My Ladybird Story by Magus Tor is a romance novel focusing on gender dysphoria. The story revolves around John Bird and his issues of self-love and and acceptance. We are witness to his emotional and physical journey from childhood to adulthood in dealing with these issues. If I had known the topic of this book beforehand, I would not have chosen to read it, but I can honestly say that I am a better person for reading this novel as I now have a clearer understanding of the issues transsexuals and Transgenders encounter in their lives.
From childhood, John Bird had always felt different and apart from other boys. He was not interested in the traditional boy activities, being more attracted to the feminine roles of cooking and sewing with the girls. We learn that his father was angry and frustrated with this, berating him because he was not interested in sports. What a painful experience for a child to endure, and yet the heartbreak continues.Constantly being bullied at school, John Bird begins to hate himself for the way he feels and the way he looks. He cannot stand looking at himself in the mirror, hating his body so much.…show more content… Aureus has a major impact on John's life and their friendship is honest, real and enviable. Aureus' religious background becomes a personal struggle for her as she is faced with unorthodox issues not only regarding John but she as well. I really appreciate how the author focuses on both traditional gender roles and religion as they each have a powerful impact on the LGBT community today as a
