A random collection of over 1910 books and audiobooks authored by or about my transgender, intersex sisters, and gender-nonconforming persons all over the world. I read some of them, and I was inspired by some of them. I met some of the authors and heroines, some of them are my best friends, and I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing some of them. If you know of any transgender biography that I have not covered yet, please let me know.
"Woman in the Making: Panti's Memoir" was published twice in 2014 and 2015.
"1968: in a small town in the west of Ireland, a beautiful baby boy is born. He enjoys an idyllic country childhood: privileged, carefree, surrounded by love—and pet sheep. 11 years later, the Pope visits Ireland, and things will never be the same again.
At the Pontiff's mass in Knock, the little boy has an epiphany that will set him on the road to becoming the biggest, boldest, and most opinionated drag queen Ireland has ever known.
This is the story of Rory O'Neill's journey from the fields to becoming Panti Bliss, the voice of a brave new nation embracing diversity, all the colors of the rainbow, and, most of all, a glamorous attitude.
2014,
2015,
English,
Ireland,
Rory O'Neill,
Full title: "Am I Transgender Anymore?: Story-Essays of Life, Love and Law"
"This collection of story-essays from the Being Transgender - Naked project explores the theme of identity as an individual in society today. Author Zoe Dolan is a trial lawyer known for her work in high-profile terrorism cases and other criminal matters."
"Zoe Dolan is a writer and trial lawyer based in Los Angeles and New York City. Her law practice focuses on criminal defense, with an emphasis on national security and death penalty cases.
She is the author of There Is Room for You: Tales from a Transgender Defender's Heart and the creator of the Being Transgender - Naked project. Zoe has been profiled by The New York Times, Al Jazeera, and The Advocate."
2015,
English,
Zoe Dolan,
"Dreamy Morning is the true life story of Alana Joy. Born Greg S., it is her story of growing up with Gender Dysphoria, and knowing as a small child, that she was different, and was drawn to girl things more than boy things. The misery of a young child having to "hold it" all day at school, because of his fear of school restrooms.
Greg's discovery of sex change surgery as a young teenager, and knowing immediately he needed the surgery. His outdoor adventures while growing up, and of fighting forest fires, and other adventures. His long battle with alcohol and drugs, and of finally leaving them behind.
Greg's long battle with Lyme disease, and his search for answers, as to who and what he was. It is a story of loneliness, desperation, and an ongoing battle with self denial. Then finally, at age 58, Greg comes out for the first time, as Alana, and starts her transition to become the woman of her dreams."
2015,
Alana Joy,
English,
Full title: "Flowers & Tightropes: The art of being transgender - life on a high-wire" by Katie Bainbridge, Anja Kersten & Debbie Cheesewright
"Flowers & Tightropes is not merely an account of my life as a transgender woman, warts and all as we say, it contains many of my happiest and most painful memories.
To know more about things such as addiction, violence, shame, bullying, and how they are closely linked to each other, read on.
This is not just about me, it is about everyone!
There is profanity and wisdom, joy and heartache, because that is how my life has played out so far. I have been as graphic as I could be to give the reader a comprehensive overview of the struggles, fun, and enlightenment that have graced my journey."
2015,
Anja Kersten,
Debbie Cheesewright,
English,
Katie Bainbridge,
Original title: "Wie Lili zu einem richtigen Mädchen wurde: Lili Elbe: Zur Konstruktion von Geschlecht und Identität zwischen Medialisierung, Regulierung und Subjektivierung" (How Lili became a real girl: Lili Elbe: On the Construction of Gender and Identity between Medialization, Regulation and Subjectivation).
"Interwoven into new narratives, the character »Lili Elbe« is currently experiencing a renaissance in popular culture. However, it already became a projection screen for public negotiations of gender and identity during the Weimar period.
Supposedly born as a man and surgically transformed, Elbe became a symbol of modern medicine in 1931: perfect hermaphrodite and the first technologically created woman at the same time. Through its media presence, it also figures as a prism for discourses regulating subjectivity. Sabine Meyer's transdisciplinary study takes a comprehensive look at the complex relationships behind the projection for the first time and opens up new and critical perspectives for the historiography of trans*."
