I look like the description passed out only when I do my thing, the rest of the time I look entirely different.

Cross-dresser?

Personally, I have been wondering for a few weeks whether Z might have been transsexual.

I admit that there is little direct evidence for this conjecture, but one reason I like the idea is that it could suggest an explanation for Z’s absence between 1971 and 1974. The process typically takes a few years–actually, it can take a lifetime, from what I have read, but 3 to 5 years might be somewhat typical. (If anybody is more knowledgeable on this topic, feel free to correct me. I claim no expertise.)

What I think we can say with some confidence is that Z underwent–or was undergoing–a transformation during this period. And whatever the nature of that transformation was, it seems to have involved the transformation of his very identity, as evidenced by his dropping his self-identification as "the Zodiac".

What’s more, as I mentioned in earlier comments, his subsequent communiques seem to suggest a preoccupation with stories and discussions on the theme of "woman transformed": the possesed girl from the The Exorcist, Patty Hearst, the girl from the Badlands movie and the Count Marco column.

Even his apparent flirtation with a social conscience might make sense if he was seeing himself (I will stick to the male pronoun as this remains conjecture) as a new person, a new being–somebody with a possible place in society. Somebody who once was not accepted or valued as a member of society, now transformed into a new human, with a new gender, an a more socially acceptable body, who now sees acceptance as within grasp, but knows that a social conscience must go hand-in-hand with social acceptability, and perhaps self-acceptability.

There is also the evidence of the Count Marco letter itself, which seems to suggest that Z may have working with a psychiatrist during this time. There could have been many situations that lead to Z getting help from a shrink. Still, it seems worth noting that (to my knowledge) he would likely have needed to work with a psychiatrist before being allowed to undergo sexual reassignment.

Since I am running completely amok with my conjectures, I will also toss in that transgenderism and transsexuality might also explain the sense we get that Z was changing personalities. He may or may not have had some form of multiple personality disorder–I have never known what to think of such suggestions–but if he were transsexual, I suspect he would have undergone behavior differences that would also count as significant personality changes. One thing we can all agree on about Z–he was not a 2 dimensional character. He underwent significant changes from the time of his first appearance, till his last confirmed letter.

Could transgenderism or transsexuality suggest possible explanations for any other anomalies?

Perhaps. I have often wondered if it might have borne a role in his use of a mask at Lake Barryessa. And perhaps the Stine killing was as simple (though repugnant) as a moment of anger for a wrong word on Stine’s part? Pure conjecture, I know, but perhaps worth at least half a moment’s thought.

In summary, it seems to me that there are a number of ways that this conjecture could suggest explanations for some of Z’s enduring mysteries. I do not claim to know what the truth is, but this idea does have merits on its potential explanatory power, even if much more evidence would be needed before it can be whole heartedly accepted.

Hopefully we will someday learn the truth.

Thanks for reading,

G

As I research the topics of transgenderism and transsexuality, I continue to finddiscover the myriad ways in which I have been misinformed on the topic.

For example, I thought the main step in transitioning from one sex to another would involve sexual reassignment surgery. While that may often be the case, I am surprised to learn that hormonal treatment generall has a larger role and that, in some cases–not sure how many–the process may end with hormonal treatments, for any number of reasons: that changes achieved may be sufficient for the individual to live comfortably in the target gender; the surgery may simply be too costly; the individual may fear the surgery; and so on. And in some cases, the person may even choose to live their public or professional life as one gender and their private live as another.

I have been learning a lot from the following website: http://www.transsexual.org . It provides lots of useful information and, though that is not its purpose, might be a useful resource for constructing a profile to see how a transgender or transsexual Zodiac Killer might compare to the known facts.

Many thanks,

G

I have been learning a lot from the following website: http://www.transsexual.org . It provides lots of useful information and, though that is not its purpose, might be a useful resource for constructing a profile to see how a transgender or transsexual Zodiac Killer might compare to the known facts.

Many thanks,

G

Don’t learn too much G lol.

One of the pioneering Doctors in this field was Dr. Harry Benjamin ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Benjamin ), who, interestingly, had a summer office at 450 Sutter Street in San Francisco.

It is not clear to me if Dr Benjamin was still operating on Sutter Street in 1969, or if he would have personally been there in October, but it seems entirely conceivable that a clinic or other service was available at that location at the time Paul Stine picked up his fatal fair–apparently just a couple blocks away.

G

I always thought the Castro was where gay people hung out in SF.

Yes. That appears to be correct. According to Wikipedia articles I found, both the Tenderloin and the Castro districts have a strong links to the GLBT communities.

I am not from the area, as you can tell.

Thanks,

G

I have been learning a lot from the following website: http://www.transsexual.org . It provides lots of useful information and, though that is not its purpose, might be a useful resource for constructing a profile to see how a transgender or transsexual Zodiac Killer might compare to the known facts.

