In Life Beyond My Body, Lei Ming takes us on a journey of personal, spiritual and physical transformation defying cultural taboo, religious doctrine and medical protocol to live an exemplary life as a teacher, Christian and transsexual man in rural China.

Zander Keig

Seemingly destined for a life filled with strife and suffering, Lei shows us how, through sheer tenacity and devotion, one person can overcome insurmountable obstacles (abuse, neglect, isolation) and rise ever strong, withstanding the push and pull of family, church and country. Never before has the journey of an Asian transsexual been so accessible and relatable to readers worldwide.

Weaving together narration and description, Lei simultaneously demystifies Chinese culture and paints vivid scenes of Chinese landscape while describing the intimate details of a traumatic childhood, a search for purpose and meaning amidst the many barriers placed in his path and his final triumph of forgiving his transgressors. Life Beyond My Body is a must-read for students of gender and ethnic studies, individuals embarking on or well into their own gender transition, family members and caregivers of transsexuals and anyone wanting to better understand the lived experience of transsexual men.

From Zander Keig, co-editor of Manning Up: Transsexual Men on Finding Brotherhood, Family & Themselves and Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect