Transgender

" . . . the most compelling and informative account of the intersex experience that I have ever seen. This book is a triumph."David Gushee, Professor of Christian Ethics, author of Changing Our Mind: The Landmark Call for Inclusion of LGBTQ ChristiansCynthia, an adjunct professor with a trunk full of ungraded papers and snack wrappers, has been an LGBTQIA+ ally for years-in convenient ways. She enjoys the company of her queer friends-but her support isn't risky; it hasn't cost her anything. Until she meets Danny. The youngest child in a conservative religious family, Danny played the role of dutiful daughter-Dani, with an "i"-which was safer than jeopardizing faith and family. Seemingly born female, yet desperate to be seen as the boy and then man he is, Danny kept playing along, until his life and health depended on one thing: the truth.Told in both Danny's and Cynthia's voices, Intersexion is a moving, hopeful exploration of the cost of being known-as an intersex minority, ally, or asker of difficult questions-and what it means to come into one's own. It's a book for anyone craving a more authentic life. It's a story about the intersections we find ourselves in by no choice of our own, and the life-giving choices we can make.Sometimes in life we reach an intersection where we must pick either safety or stepping into life as our true selves. It's a moment of courage, vision, and finding our voice.Named on the Top 34 LGTBQ Christian Books of 2022 by Q SpiritSelected for Season Six of the Unashamed Love Collective

Paperback

A coming-of-age memoir of a young swimmer's triumphs and heartbreaks on the path to winning Olympic gold at age 14. Some 50 years later, author Carolyn Wood embarks on a solo pilgrimage to walk the 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in an attempt to reclaim her "inner tough girl" as she reflects on coming out as gay in the 1970s after a brief marriage and motherhood, and the disillusionment and loss she experiences when her 30-year relationship suddenly ends.<BR>  <BR> After several failed attempts at learning to swim, young Carolyn Wood finally conquers her fears and dives into unknown waters. By 1958 she sets a goal to make the 1960 Olympic team and, along with teammates and competitors, begins the arduous road to Rome. Losses, pain, fear, and fatigue accompany the rambunctious athlete as she finds her way through athletic training, school, and dealing with social gender expectations as she realizes she's gay.<BR>  <BR> Tough Girl artfully weaves Wood's life story around the tale of her long walk on the Camino de Santiago, an effort to tap into her tough girl resilience so she can begin to accept the end of her long marriage. The ups and downs of Carolyn's childhood road to the Olympics as well as her journey on the Camino, will thrill and inspire readers.

Oft sind es Kindheitserlebnisse, die uns irgendwann im Leben einholen. Diese Erlebnisse sind es, die oftmals das gesamte Leben des Betroffenen auf den Kopf stellen. Das Geschlecht spielt meist eine nebensächliche Rolle. Es gerät komplett aus den Fugen, und das bisher geführte Leben scheint immer weiter in die Ferne zu rücken. Man hat das Gefühl, vor einem riesengroßen Problem zu stehen, wie soll man damit umgehen, war das geführte Leben eine Lüge oder ist alles nur ein schlechter Traum?Doch sehr schnell bemerkt man, dass es weder ein Traum noch eine Einbildung ist, denn man zweifelt an sich selbst, an seinem Verstand und doch ist es wahre Realität.Es beginnt erst ein Chaos, nach einiger Zeit hat man es im Griff - weil man ja nicht auffallen möchte. Man behält es zunächst für sich, doch irgendwann wird der Druck auf die Psyche so groß, dass man sich einfach irgendjemandem anvertrauen muss, nur wem?In diesem Fall war es ein exzellenter Psychologe, ein Professor der Universität Regensburg, den ich zufällig auf einer Vernissage Wochen zuvor kennen gelernt hatte.Die Suche nach meiner wahren Identität in der Hoffnung auf ein glücklicheres Leben begann.Diana Stevens