh, and his smile was a genuine reflection of his pleasure. He was a very rare and special man. IYF: Was he sexually experienced? CA: Barry had had relationships only with women, as far as I knew. He told me he had dealt with an attraction to men all his life, but had not acted on it. He said he was not attracted at all to masculine people. He wanted the sexual experiences that I could provide along with the appearance of a female. I was perfect for his tastes. IYF: How did he self-identify? CA: Because of our intimate experiences, Barry said on several occasions that he felt he was gay, but I suspect that if he had had time to fully balance everything out, he would have ended up considering himself bisexual, because I could tell he was still attracted to women. IYF: When did the anti-gay harassment he suffered begin? CA: From the trial I have learned that the same night I chose Barry, Fisher went back and told everyone he could find that ‘Barry’s gay!,’ so immediately everyone, including superiors, started on him. IYF: What did he say about the harassment? CA: Barry didn’t talk much about it. He mentioned it a few times, that people had asked him if he was gay, and that he thought everybody knew, but he kept the worst of it from me. IYF: Evidently, Barry had a run-in with Private Glover just prior to the murder. What was that about and what happened? CA: According to testimony, Glover was always roaming around looking for a fight, and he picked on Barry about something, and Barry beat him up. So then Fisher started saying, "You’re not going to let a faggot kick your ass, are you?" IYF: Did you know Glover? CA: No, I never saw him until he was brought into the trial in chains and leg-irons. IYF: Is there anything you’d like to add? CA: I know our relationship was somewhat complicated. We never expected it to receive such close scrutiny, so there were some aspects even we hadn’t quite defined or thought out yet. We certainly expected to have all the time in the world, and planned to use it, and the fact that that was taken away will always leave a terrible empty place in my heart. ### Subscriptions. Please contact: Subscribe@gpac.org For prior releases, check the GenderPAC website at: http://www.gpac.org (c) 1999 InYourFace GenderPAC's independent online news-only service for gender activism. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of GenderPAC's Board, Officers, or membership.