My hometown, Wayland, MA, was home to a secret safe house for trans people from 1981 to 1999. I decided I needed to know everything about the Tiffany Club (now the Trans Club of New England).
the challenge
There had never been a comprehensive history of the Tiffany Club written anywhere. Its founder, Merissa Sherrill Lynn, passed away in 2017, leaving behind her memoirs, which were informative, but left holes in certain places. I wanted to tell the full story, and to do so respectfully and in a way that wouldn’t endanger anyone.
my solution
I read every pamphlet, news clipping, and book I could get my hands on that so much as mentioned the Tiffany Club. I spent months cataloging the club’s newsletters and pulling relevant quotes to get a feel for what it must have been like.
Because we don’t live in a country where trans people can assume they are safe to be their authentic selves, I treaded very carefully when I reached out to people who knew Merissa or were involved in the club. Many I talked to were hesitant to speak to anyone, let alone on the record. I allowed interviewees to decide if they would be named, or if they were anonymized, I let them to choose a name for themselves if they liked. I wanted them to feel empowered to speak about this important aspect of trans history without fear that they would out themselves or others.
Of course, many were happy to talk, and I was welcomed with open arms to the TCNE weekly meetings. Everyone I talked to was enthusiastic about telling this story and driving home the point that trans people have always existed and thrived when given the space and freedom to do so.
While no traditional publishing outlets were interested in the story, I’m happy to say my work has been used as a resource for others telling stories about trans history and trans current events in Massachusetts and beyond. I welcome any and all who wish to cite my work to make sure Merissa’s legacy is enshrined in history.
You can read about the history of the Tiffany Club on Medium.
emotional language. 