March 3, 2026Open Access

‘From the Fields Into the Bars’: The Story of Israel's First Transgender Novel, The Cut (1977)

Key Points

The Cut highlights the emergence of a vibrant trans community in Tel Aviv-Jaffa, illustrating their struggles and hopes.
Judy Spotheim's autobiographical work merges personal narrative with societal critique, providing unique insights into transgender issues.
Oral history interviews with trans women, conducted over ten years, enrich the understanding of Spotheim's experiences and advocacy efforts.
This pioneering text emphasizes the cultural context and challenges that hindered broader acceptance of trans women during its publication.

Abstract

ABSTRACT In 1977, an Israeli transgender woman, Judy Spotheim, published an autobiographical novel entitled The Cut . It describes the emergence of a trans community in the commercial‐sex areas of Tel Aviv‐Jaffa, hoping to humanise trans women ( coccinelles ). This article is the first to study the novel and present a biography of Spotheim. It analyses the historical and personal circumstances enabling such a ground‐breaking text to be published, and why she was unsuccessful in advocating for trans women. It is based on oral history interviews conducted with trans women over the course of a decade, as well as queer and trans theory.

‘From the Fields Into the Bars’: The Story of Israel's First Transgender Novel, The Cut (1977)

Key Points

Abstract

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