2015,
German,
Lili Elbe,
Sabine Meyer,
In 2016, I interviewed Christine, and this is what she shared with me: "Why did I decide to write my autobiography? Mainly, as a catharsis. I had a very difficult childhood and a very difficult relationship with my adoptive mother. I carried a lot of baggage around for years. I knew if I was ever to get any peace of mind, I had to let it all go.
I also wanted it to be a guidepost for young people with gender issues. Hopefully, it will help those who read it to understand things a little more. I would hope that other transwomen could identify with some or all of my experiences. Most of us travel a similar path in life, I think."
"I began hormone treatment at seventeen and yes, it was a very difficult process. It all took time. I was young and impatient. At age twenty, I saw a Professor of Gynecology, who told me I'd have to wait ten years! I was horrified, but got through the assessments in eighteen months and had the surgery at age twenty-one."
2015,
Australia,
Christie De Vries,
English,
"For over 40 years, Cape Code Provincetown has hosted Fantasia Fair, a convention where attendees spend a week living unconventionally, that is, living as the opposite gender. "Fantasia Fair Diaries" recounts one attendee's experiences at the Fair living full-time 24/7 as the woman she was always meant to be."
In 2020, I interviewed Stana and this is what she told me about the book: "Fantasia Fair is an 8-day crossdressing extravaganza that takes place in October in Provincetown (“P-Town”) on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Unlike other crossdressing/transgender events that occur over a long weekend in the safe confines of a hotel, Fantasia Fair takes over the whole town. Events occur in various venues throughout P-Town and the attendees have the run of the town living and interacting with the “civilians.”
Original title: "Tausche Dreitagebart gegen Lippenstift: Mein Weg zur Frau" (Swap Three-Day Beard for Lipstick: My Way to Woman) by Christina Strasser
When Christina Strasser is born, she is a man. Physically, at least. Already in puberty, she realizes that something in her is foreign. She tries to escape reality for a long time, but after almost 50 years she can no longer withstand the inner pressure and decides to change her sex.
What sounds simple is an ordeal and an inner struggle that almost leads her to suicide. The story of Christina Strasser covers all the ups and downs of gender reassignment and shows the long, difficult path. With her story, she sends a signal that this path can be mastered despite all the adversities and intolerances of society.
2015,
Christina Strasser,
German,
Full title: Da Rules: The First One Hundred Plus Lessons I Learned in My Transition".
"As you read through this book, you will see a glimpse of how this journey has changed me. I would like to think that these changes are for the better.
I started out confused and trying to discover who I am. From there, I suffered through Puberty 2.0 and 22 months of couch surfing. Lastly, I emerged as a confident woman who is strong. Self assured. Unstoppable.
Da Rules is my journey in bullet form. Come journey with me!"
I talked to Shauna in 2017, and I asked her about which aspects of her experience can be useful for other transwomen, and this is what she said: "Understanding that it's not just you, but everyone in your family that is transitioning. Some will accept. Some will reject.
Regardless, we all need to be who we are. Change can be painful, but we get to the other side and we are happier than we have ever been in our previous life. We find more self-confidence. Plus, we find a new family that welcomes us with open arms."
2015,
English,
Shauna Marie O'Toole,
Full title: "There Is Room for You: Tales from a Transgender Defender's Heart" by Zoe Dolan.
"Indulge yourself for a moment and assume that human beings communicate through actions beyond words – and that meaning derives from our personal histories and how we digest them and convert their energy into our identities as individuals and together as a society. Fertilized by those beliefs, do our lives then grow to take on significance from the myths we live out in obscurity as lone souls, so that we may aspire to play a role in the story of humanity?"
"Zoe Dolan is a writer and trial lawyer based in Los Angeles and New York City. Her law practice focuses on criminal defense, with an emphasis on national security and death penalty cases. She is the author of There Is Room for You: Tales from a Transgender Defender's Heart and the creator of the Being Transgender - Naked project. Zoe has been profiled by The New York Times, Al Jazeera, and The Advocate."
