Both Sides Now: One Man's Journey Through Womanhood by Dhillon KhoslaThis is a terrifically interesting autobiography. Dhillon, the author, documents his transition from the wrong body (female) to the right one (male), but there is far more here than this journey. Dhillon gives us much anecdotal information in the form of flashbacks about his life before transitioning, revealing the 'clues' there had been in his early life and the reactions he had to the things in his life which were incongruous with his real gender identity. It's also a story of immense interest and depth of the life of a man.
I'd love for this to be compulsory reading in schools, except my own experience tells me that 'compulsory' reads lead you to loathe the texts concerned (I still cannot bear Lord of the Flies, for example, and where I would have loved Animal Farm if I had found it for myself the joy of it was lost on me when I was required to analyse it cover to cover).
Anyone who has questions about their own gender or who is contemplating transitioning would find this book a fascinating revelation and likely learn immensely from it. Too, though, women who have always wondered what it is like being a man would find this book equally revealing. Dhillon writes beautifully and I am very grateful for his sharing his experiences with his readers. Please do read it!
View all my reviews
