Alfreien’s Reviews > Stone Butch Blues > Status Update

“I turned and looked at the waves of flame sweeping each floor and I wondered, Where do my tears go? Why is it that I can’t cry now when I need to? Yet I knew that later my tears would be unexpectedly triggered by the scent of lilacs, or the low hum of a cello.”

“Amy smiled at her mother and curled against her breast. “Mommy, is that a girl or a man?” she asked, looking up at Joan. 

Joan flashed me an apologetic expression and turned back to Amy. “That’s Jess,” she said. ”

“I wanted to find out who I was, to define myself. Whoever I was, I wanted to deal with it, I wanted to live it again. I wanted to be able to explain my life, how the world looked from behind my eyes. ”

I don’t like this.

“I don’t feel like a man trapped in a woman’s body. I just feel trapped.”

Theresa touched her cheek. “If you’re afraid to lose what you love, you’ll never be able to let go and feel it. I’ll put all my love for you in a ring if you’ll wear it. And if someone ever takes it from you, all they’ll be able to steal is a metal band. Then I’ll go out and get you another ring and put all my love in that one. That way you’ll never lose it, Jess. OK?”