Jan Morris and the Limits of Gender Fantasy
“I was insisting that my fantasies were true—that fantasy, in fact, could be a reality in itself.”
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Jan Morris and the Limits of Gender Fantasy Susan Pickard April 30, 2026 Share Share via X Share via Facebook Share via email Copy link April 30, 2026 Share Share via X Share via Facebook Share via email Copy link “I was insisting that my fantasies were true—that fantasy, in fact, could be a reality in itself.” So wrote Jan Morris in Conundrum, fifty-two years ago. The book was the first to appear under the byline of “Jan,” rather than Morris’s birth-name of James. It was also one of the first autobiographical accounts of sex change. A new biography of Morris by Sara Wheeler has just been published, but it is Conundrum itself that warrants rereading today.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Compact Magazine.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Compact Magazine
