She’s Not There by Jennifer Boylan will make you question your knowledge about transsexuality and basic humanity in general. Jennifer lets us see what it is like to be born in the wrong body. It is important to mention that She’s Not There is not a fiction, this is a real story of a real person. This book is like a frank conversation. Readers get a chance to ask questions they have been always interested in but were afraid to ask. Jennifer Boylan’s sincerity and quick-wittedness will surely draw you to her.
James doesn’t want to be a boy. In spite of the fact that he is just a child, he understands that something is clearly wrong. Subconsciously, little James understand that dressing up like a girl and acting like one will lead to a big trouble. Neither his family nor his friends would understand him and his wishes. As the result, he makes up his mind to keep his transsexuality in a secret. Years pass, the boy grows up, and starts a family with a wonderful woman. Some readers will probably mention that James makes a mistake, for he doesn’t tell Grace the truth about himself. Who knows what would happen. Grace and James prove to be a good couple that transforms from lovers into true friends. In spite of the fact that they are happy together, James knows that he could be even happier. Sex reassignment surgery helps him to find his true identity.
James is the protagonist of the story, but Grace plays as important role as her husband. This woman is an embodiment of acceptance. It really hurts to see her suffering. One moment she has everything she can dream about and the next moment her old life is destroyed. Her courage and strengths impress, for Grace manages to conquer her prejudices and despair in order to support James. It is impressive, isn’t it? Grace shows that if you love someone, you have to give your loved one freedom of choice. What is the lesson? First of all, people have to realize that they can’t own anyone, but what we can do is to be grateful for every good moment. The second lesson is that nobody is perfect. Grace is frank enough to tell James that she is not fond of his transformation, that she is afraid of losing him. It takes some time to understand James but she manages to see his reasoning.
She’s Not There by Jennifer Boylan is supposed to show us that every person is unique and so is a way to happiness. We have to be strong enough to fight for our dreams and with our fears. She’s Not There is also about acceptance and understanding. It seems that this story says, don’t be judgmental, be kind, be accepting, be understanding. Jennifer Boylan is an absolute inspiration; her kindness convinces that this world is not a bad place as we got used to believe.