2015,
English,
Zoe Dolan,
Full title: "Woman Incognito: Transsexual Without Transition" by Transcender Lee.
"Woman Incognito presents the story of a woman in a male body who has chosen not to undergo transition through hormones or surgery. As a “non-transition transsexual,” Lee’s journey towards acceptance of her true gender has been decades long, difficult, and remarkable.
A two-year stint in a mental hospital in the 1960s left her confused and ashamed. But gradually, with the help of two enlightened therapists and a supportive spouse, she discovered the source of her lifelong confusion and despair, and was at last able to embrace her true identity.
Calling herself Transcender Lee, she hopes by sharing her intimate story that others who are struggling with gender identity will recognize all of the options available to them, and feel less isolated in their journeys. She also hopes, by honest sharing, to help all her readers expand their understanding of the fascinating world of gender diversity."
2015,
English,
Transcender Lee,
Original title: "Brudny róż. Zapiski z życia, którego nie było" (Dirty pink. Notes from a life that never was)
Kinga has always been different from the rest of the boys. She masked the pain with artificial haughtiness. Covering with powder - insidious stubble. She wandered alone in search of acceptance, which even gender reassignment surgery did not give her.
After years of rejection and contempt, she could write an encyclopedia of human meanness. Shocking confession of a transgender person. A story about gender boundaries, human endurance, and fear. Seeking confirmation in denial. Finding meaning in faith in Christ. Kinga Kosińska with each subsequent confession tugs at the conscience and makes you think about your own relationship to the "other".
2015,
Kinga Kosińska,
Polish,
"He couldn't hide the girl inside, no matter how he tried. Rex had a secret, a secret he couldn't even tell his own parents. Rex was really a girl. Even though his parents knew, they couldn't do anything to help. How can Rex survive while trapped and forced to pretend to be a boy? This is NOT a story about someone who transitions, it's about what happens to transgender girls who do NOT transition."
In 2016, I talked to Deborah and this is what she told me about the book: "“Living in Stealth: Undercover” was intended to really focus on what happens to transgender girls who do NOT get help with the transition. I grew up in a time when the “treatment” for transgender girls was not transitioning, but rather an attempt at forced brain-washing that included shock therapy and aversion therapy – described in a great deal in “A Clockwork Orange”. I had seen too many conservatives who had no clue what it was to be transgender. I wanted to write a book that was addressed to parents, teachers, counselors, therapists, doctors, and political leaders.
2015,
Deborah Ballard,
English,
USA,
Full title: "The Women of San Quentin: Soul Murder of Transgender Women in Male Prison" by Kristin Schreier Lyseggen & Carolyn Bond
"Between 2013 and 2015 writer and photographer Kristin Lyseggen got to know nine transgender women in the male US prison system who grew up never feeling safe, who were surrounded by others telling them that they should be “normal” and that their deepest sense of who they were was an error.
As the number of transgender people ‘coming out’ reaches levels we never before dreamed of, author Kristin Lyseggen hopes this book will shed some light on the needs of people locked up twice in their lives.
She started writing this book before we learned that Private Bradley Manning was Chelsea Manning and before we knew about the popular Netflix TV show Orange Is the New Black. In real life, most women with gender identity issues, when jailed, are put in male prisons with notorious predators. The only option for many of them in order to survive is to live isolated in cages, or become sex slaves for other inmates."
2015,
Carolyn Bond,
English,
Kristin Schreier Lyseggen,
"In “He’s Dating the Transgender,” published by Anvil Publishing, Inc. and released at the Manila International Book Fair, Art explores his relationship with Trixie, a transgender beauty queen."
"There are different ways to enjoy “He’s Dating the Transgender.” You can read it like you would a romance novel and let the kilig wash over you. You can read it as an educational tool—Art devoted paragraphs to LGBT issues, sexual orientation, gender identity, etiquette in dealing with transwomen, but not in a preachy way."
