Trans-Sister Radio

So I found my copy of Trans-Sister Radio and have been re-reading it. For those who do not know the book, it made a pretty good splash in Milwaukee when it was published in 2000, smack dab in the middle of my growing realization at age 12 that I might not be a boy (other highlights from my reading list at the time was As Nature Made Him, telling the true story of a boy whose circumcision went terribly wrong, and the doctors decided to just make him grow up as a girl, with perhaps obvious results in hindsight).

Trans-Sister Radio tells the fictional story of a pre-operative lesbian transwoman (Dana), the straight ciswoman (Allie) she fell in love with just prior to starting transition, Allie's daughter and ex-husband, and their small community in Vermont during Dana's coming out, transition, and GCS.

And while, my gods, it is a hard read due to the massive change in language and transition science in the almost 20 years since it was written, much of Dana's experience is a valid one.

But I want to be clear. There are as many stories about being transgender as there are transgender people. And there are kind of a surprising number of similarities between Dana's story and mine. But it is physically painful for me to read some of her story, because I have not. Did not. Ever hate myself or my body. Especially not to the point of alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation! And I want to be here for anyone out there who does. It gets better.

There are other stories. <3