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Life Beyond My BodyLei Ming with Lura Frazey
2017 Lambda Literary Award Winner
Born in a rural Chinese village and identified as a girl at birth, Lei Ming, is barely cared for during his childhood. Often lonely, terrified and abused, he learns early to fend for himself and look within for answers, but there he discovers a paradox that threatens to undo him. Although he does not yet know the word "transsexual," at 16, Ming sets out on a secret mission to find relief. Life Beyond My Body tells the story of his quest to find answers in a society that is closed-mouthed about men like Ming. Along the way, Ming finds solace and judgement in the Christian church, loves and loses a woman, begins his physical transition using black market testosterone, is jailed over his identity, and arranges for top surgery without blowing his cover. But ultimately, understanding the true meaning of being a man will require reckoning with God.
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"Life Beyond My Body is a beautifully written account of heartbreak, survival, and liberation—a triumphant journey from cold, bitter hardship to the warm glow of optimism. I found Lei Ming’s tale thoroughly gripping, a precious gift I felt honored to receive from a talented, brave storyteller whose origins lie in the rural landscape of a country at the intersection of ancient ways and modern technology: China."
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Seemingly destined for a life filled with strife and suffering, [the author] shows us how through sheer tenacity and devotion one person can overcome insurmountable obstacles (abuse, neglect, isolation) and rise ever strong, withstanding the push and pull of family, church and country. Never before has the journey of an Asian transsexual been so accessible and relatable to readers worldwide. Weaving together narration and description [the author] simultaneously demystifies Chinese culture and paints vivid scenes of Chinese landscape while describing the intimate details of a traumatic childhood, a search for purpose and meaning amidst the many barriers placed in his path and his final triumph of forgiving his transgressors. Life Beyond My Body is a must read for students of gender and ethnic studies, individuals embarking on or well into their own gender transition, family members and caregivers of transsexuals and anyone wanting to better understand the lived experience of transsexual men.
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