Christi Brekke has long been known for her candid and heartfelt storytelling, and her new book, Becoming, Belonging and Blossoming: Diaries of a Trans Girl in Trumpland, continues in that same tradition. Following the success of her memoir, I Want to Be Her (2016), which chronicled her personal journey through gender dysphoria, health struggles, and ultimately, self-acceptance, Christi’s latest work captures the unique challenges and triumphs of living as a transgender woman in Donald Trump’s America. Where being trans during the Obama administration carried small signs of societal progress and hope, living in Trumpland, as Christi observes, is “like waking up each day in a bad episode of The Twilight Zone. Only it isn’t a TV show. It’s frighteningly real.”
In this collection of narratives, Christi explores the highs and lows of life as a trans woman navigating a political and cultural climate often hostile to her existence. She writes with the same vulnerability and honesty that made her memoir a beacon for others in the transgender community. Her new book is not simply a chronicle of hardship; it is a reflection on resilience, identity, and the small, often overlooked moments of joy that make life worth living. Through her diaries, she shares her triumphs, setbacks, and the quiet victories that come from simply being oneself in a world that can be unrelentingly critical.
Christi’s own journey gives her narrative an authenticity that is impossible to ignore. Before her transition in 2014, she struggled with severe depression, gender dysphoria, and health crises, at one point weighing 350 pounds and facing a dire medical ultimatum to lose weight or face serious consequences.
In my interview with her for The Heroines of My Life, she described how this period was marked by self-soothing through food and drink, a common response to untreated dysphoria, and how her eventual transition and hormone replacement therapy brought not just emotional relief but profound physical health improvements. “Once I made the decision to transition, and especially once I started HRT, the dysphoria went away and so too did my need to self-soothe with food and drink. I’m no longer diabetic, and my liver has fully recovered,” she explained. The clarity and freedom that followed allowed her to embrace her true identity and set the stage for her writing career.
Becoming, Belonging and Blossoming delves deeply into what it means to find oneself amidst a climate of fear, discrimination, and uncertainty. Christi’s diaries detail her experiences in public spaces, her interactions with friends and family, and her reflections on media portrayals of trans lives.
In my interview, she noted how the news often sensationalizes trans experiences, focusing on hardships and tragedies while neglecting the everyday realities of happiness, love, and fulfillment. Her book counters this narrative by weaving personal victories into the story, showing that being transgender is not solely about struggle but about becoming, belonging, and blossoming in spite of obstacles.
The book also highlights the importance of role models and community.
Christi’s writing is also deeply infused with her personal values and joys. Music, fashion, and love play essential roles in her life, and these elements appear throughout her diaries. In our interview, she described her wardrobe transformation, moving from dark, restrictive clothing shaped by years of dysphoria to vibrant, comfortable outfits that reflect her personality. She spoke of the joy she found in everyday life, from tunics and leggings at home to jeans and t-shirts out in the world. Her twenty-year marriage stands as a pillar of stability and unconditional love; her spouse supported her long before her transition and embraced her fully afterward, offering a reminder that love can endure and even flourish through profound transformation.
Beyond personal reflections, Christi’s diaries address broader social and political contexts, particularly the unique challenges transgender people face. She highlights issues like access to public facilities, the limits of LGBTQ umbrella representation, and the ways media and politics shape public understanding of trans lives.
By sharing her experiences navigating these realities, Christi provides readers not only with empathy but with insight into practical strategies for resilience and advocacy.
Becoming, Belonging and Blossoming is ultimately a story of hope and empowerment. It captures the journey of a transgender woman finding her place in a world that can often feel hostile and unwelcoming. Through her honesty and openness, Christi Brekke demonstrates that even amidst societal turbulence, it is possible to discover joy, confidence, and self-acceptance. Her book is a continuation of the work she began in I Want to Be Her, offering both a mirror and a guide for others who may see themselves reflected in her experiences. As she said during our interview, writing is therapeutic, a means of clearing the mind and soul and creating space for new and better things. This philosophy shines through in her diaries, making them not only an intimate account of one woman’s life but also a source of hope and inspiration for all who read them.
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