Charlie Craggs - To My Trans Sisters

2017, Audrey Mbugua Ithibu, Charlie Craggs, English, Interview, Miss saHHara,

Full title: "To My Trans Sisters" by Charlie Craggs.

 

If you've ever wished for a big sister to take your hand, whisper words of wisdom, and remind you that you are seen, loved, and capable of thriving, Charlie Craggs’ To My Trans Sisters is exactly that. A luminous, soul-baring collection of letters written by trans women for trans women, this anthology isn’t just a book. It’s a beacon. A hug. A gentle (and sometimes fierce) nudge toward your truth. 

 

Charlie Craggs, who you can also meet in my interview on Heroines of My Life (read it here), has done something revolutionary yet intimate, curating over 70 heartfelt letters from trans women around the globe. Each letter radiates with hard-earned wisdom, humor, pain, sass, survival, and above all, love. There’s no pretension here. No voyeuristic over-explaining for cis audiences. This is trans women speaking to trans women, sister to sister. 

 

The diversity of voices is astonishing. From Miss SaHHara’s glittering strength to Audrey Mbugua’s bold advocacy in Kenya, from Gogo Graham’s sobering caution (“Find shoes in which you feel able to run”) to Kate Stone’s reminder not to get lost in the transition, every page pulses with authenticity. And while the contributors include high-profile activists, designers, and pioneers (including the creator of the transgender pride flag and the UK’s first openly serving trans military officer), what binds them all is the desire to reach back and lift up those who are just starting their journeys. 

 

As Sarah O’Connell so aptly puts it, this book is "a must-read collection of letters from truly inspirational women". It’s packed with “uplifting messages of hope” and it genuinely feels like a family album, one you’ll want to keep by your bed, underline, cry over, and pass along. Jennifer Finney Boylan calls it “a love letter to our community,” and she’s absolutely right. But it’s also a reclamation: of our stories, our resilience, and our right to speak for ourselves. Cis readers are, of course, welcome, but for once, the room isn’t arranged with them in mind. As Publishers Weekly notes, this anthology “is a welcome departure from the established genre of texts about trans individuals… for a presumed audience of primarily cisgendered individuals.” Finally, we get a book that speaks to us, not about us. I’ll echo Library Journal’s starred verdict: this is “a triumph in topics of gender and women’s studies” and essential reading for anyone exploring identity, transition, or how to be a better ally. To My Trans Sisters is more than a collection of letters, it’s a lifeline. And to any trans woman picking it up for the first time, just know: we’ve got your back, sis.

Available via Amazon

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