Official Review: My Husband's a Woman Now

[daniya__shah3]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "My Husband's a Woman Now" by Leslie Hilburn Fabian.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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"When I met my husband, he was wearing a dress."
- Leslie

In the recent years, the world has witnessed an increase in the acceptance of various gender orientations and sexual identities. My Husband's a Woman Now: A Shared Journey of Transition and Love by Leslie Hilburn Fabian is a personal account of a heterosexual woman whose husband is a cross-dresser. What makes her story different is that it not only focuses on her husband's transition into a woman, but also her own. It talks about the otherwise ignored journey of the spouses of the transgenders, highlighting how their experience is just as drastic as their partners. It is a tale of acceptance, tolerance and support from a wife whose husband is trapped in the gender spectrum, devastated inside a male body.

When I picked up this book for reading, I was looking for a gender study from a personal perspective, one which could help me in learning more about transgenderism and gender orientation. However, Leslie's account was beyond my expectations. I was completely blown away by her emotional tale and truly impressed by her optimistic temperament. The book is a therapeutic piece for the couple- a part of the process of their emotional growth and healing.

I like how it stands apart from other transgender stories by throwing light upon the other side of the transition- the transition of Leslie. It shares the struggles, pain and journey of Leslie, David and Deborah, his femme alter. It emphasizes upon the importance of reconciliation of differences in the desires of two partners and how it can strengthen their mutual understanding and support. Throughout their journey, both of them explored new levels in their relationship and learned to make changes in things that felt right.

Another intriguing element of the book is the narrative layout. The author has made use of an appropriate epigraph, followed by an actual journal entry before the commencement of every chapter. This helped in making everything fall into its place and made me connect to the story on a deeper level. I loved the flow of the narrative and the author's scintillating usage of words. However, I also spotted some minor misspellings and comma splices. Also, I felt that certain parts of the narrative sounded repetitive.

The most impressive part of the narrative was the way in which the author tackled every obstacle which was thrown at her. I admire her for her ability to work through the challenges faced throughout her writing process. The way she handled the semantic difficulties such as the pronoun conundrum proves her skills as a writer.

In my opinion, the relationship of Leslie and David (Deborah) is a true example of unconditional love. It emphasizes how a difference does not make anyone unworthy of love and care. I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Due to the errors and some repetitive elements, I cannot give it a full score. I recommend it to those who are not uncomfortable with the subject of gender orientation and would like to explore it from an alternate perspective.

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My Husband's a Woman Now
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Like daniya__shah3's review? Post a comment saying so!

[AmySmiles]

I can't imagine the pain one might feel trying to help their husband through something like that. I appreciate your review. Thank You.

[Espie]

I haven't thought about such a scenario happening in my current marriage prior to reading your write-up on the piece. Yet, I acknowledge the fact that others could indeed have their own unique sets of beliefs and circumstances, which could be different, similar or irrelevant to my own. Respect is not just a word but something that we could choose when faced with dilemmas outside of our comfort zones; I believe I should really opt for such, too.

Thank you for your pragmatic review.

[Gravy]

This is a subject that I am fairly interested in. I may have to give it a shot!

Thank you, not only for the review, but for being the kind of person who is open to reading their story.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

This is such an important topic and it’s often overlooked. Transitioning is hard not just for the person, but for all of those that surround them, but I’m glad we have this kind of books to help us understand the process and the feelings these people go through. Through understanding comes empathy, compassion, and tolerance and we could definitely use a little bit more of those in society regarding non-traditional gender and sexual orientations.
I appreciate your honest and respectful review. Thank you.

[Sahani Nimandra]

I don't no what it feels like, but I know this would definitely hit any person right on the gutter. Its understandable that people have trouble in adjusting in these issues, that includes the person and the people involved in that person's life. It's definitely a read that one needs to keep an open-mind. Thank you for your review!

[trajoe1206]

Thank you for a great review. I have never read on this subject before but would definitely like to read this one.

[Kat Berg]

I am not sure that I would have picked this book up (I am not a huge fan of memoirs) but she tells an important story. So often the focus is on the person transitioning, as you rightly noted. It is amazing to me the power of love in what can only be described as a challenging time for both parties. Thanks for the review.

[MsTri]

Thanks for the review, but I just don't care for the subject matter and am not interested in reading this couple/former couple's tale.

[LV2R]

The perspective from the wife, Leslie would be an added layer of understanding of the transgender transitions that her husband, David (to Deborah) undergoes. I am sure that there would be a lot of issues the couple would have to go through together in this situation.

[fernsmom]

Great review!
What a great perspective they included in here, the spouses as well. Glad you enjoyed the book, it sounds like a good one