- Leslie Feinberg was a transgender lesbian, communist activist, and author known for her novel, “Stone Butch Blues”
- Leslie and Bruce got married in 2011 after first meeting in 1992 and dating for over 10 years
- Bruce Pratt’s partner, Leslie battled Lyme disease and multiple tick-borne co-infections for many years until her sad demise in 2014 at the age of 65
In the early 70s, Leslie Feinberg became known as a voice across several disputes including racism, and politics, and supported a number of pro-labor demonstrations. The Missouri-born was also known as an advocate for gay men, lesbians, and transgender and used her books to promote gender studies.
Leslie and Bruce Pratt were married from 2011 until the former’s unfortunate demise in 2014 following complications from Lyme disease and multiple tick-borne co-infections.
Bruce Pratt’s Partner, Leslie Feinberg was a Native of Kansas City, Missouri
The American author, Leslie Feinberg was born to a working-class Jewish family on September 1, 1949, in Kansas City, Missouri. However, she was raised in Buffalo, New York.
Coming from a Jewish background, we gathered that her family was hostile to her sexuality and gender expression. They did not support her choices as they contradicted their beliefs. As such, Leslie left home as a teenager and earned a living from juggling several low-income jobs including washing dishes, working in a book bindery, cleaning out ship cargo holds, and interpreting sign language.
Around this time, Leslie also dropped out of Bennett high school but later returned to school and received a college diploma.
Leslie Feinberg Worked as a Communist Activist, Speaker, and Author
As earlier hinted, Leslie juggled several jobs as a teenager. However, in her early 20, she joined the Workers World Party in Buffalo. With the group, she took part in pro-labor demonstrations, anti-war, and anti-racism which saw her organize a match against racism in Boston in 1974 after an attack on the blacks by the white supremacist.
Leslie also provided support for AIDS patients through rallies as well as those at risk. In the late 90s, she became an advocate for women’s reproductive rights. She pursued this cause after Dr. Barnett Slepian, an abortion provider was murdered in his home in Buffalo.
She was also an activist who supported and defend gay men, lesbians, and transgender. Bruce Pratt’s partner defined herself as a female-bodied, butch lesbian, a transgender lesbian who however didn’t have a problem with being described as ‘she/her’ and used the pronouns ze (for she) and hir (for her) as she argued that one wouldn’t need a former introduction with those pronouns in place.
Asides from being an activist, she is also an author known for her first novel Stone Butch Blues (1993), and non-fiction books on topics around gender issues including “Transgender Warriors: Making History From Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman” and “Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue,” and a second novel, “Drag King.”
Leslie Feinberg was Married to Bruce Pratt for 6 Years
Leslie Feinberg and Bruce Pratt got married in 2011 after dating for several years. Bruce revealed that she met Leslie in 1992 at her slideshow lecture in Washington and they soon became friends. 7 years later, the pair started dating as Brune fell in love with Leslie’s voice, vision, and revolutionary submissions.
During this time, they both became active as political activists as well as their writings and teaching. Needless to say, Bruce is a poet-activist, short story writer, and playwright. Asides from this, their dating period also saw Bruce support Leslie who was battling Lyme disease.
After over 10 years of dating and being there for each other, Leslie ad Bruch decided to walk down the aisle in a civil ceremony in 2011. Their wedding was held in Massachusetts and later in New York State. They lived together as a couple for about three years before the unfortunate demise of Leslie.
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Leslie Died in 2014 after Battling Lyme Disease
As hinted already, Leslie battled Lyme disease for many years. According to our findings, she was first infected sometime in the 70s. However, following her transgender identity as well as limited knowledge about the disease, she didn’t get any treatment until sometime in 2008 when she was properly diagnosed.
Following complications from Lyme disease as well as tick-borne infections, the American activist and author Leslie became very sick and even lost the ability to read, write, talk, and walk. She communicated through the arts and pictures.
Unfortunately, she succumbed to the disease and died on November 15, 2014, at home in Syracuse, New York. She was 65 years old at the time and survived by her longtime partner, Bruce Pratt, her family of choice, and many friends.
