Sexual Metamorphosis: An Anthology of Transsexual Memoirs

Jonathan Ames points out in his introduction to this anthology that the journey of the transsexual is the same one we all take to answer the question “Who am I?” It is the quest at the core of identity. For transsexuals, this follows a pattern of feeling out of place, not only in society, but also in their own bodies. Starting with “Psychopathia Sexualis,” a case study from the work of trailblazing sex researcher Richard von Krafft-Ebing, Ames has assembled a chronological tour through the inner lives of transsexuals. From Christine Jorgensen to Renee Richards, all the famous are here. Ames also includes the stories of several female-to-male transsexuals, so often overshadowed by those of the male-to-females. What’s best is that we get all the stories in the people’s own words.