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.
Original title: "Eva: Retrato colectivo de una transición" (Eva: Collective portrait of a transition) by Eva Faga.
In "Eva. Collective story of a transition" the author constructs herself, in a Transvestite Trans identity, within a real and constantly changing scenario, such as Argentina. With it, the world around us transitions, because it forces us to rethink ourselves and assume the responsibility we have in the construction of others.
Eva does not seek to move or excite, do not expect an emotional story that appeals to the poetics of words, rather one that highlights the importance of collective struggles in obtaining rights. An example of this is the Gender Identity Law.
The author emphasizes the importance of language as an essential form in the construction, not only of culture but also of identity.
It is possible to know, through her testimony, the different areas that Eva navigates, from everyday and family life, to activism and the constant fight for the defense of Human Rights.
2024,
Argentina,
Eva Faga,
Spanish,
Full title: "Transitional: My Story" by Munroe Bergdorf.
"Transitioning is an alignment of the invisible and the physical. It is truth rising to the surface. It is one of the most fundamental aspects of the human condition - a part of our experience as a conscious being, no matter who we are. As time goes on, we all develop as people. We all transition. It's what unites us, not what separates us.
In this life-affirming, heartfelt and intimate book, activist and model Munroe Bergdorf shares reflections from her own life to illustrate how transitioning is an essential part of all our lives. Through the story of one woman's extraordinary mission to live with authenticity, Transitional shows us how to heal, how to build a stronger community and how to evolve as a society out of shame and into pride."
2024,
English,
Munroe Bergdorf,
UK,
Original title: "Wiebkes Tagebuch XI: Teil XI des Tagebuchs einer trans Frau (Nov. 2023 - Jan. 2024)" (Wiebke's Life XI: Part XI of the diary of a trans woman (Nov. 2023 - Jan. 2024)) by Wiebke ter Lichten.
In the summer of 2018 my girlfriend asked me out of the blue if I’d ever considered being transformed into a woman for an afternoon. She suggested that it might be interesting. I went back and forth quite a bit, and to be honest, the thought may have crossed my mind for a split second, but I dismissed it because I was absolutely certain the result wouldn't be good. Then Christmas 2018 came and her gift was just that: a makeover. She’d spoken to the manager of a service and made all the preparations. No chance for me to back out!
2024,
German,
Wiebke ter Lichten,
Full title: "World's First Transgender Married Couple "Open"" by Julia James.
"Explore the extraordinary true story of a trailblazing couple who redefined love, marriage, and identity. They were among the last within the LGBT community to feel secure enough to share their lives with the world, a revelation that came years after the LGB individuals had done so.
"The World's First Transgender Married Couple" offers an invitation to witness the heartfelt, moving journey of two individuals who transitioned not only in gender but in their outlook on life, love, and commitment. This landmark memoir ventures into the less-discussed facets of transgender identity and applauds the triumph of authentic self-expression in a world still adjusting to change.
2024,
English,
Julia James,
Original title: "Mi mejor versión... es femenina: autobiografía de mi transición" (My best version... is feminine: autobiography of my transition) by Silvia Sicore.
The author, a specialist in audiovisual communication, has been writing and creating content for digital and analog media since she was young.
In this autobiography of her transition years, she takes the opportunity, while she tells us the events of that part of her life, to reflect on what it means for her to be "trans" in current times and on how this gender transition has influenced her closest surroundings of Lleida and Barcelona.
With the pedagogical objective of making the collective positively visible, Silvia reveals herself to those who read her story, to show herself as she is. Demonstrating that, among all the possibilities of being that one has, searching for the best version is always positive, whether or not that search leads you to discover that this evolution requires a gender transition.
It is therefore an atypical story, in which the author discovers very late, as an adult and after an entire life lived as a heterosexual man, that in the crossword puzzle of her identity there is the word gender... and that its best version, is feminine.
2024,
Silvia Sicore,
Spanish,
Full title: "And Here I Am: My Seventy Years On A Gender Tightrope" by Colleen Bellson.
"“Gender dysphoria”. “Transgender”. I'm older than both of those terms. You'd think that with nearly eight decades of experience, I'd understand the condition a lot more than I do. If you're looking for answers here, it's best that you not get your hopes up. I gave up on finding the "why" a very long time ago. For me, being "transgender" has been a gift, a curse, a source of both shame and fascination, and - on balance - a great deal of fun.
