Tula: My Story offers an intimate glimpse into the remarkable journey of Caroline Cossey, the British model and actress better known as Tula. Published in 1991 as a follow-up to her 1982 memoir Tula: I Am a Woman, this second volume goes further in exploring what it meant to live openly as a transgender woman in the public eye. At a time when trans stories were largely ignored or sensationalized, Cossey’s narrative stood out for its unflinching honesty and quiet courage.
Caroline was born on August 31, 1954, in the quiet village of Brooke, Norfolk, and was assigned male at birth. It wasn’t until later that she discovered she had XXXY syndrome, a chromosomal variation that contributed to her feminine development and marked her as different in often painful ways. Her school years were shadowed by mockery and exclusion, though moments of comfort came through shared fantasies with her sister Pam, dressing up, playing pretend, and imagining lives beyond their rural surroundings. These small acts of joy and early glimpses of identity would eventually shape a memoir rooted in resilience, self-discovery, and the pursuit of truth.
Though Tula: My Story was published before some of Cossey’s most groundbreaking milestones, most notably her historic Playboy appearance in 1991, it offers crucial insight into the roots of her strength. The memoir weaves together the glamour of celebrity with the pain of exclusion, providing a rare perspective on what it meant to live openly as a transgender woman in a society still reluctant to accept her. It captures both the solitude of being pushed to the margins and the fierce empowerment of claiming her truth without compromise.
In later interviews, Caroline spoke openly about the lasting wounds of her youth: “Being bullied and cast aside at that age shatters your confidence. If it weren’t for my family’s unwavering love, I don’t think I’d be here today.” That same honesty and endurance permeate every chapter of Tula: My Story, a memoir that traces not just a physical transition, but a relentless insistence on being acknowledged. The book holds continued relevance, offering a glimpse into a pivotal cultural moment and an enduring narrative of courage. It asks us to rethink how difference is treated and what it means to live authentically in a world that often demands conformity. More than just a personal history, it stands as a powerful declaration of survival, integrity, and the will to be known.
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