Tag: #transgender
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A Long and Painful Journey of Growth and Discovery
I’ve always had to battle challenges and adversity far larger than being transgender. In this blog post, let’s focus on the transgender part of my story… I was born in 1971 and grew up in a time, a conservative geographic region, and surrounded by people who never asked me why I was so unhappy and hid away…
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The Hazards of Traveling
Traveling. That magical word. Those moments, surreal almost in their beauty and intensity once we return home and try to hold on to them in our thoughts. And then, of course, while on the road, there is this feeling of being intensely alive. I had missed especially this vividness when finally, after 2 years of…
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Come see me on stage in Basel on April 16th
On Sunday, April 16, 2023, come see me on stage in Basel, Switzerland. I will be one of four guests of Swiss talk show legend Kurt Aeschbacher. And he will surely have an amazing conversation with each of us. For 30 years, Kurt Aeschbacher had his own talk show on Swiss TV. Now he is…
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The Amazing Zurich PRIDE Parade
Yesterday, on June 18th, 2022, the annual Zurich PRIDE parade took place in the center of town. It was the first parade after the pandemic. And it was fabulous in so many ways… let me tell you more… Arriving at the meeting point, I already thought, “Oh, there are way more people here than in the…
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Paralian at Paranoia City
Since yesterday, my book is available for sale in Paranoia City, a wonderful, little, independent book shop in Zurich. Paralian is officially out of print, so these are the last 6 copies available for now. What better place to sell them at than in my old home which inspired a large part of this book…
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My Book Paralian is Still Available as eBook – Only Few Print Copies Left
It’s been a long long time since I have posted about Paralian. With Covid, and things that happened in the year before Covid, I have been so absorbed, and left to fend for my survival, I could not really (and still can’t) keep up-to-date with all social media channels. I also realize, I want to…
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Little Challenges
Only 6 more days until I’ll be on my way! I’m getting quite excited and a bit frazzled. As always, the closer the date comes the more it seems like time is racing way too fast, and there is still quite a bit to prepare and test. One of the toughest things in organizing this…
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Remembering ‘LGBT Talents’ in Paris
A couple of weeks ago, I took part in the annual ‘LGBT Talents’ event in Paris. I was deeply honored to have been invited as one of the panel speakers for one of half a dozen inspirational workshops on offer that day. I love speaking at this kind of event. It makes me happy to…
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We’re All Human
Today, as every year on the 20ieth of November we remember all those who have been killed because of their gender identity. Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance. The sheer numbers of those killed in the most barbaric ways are staggering and break my heart. This year it is 325 individuals that we know of…
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The Perfect Moment
The perfect moment. Sunshine. A group of delighted scuba divers whom I had guided throughout the morning. Jackfish. Chilli Sauce. Sand as soft a velvet. Palm Trees. A blazing azure sky and turquoise sea all around us. I enjoyed myself. Enjoyed to guide, coach, and drink in our surroundings with all my senses. It didn’t…
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I Hope, Deep Down You Knew
Uniting my body with my soul meant breaking the heart of the one person who had always been there for me – my oma (grandma). As the hormones took an ever-firmer hold, I tried explaining to her who I was. Unfortunately, she was becoming progressively more senile. Oma sadly asked for me. Countless times, she…
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A Story of Hope
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance #TODR. https://tdor.info Everyone on this list has lost their lives simply for being themselves, for longing to live their lives as who they truly were. In honor of those who have been taken from us so violently, let me share a positive story with you of how it could…
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Just As You Are
Lots has been said already about a certain orange-faced individual winning the presidency. I was shocked over here in Europe when waking up to the sad news. Terrified really and worried out of my mind for all of us. The only question was what to get worried about first… human rights issues, environmental concerns, international…
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Allow us to come home to Ourselves
An article I wrote for one person in particular (this is for you Lily!) … but ultimately for all of us. Read the full featured story here. (Thank you Vada magazine!)
