Mia’s account of growing up as a trans person who didn’t realise trans was a thing you could be, the sense of “not fitting in” with the other boys, and the slow and rocky road to transition. Life definitely improves for her, but it’s not without ups and downs, and I couldn’t read more than a few chapters at once (especially the beginning) without having to put it down – it’s quite sobering.

Interspersed is a discussion of being a trans woman, with plenty of reminders that she’s only one person and can only speak from her experience. I think it’d be a reasonable book to give a cis person who wants to learn more.

I related, er, rather strongly in parts to it, and got jealous of her in others. (Experimenting with feminine clothing at a much younger age, for example.) And it took me a while to get past the introduction (“if you’re wondering, you are trans enough”), which might be a sign.

I met Mia at a book signing event in 2018; my copy is inscribed to me.

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