Call Me Dave

Mildred Lillian Augustine Wirt Benson, arguably the person who had the greatest influence on the American feminist movement of the 20th century, was a female to a male transgendered person, born in a women’s body and assigned a women’s place in society but self-identifying as male. Additionally, Millie was gay and an ardent anti-feminist.

Everything written to date about Millie has failed to grasp those basic facts of his life and has therefore presented history in a cloud of inaccurate perceptions and mistruths. It is my intention in this narrative to set history right and to credit Millie for his real accomplishments which, as you will read, are far greater than merely an ‘independent woman ahead of her time.’ Indeed, Millie’s true story is one of overcoming immense adversity and, in the end, recovering his ‘birthright’ against all odds.

 

The book’s 313 pages and 93 photos and illustrations are based on my more than 15-year friendship with Millie, the only complete set of Millie’s personal papers and approximately 600 letters that passed back and forth between us over our the years.

 

CALL ME DAVE is a softcover version of MILDRED WIRT BENSON: THE TRANSGENDER MAN WHO WROTE NANCY DREW. If you want the digital version, see the listing for MILDRED WIRT BENSON: THE TRANSGENDER MAN WHO WROTE NANCY DREW on this website.