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Honorable Mention for Paralian
Yay, Paralian has just received an honorable mention at this year’s Rainbow Awards. Read more here. I’m immensely happy. Big thanks to the Rainbow Awards judges!
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Imagine …
“Some men are born in their bodies, others have to fight for it.” This is not just another quote. Gender dysphoria unfortunately is a reality for many. I myself was struggling with it for many years until I finally transitioned from Stefanie to Liam when I was twenty-three years old. A weight, as unbearably heavy…
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A Chat With Hungry Monsters
Great interview was just published online! Take a moment and have a look here. Thanks to the Hungry Monsters for devouring my book and for taking the time to chat with me after!
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Bookmuse Review of Paralian
Wonderful review of Paralian by Bookmuse. Take a timeout from whatever you’re doing right now and read it here 🙂 Heartfelt thanks to Bookmuse and reviewer JJ Marsh!
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Heading into Cerulean Blue
A long-awaited vacation is coming up… this exhausted author urgently needs two weeks of sunshine and ocean! But before I head out, I wanted to extend a BIG THANK YOU to all of you. These past 10 days, you’ve all helped so much to push my Bored Panda story. Because of your support, your multiple…
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Help Me Reach The Front Page!
Look at what Bored Panda just sent me, dear friends and supporters!!! Can we try together and create one more large wave of shares of this link please? Please take a minute to go there, SHARE on your social media pages, and click the “UP-VOTE” arrow! We’re only a couple thousand k views and a…
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You’re Not Alone!
At the moment I am sharing this story on Bored Panda to reach as many people as possible – with your help. Can you please share this link, and also go on the page and give it an “up” vote? We got about 3’000k views so far and many good responses. I’ve received emails from people…
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Conquering those Mountains…
“As a teenager, I started to feel like a dwindling army, spread over too many fronts. Slowly but surely, I spiraled into a deep depression. My parents were in no position to help me. Apart from me witnessing their arguments, their involvement in my daily life was minimal. They were too deeply entangled with their…
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Reading bits from Paralian
Reading bits from Paralian during yet another successful book presentation in Dusseldorf last Friday. A big thank you to BCG for giving me the opportunity! I love presenting and treasure direct contact to my readers. First London, then San Francisco, now Dusseldorf… next up is a keynote speech at a book meet in Southampton on…
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Liam Klenk on life and being transgender…
Sharing a bit about the transgender part of my life journey on YouTube and Vimeo… What it felt like growing up in the wrong body and how a book helped me realize I was trans… How I risked it all to give myself a chance at life; the reactions of family, friends, and employers… About…
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Paralian Interview in Gay Times Magazine
An interview with me about my book Paralian and my life journey has just been published in the August issue of Gay Times magazine, page 124-127 🙂 Big thanks to fabulous interviewer Nick Hoare!
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Thank you!
Just want to share this great review with you that fellow author Daisy White wrote about Paralian the other day. Slowly but surely reviews are trickling in. I am humbled by some of them and immensely grateful for all of them. If you’ve finished reading the book already, it’ll be absolutely fantastic if you can leave a…
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Adoption
“For years, I had puzzled over being the only dark-haired, darker-complexioned person in our family. My emotional make-up and character didn’t quite seem to fit with the rest of my family either. I had kept searching for similarities between my parents and me, as every child does, and had found none. But my mom Hildegard…
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Extraordinary Summer Reading!
We are nearing 3‘000 followers on this page which is truly amazing. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your dedicated interest and support!! It means A LOT 🙂 I’ll keep sharing anecdotes, memories, and thoughts with you and I’ll keep updating you on what’s happening in Paralian’s world. As a sunny summer “thank…
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The Boy Who Knew
As a child I knew instinctively… trapped within this little girl’s body was a little boy… and that’s who he’d always be… “Each summer, I couldn’t wait to get back to the ocean. The sand dunes seemed to traverse the island like mountainous, slow-gliding golems. More than anything, I longed to reclaim my freedom. As…
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Indian Ocean Mementos
Just yesterday, I re-discovered this picture from 2008. It used to be posted on the staff board of the Maldivian dive center where I spent four profoundly inspiring years. Consequently, today, I am feeling even more nostalgic than usual about those turquoise years. Let me share another little tidbit from my book with you from…
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Unconditional Love
This lovely, good-humoured correction to a child’s birth announcement years after the fact just made my day! In a perfect world I’d wish all human beings were capable of such unconditional love and acceptance… thanks so much to the wonderful parents for their open and genuine gesture!
