In this 87 page interview, Dr. Susan Stryker talks to Suzy Cooke, a prominent and involved trans woman living in San Francisco and Berkeley in the late 60s, when she started transitioning, until she moved to LA in 1974. Although far too long for a mere summary to do it justice, the interview outlines Suzy Cooke’s life story, her experiences in Berkeley compared to San Francisco, her work with organizations in the area, her thoughts on the relationships between the feminist, transgender, and gay communities, and more. Cooke sold The Barb on Telegraph avenue and put advertisements in it, as did many trans people in Berkeley during the time, and she later found a trans roommate through The Barb. Furthermore, while she attempted to interact with feminist and non-feminist spaces in the community, their trans-exclusionary politics frequently came to light.

The full interview is hosted on the GLBT Historical Society’s website, and is available for viewing here, or you can download the attached file. To see the most relevant parts, hit CTRL+F and search “Berkeley,” or anything else you’re interested in seeing.