Author Shirley Thom: "She's My Brother And I Miss Him"

Happy children friends hold hands in summertime

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In this honest, heartrending account by a loving sister, family secrets, social taboos, and self-acceptance all come into play.

From the age of four, Gene harbored a secret desire to wear his sister’s clothes—not the wardrobe he was expected to wear as a little boy. He wanted to be Shirleyanne’s sister—not her brother. Back then, negative social attitudes forced cross-dressers to hide their secret even from family. But when Gene’s parents made what was to them an embarrassing discovery, they kept their daughter Shirleyanne in the dark.

It took a serious illness 50 years later to bring out the truth and open emotional wounds that needed special perception, understanding, acceptance—and, finally, love to heal.

“My brother lived a long, lonely life before he ‘came out,’” says the author, “but he wanted his story told. I’m not sure I understand the complexities of cross-dressing, but I understand more than I did. I am sharing our story because I hope our personal journey will bring about a greater appreciation for the vastness and varieties of the human race. We are all a part of it, and we are worth the effort it will take for us humans to learn to live better together.”

Available on Amazon.com

Listen to Lee Callahan's interview with Shirley here:


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