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Can I Do Something?
Caught a flu in the middle of summer. I am now in a near-zombie state on my couch and – dare I admit it – googling myself 😉 To my astonishment I found 2 (!) newspapers in Nigeria who picked up last week’s Mirror article about the transgender part of my life story. It makes me…
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Top 100 and featured in Nigeria Today!
It’s only noon here and it’s already been a great day! Early this morning, I was quite stunned to find myself featured in yet another online newspaper: Nigeria Today picked up yesterday’s Mirror article. I’m honored and still a bit speechless! Hello Africa!!! Only a few hours later I was delighted to discover that ‘Paralian:…
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If you want to give yourself a chance…
… at happiness, there is really only one option… We’ve come so far. At least we like to think so on most days. But then, members of the LGBT community are questioned on how they feel about society and about living openly as who they are. The answers are nothing short of stunning (and terrifying).…
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Home Within
This was 1995, roughly a year before my gender reassignment surgeries. My clothes couldn’t be baggy enough and my coats couldn’t be long enough so as to hide my traitorous body. Alien female curves and boobs as big as gene-manipulated water melons disappeared behind these thick layers of tent-like clothing. By covering what shouldn’t be…
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No one should have to fear…
… for being who they are. So much hate still out there. My heart is heavy thinking of the Orlando shooting victims. But you know what? Killing won’t help those who hate because they are too afraid to open their minds and understand. Because human diversity is as old as the world. Being straight, gay,…
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Paralian: Not Just Transgender – Book Release Week – Author Interview Opportunities
BOOK LAUNCH RELEASE WEEK Paralian: Not just transgender By Liam Klenk Author interview opportunities: Liam Klenk is currently flying into London from Zurich and will be in the UK as part of his book launch press tour and available for face-to-face, telephone and in-studio interviews this week (30th May to 3rd June).… Read full press…
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Syndicated Interview With Liam Klenk
Author of Paralian: Not Just Transgender (Memoir, Paperback, 28th May 2016) When did you first sit down to write your memoir? In my head I’ve been writing for more than 10 years. Resting in bed, on public transportation, whenever I had a minute to reflect I’d catch myself writing paragraphs for my book. I actually sat…
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Ch-Ch-Changes
I’ve always been a big fan of CSI Las Vegas (well mostly the “Gil Grissom era”). I love the humanity, the thoughtfulness, and careful development of characters. The gentle fallibility, the dry yet always respectful and kind humor and, more than anything, I adore the always non-judgmental approach no matter which little corner of human…
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3 more days to launch!!!