This book has nothing to do with politics, ideology, activism, legal battles, parental rights, or any other issue that's peripheral to the subject of gender self-identity. If you learn something along the way, that's great. But my intent is just to tell my own story."
2024,
Colleen Bellson,
English,
Full title: "It Gets Better . . . Except When It Gets Worse: And Other Unsolicited Truths I Wish Someone Had Told Me" by Nicole Maines.
"Nicole Maines knows a little something about “happily ever after”—not just because she’s a self-professed expert in the Disney princess canon, but because she’s lived it. After coming out at an early age, her family had not only to educate themselves, but also those around them as they fought and won a landmark court case in the state of Maine before she graduated high school. She made it into college, got the guy, and finally had The Surgery.
She achieved her lifelong goal of becoming an actress when she landed a major role in the CW’s Supergirl, playing television’s very first live-action transgender superhero. Cue sappy music and sunsets, because we’ve got ourselves a happy ending, right? Ha! As if. For the first time, in her own words, Nicole tells the story of her journey from childhood in rural Maine to the spotlights of Hollywood, sharing the lessons she’s learned along the way. With clever wit and unflinching honesty, she tackles some of the most insidious messaging absorbed by queer kids and all young women, from the idea that any one thing can (or should) ever really “fix” you, to wondering what’s wrong with you when things don’t always feel better, and reminding us that, sometimes, a happy ending is only the beginning of the story."
2024,
English,
Nicole Maines,
USA,
Original title: "A Transformação Crossdressing" (The Crossdressing Transformation) by Sabrina Loren.
“The Crossdressing Transformation" is an invitation to delve into the fascinating universe of crossdressing through the personal and inspiring story of Sabrina Loren.
With an engaging and sincere narrative, Sabrina shares her experiences, challenges and achievements as a crossdresser, revealing the ups and downs of this journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
Throughout the book, she presents a complete overview of crossdressing, from the motivations that lead people to get involved in this practice to the emotional and social complexities that surround it.
Based on her experiences, Sabrina offers practical tips on fashion, makeup, hair and body language, as well as valuable advice on how to deal with public outings, relationships and the search for "passing".
2024,
Crossdressing,
Portuguese,
Sabrina Loren,
Full title: "Queer Diplomacy: A Transgender Journey in the Foreign Service" by Robyn McCutcheon.
"“This wildly compelling, beautifully written, first-of-its-kind memoir is an incredibly important, useful, and deeply humanizing story about one transgender woman’s unique experience navigating the complex world of foreign affairs and diplomacy. It’s a joy to read.” — Anthony Cotton, international inclusive development professional.
Join Robyn McCutcheon, an out and proud transgender woman, on her journey as a diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. Follow her on travels that took her through the Soviet Union as a historian, to the stars as an engineer in the Hubble Space Telescope project, and onward to Russia, Romania, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan as a Foreign Service Officer representing her country on everything from human rights to nuclear arms control. Find out what it was like to transition gender while serving full-time overseas and to become an icon to the LGBTQIA+ communities in Romania and in Central Asia."
2024,
English,
Robyn McCutcheon,
Full title: "Forty Years to Live" by Brenda Bradford Ward.
"Discover the captivating journey of self-discovery and resilience in "FORTY YEARS to LIFE" by Brenda Bradford Ward. In this compelling narrative, Ward paints a vivid picture of a life lived in secrecy, offering readers a rare glimpse into the struggles faced by individuals navigating gender identity conflicts. Society's response to such conflicts often swings between permissiveness and suppression, yet true understanding remains elusive. Ward skillfully delves into this complex issue, shedding light on the challenges faced by those grappling with their true identity amidst societal pressures.
With meticulous research and heartfelt storytelling, "FORTY YEARS to LIFE" invites readers to confront the age-old questions surrounding gender identity. As Ward explores the history and intricacies of this deeply personal journey, she prompts us to reflect on how best to support and empower individuals facing similar challenges. Engaging, thought-provoking, and deeply compassionate, "FORTY YEARS to LIFE" is a must-read for anyone seeking insight into the human experience and the quest for authenticity. Join Brenda Bradford Ward on a transformative odyssey towards understanding, acceptance, and ultimately, liberation."
2024,
Brenda Bradford Ward,
English,
Original title: "Ella era yo: Memorias de mi transición" (She was me: Memories of my transition) is the Spanish language edition of "I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition" by Lucy Sante.
