Sullivan, Louis, 1951-

Louis Graydon Sullivan, a pioneering female to male transsexual gay man, was born Sheila Jean Sullivan in 1953. He wrote many articles and books on female to male transsexuality, and a book on Jack B. Garland (a.k.a. Babe Bean). In 1986 Sullivan founded FTM International, a peer-support group devoted entirely to female to male individuals.

Organizational History

FTM International (FTM) is the largest and oldest continuously running organization serving the Female-to-Male community and their allies. It is a peer-support group whose mission is to improve the quality of life and promote visibility and equality for female-to-male transpeople and their families. FTM International also campaigns to end shame and fear surrounding trans issues and to end economic marginalization of transpeople. To this end, the organization offers information, networking opportunities and advocacy to, and on behalf of, the trans-community. FTM International also provides educational services on transgender issues to the general public.

Author and activist Louis G. Sullivan founded FTM in San Francisco in 1986 as a support group for female-to-male transvestites and transsexuals. He started publishing the FTM Newsletter on a quarterly basis in September 1987. Until his death in 1991, Sullivan worked tirelessly to provide services for FTMs and increase understanding of their lives. Before he died, Sullivan asked transgender activist and educator Jamison (James) Green to take over publication of the newsletter. That same year, 1991, FTM began holding regular monthly meetings. In 1994, the organization�s name was changed to FTM International to reflect its growth worldwide. In November 1996, FTM International was granted status as a non-profit 501c3 educational organization and elected its first board of directors in June 1997. In addition to Sullivan and Green, past FTM International presidents have included Drago Renteria, Dion Manley and Zion Free Johnson. The current president is Levi Atler.

In 2006 the FTM Newsletter serves over 1,000 subscribers and is the largest FTM publication in the world. FTM International offers support groups for FTMs and their families in cities in more than 18 nations. Members represent a variety of cultural and economic backgrounds, a wide range of ages and every imaginable sexual orientation. In addition to holding support meetings and publishing the newsletter, FTM International organizes events, publishes a resource guide, maintains a website (http://www.ftmi.org) and answers correspondence from FTMs around the world. The San Francisco Chapter, which is named after Louis Sullivan, has over 300 members and conducted nearly 150 support meetings in 2005.