Many thanks,

G

Don’t learn too much G lol.

No worries.

Hi Trav,

At the risk of causing some confusion, I copied the quote below from Daniel’s thread on the Z340 and the Sacred Nine (viewtopic.php?f=81&t=249&start=60)

Are we talking about the eyes of the skeleton on the front of the card? If so IIRC the ‘dot’ is actually a sticker. A love heart sticker that read "Love you".

The idea of a love heart sticker over the skeleton’s eye that says "Love you" easily suggests a little wordplay: Eye + "Love you" = "I Love you".

That seems a very apropos find in light of your earlier comment from this thread:

…
I think the card itself may be a result of/influenced by this area. He sent it to Avery and (other members correct me here if need be) was it sent on the heels of Avery’s article about him possibly being a latent homosexual?

It certainly leads credence to the thought that the Halloween card was, in part at least, sent by Z in reply to Avery’s suggestion that he was a latent homosexual.

If this interpretation is correct, I might be inclined to suppose that Z intended that with some degree of humor. And if that supposition is true, it is interesting, as it tells us at a minimum that Z was not too hung up about such matters from a moralistic standpoint. If sexual prudishness were a motive for his killing young couples, it seems highly unlikely he would have responded to Avery’s comments with any kind of statement (or hint) that portrays him as having a homosexual interest in Avery, whether it was intended as a joke or seriously. The two attitudes would be mutually exclusive, I think.

Bottom line, I believe the love heart on the skeleton’s eye strongly suggests that this card was, at least in some degree, intended as a response to Avery’s suggestion that Z was a latent homosexual. And that, in my mind, increases the likelihood that the card would include other hints about any gender issues that Z might have felt were central to his identity.

Thanks,

G

Just an update to say that I think there was some confusion about the love heart sticker on the eye.

I liked where it seemed to lead, but I don’t think it could have been quite correct.

I don’t think it was a love heart sticker on the skeleton’s eye. Oh well.

G

I had a thought while posting about disguises on a thread about Z’s hair (viewtopic.php?f=29&t=1189&start=80). If my notion about Z being a transgender is correct, Z may have left us a verbal hint to say just that.

1 I look like the description passed out only when I do my thing, the rest of
the time I look entirle different. I shall not tell you what my descise
consists of when I kill

It seems to me somebody who is alternating between genders in public–such as a transsexual in transition, or even a tranvestite–might use a phrase like "only when I do my thing" as an inside joke to mean "when I am living or acting as a man".

(Just a clarification for you innocent ladies out there, men have an anatomical feature commonly referred to as their "thing". )

So, by this logic, Z might have been saying rather obliquely that he only looks like the description when he is made up to pass as a man.

Thanks for your indulgence,

G

traveller1st, Subject: Gender Issues? Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:07 pm

I can’t be certain about this due to the different style but I was staring at the skeleton’s on the Halloween card. Wondering if the shape of the arms on the one on the front was meant to echo the reversed N on the back of the card in the word knife and if the inside skeleton represented a letter as well. Then I spotted something or maybe thought of it and then spotted it.

Who knows where thoughts come from?

Are these two skeletons different genders? I’ve placed the appropriate pelvic diagrams under each one to illustrate it. Is that why he covered the pelvis on the front one with the pumpkin so it wouldn’t be spotted right away but rather something to be discovered, another little game.

Two different skeletons, one female, one male, no names ("have fun trying to figure out who I killed"). Is the question posed on the card from the victim or victims rather than Zodiac regarding knowing the name/s?

Does anyone know or remember what the source is of the skeleton on the left side? Where it came from? It is not the one on the Halloween card.

The Best Mystery Is An Unsolved Mystery….

 

Does anyone know or remember what the source is of the skeleton on the left side? Where it came from? It is not the one on the Halloween card.

It is the one on the Halloween card. A pumpkin was pasted on to it.

Does anyone know or remember what the source is of the skeleton on the left side? Where it came from? It is not the one on the Halloween card.

It is the one on the Halloween card. A pumpkin was pasted on to it.

The Halloween card’s skeleton with the pumpkin on it does not have the "same eyes." I do not understand

Yes, the one Trav shared–the eyes are draw in darker vs. "color" the original the newspaper shows. Good "eye". Guess that would be a question for him! I’d have to check my (Zodiac movie) reproduction to see if it was that card, but I doubt it…they were pretty spot-on. Could be some just drew them in darker for the sake of publishing it?

Here is a press photo of the Halloween card. This one is a UPI photo. I have no idea if the different news syndicates had a different version but it’s doubtful.

But going by this, I’d say bmichelle is right, it’s similar but the eyes are not the same.