Rachel Pollack

Rachel Pollack (born Richard Pollack in 1945) is an American science fiction author, comic book writer, and expert on divinatory tarot. Her book 78 Degrees of Wisdom is considered one of the best texts on tarot reading, and she has created her own tarot deck called "Shining Woman Tarot," which was later updated and renamed "Shining Tribe Tarot." She also aided in the creation of the "Vertigo Tarot Deck", and wrote a book specifically to accompany it.

She is best known for her run on the comic book Doom Patrol, on DC Comics' Vertigo imprint, which became a cult favorite under Grant Morrison. Legend has it Pollack was assigned to write the series after writing persistent letters to the editor, and in she dealt with such rarely addressed comic-book topics as menstruation, sexual identity, and transsexuality. Pollack's run ended two years later, with the book's cancellation.

She also wrote for DC's New Gods, Brother Power the Geek, Tomahawk, and Time Breakers, and for many Vertigo miniseries. Her book The Body Of The Goddess is an exploration of the history of the Goddess. Rachel Pollack uses the image of the Goddess in many of her works.

Her science-fiction novels explore worlds imbued with elements pulled from a number of traditions, faiths, and religions.

Pollack currently teaches creative writing at Goddard College. Her most recent work is included in the anthology called Interfictions: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing edited by Theodora Gross. Rachel Pollack is a male to female transwoman. She was given the name Richard at birth. In the late seventies after extensive psychotherapy, Pollack decided to live full time as a woman. In 1979 Richard changed his name to Rachel and underwent sex reassignment surgery. The well known plastic surgeon Dr. Lamaker performed Pollack's sex reassignment surgery. Pollack's penis and testicles were amputated and the penile skin was inverted to line her new surgically created vagina. Her scrotal skin was used to create artifical vaginal labia. Spongiform from her urethra was used to make her neo clitoris. Pollack has been active for many years in causes related to women's issues, Jewish issues and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. Pollack's run on the comic book 'The Doom Patrol' was very popular amongst gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered readers. Several reports of transsexuals being saved from suicide after reading the adventures of Pollack's transsexual heroine Coagula have been reported. Rachel Pollack is one of the first transsexual women to have an adult Bat Mitzvah. In the late nineties at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation, Rachel Pollack held her adult Bat Mitzvah. In attendance were congregation members, family, friends and members of the transgendered community. A participant in the service was noted transsexuals Kate Bornstein, Leslie Feinberg and Chelsea Godwin. The service was a hit but was condemned by ultra Orthodox Haredi Jews.

Awards:

• 1997 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel winner for Godmother Night
• 1994 Nebula Award for Best Novel nominee for Temporary Agency
• 1989 Arthur C. Clarke Award winner for Unquenchable Fire

References

• Official site
• Two essays about transsexuality by Rachel Pollack
• Rachel Pollack at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database