The Bride was a Boy
When a blog about a trans woman turns into the cutest and informative manga.
Often when I’ve shared trans manga recs, I get asked if there are any series about trans women and The Bride was a Boy by Chii is one of those series. This autobiographical and informational manga began as Chii’s personal blog. A few people had recommended that I read this manga and to my surprise I found it at the National City Public Library!
Genre: Autobiography
Age Rating: Teens
Publisher: Seven Seas
Status: Complete, one volume
Synopsis:
Chii is a woman assigned male at birth and this is her story exploring her sexuality, gender, and the ups and downs of transitioning. The story features anecdotes from her experiences and also a lot of information on LGBTQ+ issues in Japan and trans terminology. It also documents her romantic journey when she fell in love with a man who’s so accepting and supportive of Chii’s transition.
Favorite Things:
Educational: This book is incredibly educational! It teaches the reader about gender identity, trans terminology, and all of the laws in Japan that affect trans people and LGBTQIA+ couples.
Lighthearted: Although not every trans person is as lucky as Chii to have a very supportive family and partner, it was great to see such a loving and supportive environment. It was the ideal safe space to explore gender and sexuality and Chii acknowledges this and was thankful of the life she has.
Vulnerability: I really loved how vulnerable this story was. From Chii’s childhood trying to figure out why she was always into things that were perceived as “girly,” to her going through gender dyshphoria. Chii doesn’t back away from any particular topic, no matter how embarrassing it could be.
Notable Things:
Going back to the laws in Japan, they are so much more complex that I thought. I know that same sex marriage isn’t legalized but the provision that allows hetero trans people to get married but not other same-sex couples is confusing to say the least and Chii points that out.
The afterword written by husband-kun was so adorable! Honestly what a gem of a guy.
The book began as Chii’s personal blog and then she illustrated it when the opportunity came to turn her blog into manga.
Rating: ★★★★★ / 5
I really enjoyed reading The Bride was a Boy at the library. I’m so glad they had this in stock at the National City Public Library. If you want to learn about trans and other LGBTQ+ issues in Japan, this is a must-read especially for Pride Month.
Shop here: Barnes & Noble / Alibris