Only 3 more days to launch!!! And yes, I do feel as pumped and ready for adventure as I did all those years ago when I created castles and sand cakes in my little sandbox. As if the book odyssey isn’t exciting enough yet, something fantastic happened two days ago: A Book Awards Committee from…
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Only 7 More Days
Hellooo, good morning, and a resounding whoop from the geographical center of Europe! Only 7 more days until the official launch of Paralian. Just sayin’ 😀
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A Captivating, Powerful Story
“This is a fascinating and inspiring memoir from a man who has faced life head on and lived it to the full. Liam Klenk was adopted, had an unconventional childhood and as he became an adult, his differences made him search for answers. Klenk describes himself as being born into a female body, yet this…
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Countdown and Another Excerpt…
In exactly 14 more days Paralian will be launching! Nothing earth-shattering will happen when it does… Our planet won’t stop spinning. The sun will rise and set just like on any other day. I won’t get a phone call from Robert Redford or Ang Lee that they’d love to turn my book into a movie.…
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Never Just Transgender
Liam Klenk, author of Paralian: Not just transgender, examines the public’s view of transgender people in the wake of the toilet debate in America… (Thanks to Vada Magazine!) ‘I was Liam, and something inside my soul knew with absolute certainty he was who I had been all my life. More than ever, I was confident to…
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Immersed
“I finally reached the shore, out of breath and delighted, longing for more and feeling intensely alive. I had glimpsed boundless strength and passion within myself. For just an instant out there, in the arms of the Atlantic Ocean, I had felt beautiful.” (Excerpt from Paralian, Chapter 7) I remember seeing the ocean for the…
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A Maldivian Evening
Here another little taste of Paralian, just for you… only 20 more days until official launch! “It was a glorious evening. Everyone was touched. Captain Ismail had whittled a beautiful scale-model dhoni for me, so I would never forget my life on the remodeled Maldivian fishing boats. Anecdotes were exchanged, most rather unfavorable of me…
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Paralian is Book of the Month
Paralian has been chosen by Bookbag.co.uk as one of their books of the month! Amazing! I’m so honoured and, of course, immensely happy to see people are experiencing my book the way I hoped with all my heart they would. You can click on the link below, or here is what the Bookbag team wrote:…
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Paralian is just a click away…
Thanks so much for all the beautiful messages I am receiving lately! More and more people are getting in touch, asking, “Where can I order Paralian?” Let me answer this question here for all of you who can’t wait to get your own copy and dive into the story. Paralian is available for pre-order in…
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Intensely Alive
“Balanced on top of a pile of baggage, wind and dust whipping into our faces, we held on for dear life as our bus plummeted along rarely-traveled mountain roads and on through countless valleys. Never before had my ass had to endure such a continuous beating. Even low hanging branches and power lines became a…
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I am Liam
“As for the lingering psychological femininity, the successful surgeries had strengthened my resolve even further to embrace the person I had started out being. I would integrate my female side into the male adult I was becoming. I was Liam, and something inside my soul knew with absolute certainty he was who I had been…
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Great 1st Reading
Last week in London… I had the best audience I could wish for. Thanks so much to the Boston Consulting Group team for the warm welcome and genuine support! If this is how every book presentation will be then I want to give a whole flood of them 🙂
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First Reader Comments and The Bookbag Review
Like a magic literary carpet, Paralian has traveled around the world and found its first one hundred readers. So far I am being showered with positive feedback. Many say, “I’m staying up ’till 2am each day ever since I started reading. Just can’t put it down.” (which really is the best compliment a writer could…
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London and Hogwarts
When my wife and I arrived in London one week ago, we hit the ground running. As soon as we touched down, we sprinted to the studios of Talk Radio London for my first radio interview ever. I was all nerves but adapted quickly. We then spent a lovely weekend with old friends, exploring corners…
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A Brief Visit
I did briefly stop by at this year’s London Book Fair. Just as last year though, it was rather disheartening. How paradoxical to feel more unwanted as an author here in this haven of books than anywhere else on the planet… Nevertheless, as a passionate book lover it felt great to be there for just…
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My Interview on The Arts Show, Radio BBC Ulster
Yesterday I had the honour to become an active part of the respected BBC Radio Ulster Arts Show. Marie-Louise Muir and I had an inspiring, in-depth chat. Her questions were informed, smart, compassionate, and to the point. It was a real pleasure and I’m delighted to be able to share the link to the interview…
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Interview with Yasmeen Khan, Talk Radio London
A friend of mine – in Berlin no less – alerted me to the link through which you can re-visit the radio interview I gave on Friday for Talk Radio London. Just click on 18:00-18:30, then fast-forward a little. A few minutes in you’ll find me talking to Yasmeen Khan. Turn up the volume. I…
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My 1st Radio Interview Tonight!
