By Jasmin D. Smith
A new book titled Warrior Princess, written by Kristin Beck and Anne Speckhard, and released this past weekend, really sparked my interest. This book focuses on the life of retired Navy Seal Chris Beck, starting from his childhood as a football playing, motorcycle riding, macho teenager who grew into a warrior serving our country for over twenty years. Chris’s impressive resume includes thirteen deployments, including seven combat deployments, and being awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. His credentials made him a hero, a true warrior. However, underneath it all, this warrior forever longed to be a princess. During Chris’s youth, he always felt something was different about him: he thought he should have been born a girl. After many years of hiding his true feelings, and retiring from the Navy Seals, Chris reveals his secret. Not only does Chris express how he feels internally, he discusses how he plans to make his body to match his identity. Chris is undergoing sexual reassignment surgery and has begun wearing makeup, wigs, and women’s clothes. The book aims to reach out to the younger generation, to individuals who may be struggling with revealing their true identity. Beck and Speckhard give encouragement, compassion, and strength through Chris’ story, a boy turned woman, and the emotions of the transgender experience. I believe this book will be an awesome read. Whether or not you relate specifically to being a transgender person, the idea of acceptance and finding your identity are basic concepts that all readers can relate to.
For more information, read Lee Ferran’s column for ABC News here.