Frighten the Horses: A Memoir

Radclyffe’s (Adult Human Male) memoir about gender and transition describes how he first repressed, then finally accepted his transgender identity in his fourth decade of life. Assigned female at birth, he first followed the same path as many women: marrying a man, giving birth to four children, and becoming a stay-at-home parent who took on the brunt of household responsibilities. His repressed thoughts and denials finally took their toll, however, in the manifestation of a physical illness, with symptoms such as hair falling out in clumps, an inability to eat, and mood swings that often resulted in tears. The cause of the illness was a mystery until Radclyffe had an epiphany one day while watching a motorcycle rally. This triggered a cascade of self-realizations that he explored over the next 10 years, including recognizing that he was sexually attracted to women and eventually coming to see himself as a trans man.