by Leah Stone
This is the only book I have read to date that has breached the subject of transsexuals and that has an all round positive message about sexuality. The way that Jackie writes about the occurrences in the book in order to portray the length that transsexuals go through, to tell a love story based on deception and lies to the rest of the world, yet a life of truths for Joss Moody and his wife Millie.
This is the only book I have read to date that has breached the subject of transsexuals and that has an all round positive message about sexuality. The way that Jackie writes about the occurrences in the book in order to portray the length that transsexuals go through, to tell a love story based on deception and lies to the rest of the world, yet a life of truths for Joss Moody and his wife Millie.
Joss Moody was an extremely famous jazz trumpeter. Upon his death, an astonishing truth is revealed. At the doctor’s inspection, we find out extremely early on the Moody had in fact been born a woman but had gone to whatever lengths he could at that time in order to become a man.
After a few dates with Millie he reveals his secret to her, but this does not change her feelings towards him and they continue a happy life together. It reveals his struggles, having to hide himself under binders and stuffing things down his trousers in order to appear male, not revealing anything to their adopted son.
After his death, we are taken on a journey to explore the reaction of the public, his son Colman, and how despite time that things are not all that different in the 1950’s. Even now
people still feel like they have to hide who they truly are, who they feel they are, because of how other people may react. Joss’s own son contemplates selling his story to a woman for a book, being so disgraced to find out about Joss’s past.
It’s an extremely moving and eye opening piece. Although the general public struggle to come to terms with Joss’s gender orientation, he is entirely comfortable with it and has come to terms with who he really is, despite the body he has been given. It also explores sexuality, Millie we assume had never been in anything other than a heterosexual relationship however finds herself in love with someone biologically female, and shows that love is not necessarily influenced by gender.
Eventually Coleman, as well as a few minor characters, come to terms with Joss’s sexuality and gender and love him for who he was to himself.
Kay breaches the subject of sexual and gender identity in a very eloquent way, putting it in a situation that most readers could understand and perhaps relate to. It allows you to imagine this situation in this day and age and to come to terms with how the world is evolving and and how there are people of all different sexualities, genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, religions, and all should be treated as humans and all should be treated as equals. It conveys the message that it’s not about who you are on the outside, it’s about who you are and how you feel you are on the inside, wrapped up in an amazingly written book by an astounding author.
After a few dates with Millie he reveals his secret to her, but this does not change her feelings towards him and they continue a happy life together. It reveals his struggles, having to hide himself under binders and stuffing things down his trousers in order to appear male, not revealing anything to their adopted son.
After his death, we are taken on a journey to explore the reaction of the public, his son Colman, and how despite time that things are not all that different in the 1950’s. Even now
people still feel like they have to hide who they truly are, who they feel they are, because of how other people may react. Joss’s own son contemplates selling his story to a woman for a book, being so disgraced to find out about Joss’s past.
It’s an extremely moving and eye opening piece. Although the general public struggle to come to terms with Joss’s gender orientation, he is entirely comfortable with it and has come to terms with who he really is, despite the body he has been given. It also explores sexuality, Millie we assume had never been in anything other than a heterosexual relationship however finds herself in love with someone biologically female, and shows that love is not necessarily influenced by gender.
Eventually Coleman, as well as a few minor characters, come to terms with Joss’s sexuality and gender and love him for who he was to himself.
Kay breaches the subject of sexual and gender identity in a very eloquent way, putting it in a situation that most readers could understand and perhaps relate to. It allows you to imagine this situation in this day and age and to come to terms with how the world is evolving and and how there are people of all different sexualities, genders, races, ethnicities, abilities, religions, and all should be treated as humans and all should be treated as equals. It conveys the message that it’s not about who you are on the outside, it’s about who you are and how you feel you are on the inside, wrapped up in an amazingly written book by an astounding author.
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