Always Anastacia

I stand in front of the mirror as I remind myself that I no longer have to wear the 'uniform'. I can grow my nails, and paint them. I am free, finally, to have my ears pierced. I can use the voice that I've spent so many hours meticulously cultivating with my speech therapist. I no longer have to hide my disgust at being called boet or sir, or tolerate any references to my deadname. I have fought hard, held back for decades by a body that did not fit and an identity that did not belong. At first, it had seemed like transition was a vague and unattainable aspiration, a romantic ideal that was incompatible with reality. But now after five months of hormone therapy, countless sessions of painful laser hair removal and multiple appointments with doctors and psychologists it is very much a reality . . .

Born into a Jewish family in Johannesburg and raised by her parents as a boy, Anastacia Tomson was never sure just how much of her persistent internal discomfort to blame on her often troubled family life and strict upbringing. She qualified and practised as a doctor, but it would take a great deal more clear-sighted and difficult questioning, not least of the medical fraternity, to finally find peace and self-acceptance. This memoir is a clarion call for a more nuanced understanding of trans people and the concepts of sex, gender and identity. It is a courageous account of self-discovery and transition as Anastacia embraces her truth, as the woman she has always been.

Dettagli