The Inspiration of An Unexpected Turn

In 2000, I exploded onto the NYC transgender scene as Brianna Nicole Austin, and there are places in the book where I used some of what was revealed to me during those years, late in life   — about myself and the world around me (transgender, gay, and mainstream).

The best-friend character Ricky’s mom, Stephanie, is Dorothy, who I used as the vehicle I used to vocalize what I’ve learned over the years, from research into what makes trans people tick to transgender history. I then used some of that as Ricky and his parents grapple with his ‘condition’.

Instead of making Ricky 5, as I was during my near-miss-being-caught first dress-up incident, I made him 13. This provided the story more leeway to explore puberty and sexuality, as it lined up with puberty. Many older readers may identify with feelings Ricky struggles with that mirror their own later in life.

My initial intent for the book was to just be a fun story.  It struck me as funny how, with every desperate move the mother makes to resolve the initial incident, it only spins the web thicker.  But then I saw an opportunity to grapple with some of the issues real parents, teens, and adult crossdressers are faced with when dealing with transgenderism. I did, though, work hard to stay true to the characters and the story. The result is a light, fun read that briefly touches on heavier issues without turning into a textbook.  Some of the more profound and deeper issues about being transgender I will capture in my memoir, The Last Woman & Me.