A heartfelt memoir of a powerful woman who was born a male.
Born into a physically and mentally abusive Catholic family in the late 1950s, Dennis always liked dresses and dolls. Despite his frequently drunk father’s beatings, Dennis grew up pursuing common Wisconsin hobbies like fishing and ice skating. But Dennis has a secret, he has always felt female. His clandestine wearing of female clothing and makeup during high school is eventually discovered forcing him to move to California after graduation. Dennis continues his downward spiral into sex, drugs and crime before finally realizing his dream of womanhood at age 50.
Self-Made Woman is an empowering tale of one person’s transformation. Not just from male to female but also from adolescent to adult.
Memoirs allow readers to view life through someone else’s eyes. There are few eyes as interesting as Ms. DuBois’. Self-Made Woman is recommended for those who have gender dysphoria and their loved ones. However, it is also an interesting read for anyone who wants to get out of their own skin for awhile.
Just a note, this book contains graphic sex and should only be read by 17+.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway but that has not impacted my review.