"An iconic writer's lapidary memoir of a life spent pursuing a dream of artistic truth while evading the truth of her own gender identity, until, finally, she turned to face who she really was For a long time, Lucy Sante felt unsure of her place.
Born in Belgium, the only child of conservative working-class Catholic parents who transplanted their little family to the United States, she felt at home only when she moved to New York City in the early 1970s and found her people among a band of fellow bohemians. Some would die young, to drugs and AIDS, and some would become jarringly famous. Sante flirted with both fates, on her way to building an estimable career as a writer. But she still felt like her life a performance. She was presenting a façade, even to herself."
2024,
Interview,
Lucy Sante,
Spanish,
Full title: "Enthusiastically Me" by Hazel Krebs.
"A journey of self discovery, covering only a few years, though a lifetime of emotions starting with despair and anguish created through expectations from family, society, and religion; eventually leading to discovering the beautiful life that was always held within. The journey uncovers the darkest paths of one existence, seemingly necessary to find the correct route for joyful happiness.
The story begins in March 2018, when the narrator, who is in the throws of a depressive episode, considers if this day will be the end. Along the path is the first stop at a familiar park, finding a bench that held the whole life for an afternoon. Eventually moving on from the bench and parts of the life, there is a meeting at that very bench, which is frustrating at first; however, later becomes the start of a new path. This time perhaps with a helpful trailblazer to join.
2024,
English,
Hazel Krebs,
Interview,
Original title: "Metamorfose: Poesias sobre ser e existir" (Metamorphosis: Poems about being and existing) by Giulia Martins.
Metamorphosis is a book of authorial poetry with rhythm, depth and, sometimes, a bit of unvarnished reality. The 13 poems reflect things that the author, Giulia Martins, a Brazilian trans woman, lives, has seen and lived in her transition experience.
2024,
Brazil,
Giulia Martins,
Portuguese,
Full title: "Forever and Two Days More: Our 50-Year Journey" by Cadance Anderson & Catherine Anderson.
"After a lifelong battle with dysphoria, the answer was to transition…
From a young age, Cady knew she was a girl. The only problem was that no one else saw her that way.
Life moved on, but the dysphoria never left Cady. When Cady was about 50 years old, she and Cathy, her spouse and the love of her life, knew that something had to change.
Thus began Cady’s journey to transition into the woman she knew she was, and for Cady and Cathy to grow as a transitioning couple.
Through love letters written 50 years ago to entries from Cady’s journal, this memoir is the story of Cady and Cathy’s never-ending love, forever and two days more. Come share their lives and meet all the people they love."
2024,
Cadance Anderson,
Catherine Anderson,
English,
Original title: "La mujer volcán: Memorias" (The Volcano Woman: Memoirs) by Carla Antonelli and Marcos Dosantos.
Carla Antonelli, an unredeemed activist and protagonist of laws that changed a country forever, has broken all the glass ceilings of trans women. This book is his incandescent account of a life plagued by struggle that travels the paths of abandonment, desire, freedom, and power. In the pages of this journey, there is hunger, love, conquests, and mistreatment; sworn enemies and infinite friendships.
Carla Antonelli (Carla Delgado Gómez) was born in Güímar, Tenerife, in 1959. She is a politician, activist, and actress. Currently a Senator of the Spanish Parliament for Más Madrid, she was a regional deputy for the Socialist Party between 2011 and 2021, becoming the first trans parliamentarian in Spain. Since the 80s, she has played numerous roles and cameos in television series, films, documentaries, and plays (Lisístrata, El síndrome de Ulises, La Veneno, El comisario, Paquita Salas, Periodistas, Triángulos rosas, Hijos de papá, El viaje de Carla…).
2024,
Carla Antonelli,
Marcos Dosantos,
Spanish,
Full title: "Beyond The Binary Code" by Nicole Johnson.
"The book takes you on a deeply personal and thought-provoking journey of transcending the rigid confines of assigned labels and embracing the fluidity of self-discovery. This isn't just a story about transitioning from male to female; it's a vibrant story woven with threads of identity, vulnerability, and ultimately, self-acceptance. Stepping beyond the limitations of binary code, I delve into the intricate landscape of questioning, exploring, and ultimately defining who they are.