Heading to London for an adventurous week of interviews, book promos, and – of course – the London Book Fair. TONIGHT, I’ve got my very first radio interview (ever) with Talk Radio London! Tune in from 6pm (BST – British Summer Time) to hear me discussing Paralian on “Drive Time” with Yasmeen Khan while hopefully…
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A Lesson From Mr. Bojangles
A little taste from Chapter 7, ‘Atlantic Ocean’: As I turned with Cinnebar to walk her out of the paddock, Mr. Bojangles closed the distance between us in a few powerful strides. Shocked, I turned towards him. He reared up and kicked me in the stomach with the full force of both his hind legs.…
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An Over-The-Moon Author
The enchanted moment when I saw my book for the very first time… with a touch of Twilight Zone due to having multiple copies of myself staring right back at me in high resolution 😉
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Postal Marathon
This last week was a high-speed marathon involving serious family team work (and a pinch of drama): The first 100 copies of Paralian arrived at my dad’s place in Germany beginning of the week. Dad managed to organize stamps and boxes after battling rigid German postal authorities. I spent hours (days really) soothing my slightly…
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Don’t Wait…
I’m a regular fountain of wisdom 😉
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Arrival in Paradise
A little taste of ‘Paralian’ from my time in the Maldives… Arrival in paradise… “The staff accommodation set up was very amusing. I was reminded of Alcatraz as Judith showed me A-Block, B-Block, and C-Block as each small accumulation of staff rooms was called. My solitary confinement dwelling was located in C-Block, a long L-shaped…
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Paralian Finished Printing!
*** EXCITING NEWS *** Just heard from my publisher TODAY that Paralian has finished printing and a few copies are on their way to me!!! In about 2 weeks I’ll hold the real-life copy of my very first book in my hands. What a fabulous adventure!
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Pirouetting Dolphins
Here I am, drawing an island while working on the island. One of my many passions in turquoise paradise was guiding boats. On our way to wherever we were heading that day, I would draw each dive site briefing on a little chalk board while the fellow ocean enthusiasts I was guiding would watch my…
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Another Quote…
… this one a bit cheesy I know 😉 but true nonetheless 😀 Here some more words of wisdom by yours truly, “hot off the tweet” from my publisher:
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The Danish Girl And Me
Have you seen “The Danish Girl”? Go see it! I loved the sensitivity, the subtleness, the clarity, the not-so-in-your-face way of it. Never have I seen a transgender person portrayed with more love, sensitivity, and acceptance. “The Danish Girl” makes you really FEEL what it is like to be trapped in the wrong body. There…
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LGBT History Month: Not Just Transgender
And here right away another press release from LiterallyPR (thanks so much Helen, Sam and Diana) this time focussing more on the transgender/LGBT side of things…
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Traveling in Time
I spent four days in Budapest last week. It’s a beautiful old town with breath-taking historical buildings and a romantic river, meandering through the heart of the city. As I soaked in the sights and smells all around me, I found myself traveling to places I had never expected. The steaming hot lentil stew and…
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Be Yourself!
Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance… https://www.facebook.com/thefortunatenomad/ #Paralian #TDOR #LGBT #humanist #lovinglife #diversity#respectforeachother #notjusttrans #nevergiveup
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One More Round
Here we go… final typeset for ‘Paralian’ is done. I’ll spend the next days going through it all once more to look for any remaining typos and grammatical errors. Right after that we’ll be ready to shoot for the stars and the production of my memoirs will begin in earnest! #Paralian #memoirs #LiamKlenk #LGBT #notjusttrans #transgender#ilovewriting #nevergiveup
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A Healthy Level of Caution
Most days being trans isn’t a big deal. I go about my business just like everyone else, dealing with all the usual problems and insecurities of everyday life. Then, there are other days… The media coverage you see every now and then about transgender people being badly harassed or even beaten to death aren’t just…
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1st press coverage for ‘Paralian’
We’ve taken a major leap forward: 1st press coverage ever for my book ‘Paralian’ in one of Britains largest free newspapers ‘Metro’. Click on the link below to access the huge article journalist Deni Kirkova wrote about my story. How I escaped the prison of my female form: One man’s journey to finding his true…