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Title: Ginny Knuth papers
Dates: circa 1930s-2006
Collection Number: 1999-46
Creator/Collector:
Knuth, Ginny
Extent: 3 linear feet (3 oversized boxes)
Online items available
Repository:
GLBT Historical Society
San Francisco, California 94103
Abstract: Ginny Knuth (1934-1997) was a cisgender woman who volunteered extensively with San Francisco transgender organizations from
1983 until her death. The collection includes photographs, an oral history, a small amount of biographical information, and
a large number of awards and plaques.
Language of Material: English
Collection is open for research.
Copyright to material created by Jamie Faye Fenton has been transferred to the GLBT Historical Society; copyright to material
created and compiled by Ginny Knuth has not. No release form was signed for the oral history, which was taken shortly before
Knuth’s death. All requests for reproductions and/or permission to publish or quote from material must be submitted in writing
to the GLBT Historical Society Archivist. Permission for reproductions and/or permission to publish or quote from material
is given on behalf of the GLBT Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
[Identification of item]. Ginny Knuth papers. Collection Number: 1999-46 . GLBT Historical Society
The audiovisual material was donated to the GLBT Historical Society in 1999 by Jamie Faye Fenton. Other material was donated
by unknown parties.
Biography/Administrative History
Ginny Knuth (1934-1997) was a cisgender woman who volunteered extensively with San Francisco transgender organizations from
1983 until her death. She first became involved with Educational TV Channel (ETVC) – which later became TransGender SF – and
later with the Significant-Others Support Group and the International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE).
Knuth was married to Don Aviani, who identified when they met as a straight man who crossdressed, and who was known in the
San Francisco transgender community as Nancy Ann Martine. The couple were very active members of ETVC; Knuth arranged social
events ranging from a baby shower, to poker nights, to a game-show party in which guests parodied the Newlywed Game. She helped
to organize the ETVC library, answered its hotline, managed its office, handled the door at its meetings, wrote a column in
its newsletter (“Ginny’s Tales from the Other Side”), and was known for her support of both people on the transfeminine spectrum
and their partners.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Ginny Kunth papers include a videotaped interview and an oral history taken by Jamie Faye Fenton; numerous awards and
plaques for Knuth and Martine from various organizations, including ETVC, IFGE, and the Imperial Court of San Francisco; a
biographical sketch and obituary of Knuth; and photographs, including a number of images of a person having makeup applied,
Halloween and Christmas snapshots, other photographs presumably of Knuth and Martine, and Knuth’s childhood photo album (circa
late 1930s-1950s). GSSO Linked Terms: http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/GSSO_000130
Transgender people