A random collection of over 1994 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.
Full title: "My Name is Philippa" by Philippa Ryder.
"My Name is Philippa: A Transgender Memoir of Love, Understanding and Transformation. Experience a heart-changing journey with Philippa Ryder as she transitions from male to female with the support of her family.
This powerful and moving story explores the physical and emotional process of transitioning and provides answers to common questions about being transgender - a must-read for anyone seeking to understand and support the global movement towards gender freedom and empowerment."
"A prominent LGBTQ+ activist, a passionate, inclusive feminist and human rights speaker. Philippa is COO of Under the Rainbow, a workplace wellness, diversity and inclusion company that provides information and support for people to build the confidence to be themselves by educating, informing and encouraging companies and state bodies to embrace Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging."
2020,
English,
Interview,
Ireland,
Philippa Ryder,
Full title: "Wrong Body, Wrong Life: Living with Gender Identity Disorder in Ireland" by Sara-Jane Cromwell.
Sara-Jane Cromwell’s book Wrong Body, Wrong Life: Living with Gender Identity Disorder in Ireland stands as a landmark in Irish publishing. Released in 2010, it was the first book of its kind to appear in Ireland, and it broke new ground by placing gender dysphoria into the public conversation in a way that was clear, humane, and scientifically informed. Before its publication, discussions about gender identity in Ireland were often cloaked in silence or filtered through stereotypes. Cromwell’s work cut through that silence with honesty and courage, presenting both the science behind gender dysphoria and the lived experiences of those navigating it in a conservative society that rarely acknowledged its existence.
What makes Wrong Body, Wrong Life so significant is not only its subject matter but also the context in which it was written. Ireland in 2010 was still in the early stages of reckoning with LGBTQ+ rights. The Gender Recognition Act, which allowed trans people to have their gender legally recognized, would not be passed until 2015. In that earlier period, the language of trans identity was unfamiliar to many, and myths and misconceptions were rampant. Cromwell’s book sought to bridge that gap by explaining gender dysphoria in terms that combined medical research with deeply personal testimony. She gave a voice to people whose struggles were often misunderstood and hidden, and in doing so, she helped Irish society move a step closer toward compassion and understanding.
2010,
English,
Interview,
Ireland,
Sara-Jane Cromwell,
Full title: "His Name is Rebecca: The Incredible Story of Ireland's First Transsexual".
"What do you do if you're born trapped in the wrong body Eamon Tallon was happy to be different, preferring cut-out dolls to footballs, the Bunty to the Beano. Then his life was shattered when, from the age of seven, he was sexually abused at a school run by a religious order.
His journey to find himself or herself, as it turned out was long and tortuous. As Eamon he got married he chose the wedding dress and the honeymoon was a clothes-shopping spree in London. As Ross, a gifted hairdresser, he lived as a gay man. Eventually, he arrived at the truth: he was a woman in a man's body.
Rebecca was the first transgender in Ireland to have a full sex change. But there were many other lives to be lived - madam in a male brothel in Amsterdam, abused wife, a heroin addict in London, night-club hostess Lady V in Dublin - before Rebecca finally found happiness, success, and a granddaughter she never knew she had. This is the inspiring story of a woman who fought for fulfillment and found it, against all odds."
2010,
English,
Ireland,
Rebecca Tallon De Havalland,
"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,