We witness the internal battles waged against societal expectations, the blossoming of self-awareness, and the courageous decision to break free from imposed limitations. This book is more than just a memoir; it's a conversation starter. It offers a window into the challenges and triumphs that many individuals navigating similar journeys face. Through honest and candid prose, Nicole Johnson challenges preconceived notions about gender, identity, and belonging, urging readers to reconsider the often-restrictive codes we all operate under."
2024,
English,
Nicole Johnson,
Full title: "Make It Count: My Fight to Become the First Transgender Olympic Runner" by Cecé Telfer.
"By turns harrowing and hopeful, MAKE IT COUNT is the inspiring story of the first openly transgender woman to win a NCAA title, following her traditional upbringing in Jamaica, her fight to become a US citizen, and her efforts to achieve her Olympic dreams. CeCé Telfer is a warrior. The first openly transgender woman to win an NCAA championship, she has contended with transphobia on and off the track since childhood.
Now, she stands at the crossroads of a national and international conversation about equity in sports, forced to advocate for her personhood and rights at every turn. After spending years training for the 2024 Olympics, Telfer has been sidelined and silenced more times than she can count. But she's never been good at taking no for an answer.
2024,
Cecé Telfer,
English,
Jamaica,
Full title: "Bernie Wagenblast's Transformative Expedition: Resonances Below Ground: A Voice Discovering Its Harmony" by Richard M Hunter.
"Descend inside the subway system at the center of New York City, where the sounds of millions of stories are mixed with the roar of trains. We meet Bernie Wagenblast here, in the midst of the busy platforms and flickering fluorescent lights—the voice that leads travelers through the underground veins of the city.
However, "Bernie" is only a whisper, hiding the lady who is desperate to be free: Beatrice. A moving and engrossing journey through Bernie's metamorphosis, Echoes in the Underground is a symphony of emotions set against the backdrop of a world in upheaval. See his inner battles as he juggles his own need for authenticity with society's expectations. Sensitize to the quiver in his voice as he leaves the mask of "Bernie" and enters the platform as Beatrice, her voice now free to soar instead of being limited to announcements. This is a tapestry made of the threads of innumerable people impacted by Bernie's courage, not just her narrative. Watch how her transition encourages a young trans woman to speak up, deepens the relationship between a father and daughter, and challenges the city's systemic racism."
2024,
Bernie Wagenblast,
English,
Interview,
Richard M Hunter,
Full title: "RuPaul: The Biography of RuPaul" by Fred W. Smith.
"RuPaul: The Unveiling of Royalty" takes readers on an extraordinary journey through the life and legacy of the iconic drag superstar. In this revealing biography, the glittering facade of RuPaul is peeled away, uncovering the layers of resilience, creativity, and authenticity that have defined an unparalleled career.
From the early struggles in San Diego to the dazzling lights of the mainstream stage, the book explores RuPaul's rise to global stardom.
Delving into the world of drag, the pages unfold a narrative of self-discovery, empowerment, and the relentless pursuit of individuality in the face of societal norms.
Readers will witness RuPaul's fashion-forward evolution, challenging conventions and leaving an indelible mark on the runway. Beyond the glamorous exterior, the book unveils the complexities of a multifaceted personality - a mentor, advocate, and cultural force who has shaped the very fabric of drag culture."
2024,
Drag queen,
English,
Fred W. Smith,
RuPaul,
Original title: "Coccinelle: Chercher la femme" (Coccinelle: Look of A Woman) by Luca Conca and Gloria Ciapponi.
"In 1953, at the now legendary Madame Arthur cabaret, a young woman appeared on stage dressed in a modest sarong but already possessing captivating charm. The audience applauds and does not yet know that they have just attended the first performance of Coccinelle, an artist who will soon have a string of triumphs on stages around the world.
However, nothing predestined Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy, born Jacques Charles in a modest family and raised by a violent and authoritarian father, to shine in the spotlight.
At a time when cross-dressing is punishable by law and military service is still in place, Coccinelle invents a new way to live her life freely, and traces her own path as a liberated woman.
Defended by lawyer Robert Badinter, Coccinelle became the first French public figure to officially change her marital status and performed on stages around the world, from Syndey to Rio de Janeiro via Dakar. In 1989, after nine months of triumph at the Casino de Paris, she was caught up in debt and was forced to distance herself from her French public for a while. A place that upon her return, she will never really be able to find again..."
2024,
Coccinelle,
French,
Gloria Ciapponi,
Jacqueline Charlotte Dufresnoy,
Luca Conca,