"You can read it to figure out exactly where you stand and how you feel about equality. But try to read it with an open mind and an open heart."
2015,
Art Sta. Ana,
English,
Philippines,
Original title: "Η Μαύρη βίβλος" (The Black Book) by Τζένη Χειλουδάκη (Jenny Cheiloudaki). The book was published in 2003 and republished in 2015,
23 forbidden chapters from the life of a creature who traveled, tasted, fell in love, enjoyed, lived to the extreme.
Jenny Cheiloudaki is a Greek celebrity, a popular model of the 1990s, who became known to the general public through television and due to the social scandal caused by the publication of her love affair with the then Prosecutor of the First Instance of Rhodes - Giorgos Sakellaropoulos, who met her while inspecting brothels in Rhodes. According to Wikipedia, the scandal and publicity were intended by Hiloudaki, and once Sakellaropoulos discovered she was transgender, he left her to return to his family.
2003,
2015,
Greek,
Jenny Cheiloudaki,
"Living an authentic life is a gift for us all. The journey is like being re-born where one redefines themselves and must learn much all over again. It's a foreign territory for both transgender people and the general population which presents many challenges to overcome with little time given to learn. The courageous journey for self-improvement can be an inspiration for us all and goes much beyond the physical appearance."
In 2015, I interviewed Lucia and this is what she told me about the book: "When I first started writing my autobiography, I had no intention to even publish my book publicly, but it was clear that I would tell my life story. The effort proved to be therapeutic for me. At the time, my intent was to inform my immediate family, colleagues, and friends about my journey and my decision for the need to transition from a male to a female. As I started telling my story, it became apparent that I had a message for the world as well. I thought that it might be of interest for the general public to hear my message.
2015,
English,
Lucia Richardson,
Full title: "First Lady: From Boyhood to Womanhood: The incredible story of New Zealand's sex-change pioneer Liz Roberts"
"Liz Roberts is a Kiwi pioneer; the first person to undergo a full surgical sex change in New Zealand. This inspirational memoir tells the story of how, with the help of medical specialists working in previously uncharted territory, she changed her name, her sex and her legal status in the 1970s, freeing her to live a new life as a woman.
The little boy born Gary Roberts in 1950s Christchurch knew from his earliest years that he was different to the other boys. Gary overcame a violent childhood to train first as a florist, then a hairdresser. He moved to England and his talent as a couture clothing designer was spotted and encouraged. He released his own collection, which made headlines back in New Zealand. He also became sure that a permanent change of sexual identity was a real possibility and began treatment. It was Liz Roberts who returned to New Zealand.
2015,
Alison Mau,
English,
Liz Roberts,
New Zealand,
Full title: "The Long Road Ahead: ...one person's struggle for identity"
"On February 11th 1994, Reena took a step that she’d put off for what seemed like an eternity. After a works party, and having being very drunk, she came out to her two best friends as transsexual. It wasn’t planned at all; it’s just the way it happened. The Long Road Ahead follows her own story and the way in which she remembers things from her tender years as a child and how it was for her back then."
"She admits at the time of “coming out” that she never fully understood what “transsexual” was; for her, the only reference point was two articles she’d seen in a tabloid newspaper and a women’s magazine of two transsexuals who had told their story how it was for them. Reena soon came to realise how very similar their own stories were to how she knew she’d felt since her early childhood."
2015,
English,
Reena Leigh Gibson,
"“No one ever chooses to be a transgender person, it chooses you. It's just who we are, it's what I am”. - Alison Rashell From a very young age I knew that I had been born into the wrong body, in fact the entirely wrong gender.
This is a story about that discovery, my transition, and my life. It's a story about some of the things that I experienced along the way. The struggles, frustrations, and heartbreaks that I endured. My triumphs and my failures. It's also a story about dispelling a few myths about what a woman like myself is.
This is not just a transgender woman's story, nor is it just a woman's story, it is a human story."
2015,
Alison Rashell,
English,
