My Story

By: Caroline Cossey

Narrated by: Katherine Fenton

Caroline "Tula" Cossey was born with male genitalia but went on to become a beautiful woman with a successful modeling career.

My Story is Tula's candid thought-provoking, enlightening, humorous, heart wrenching, and motivational account of her struggles: her troubled childhood being bullied and taunted in East Anglia, her dreams of becoming a woman, the operations that liberated her sexually, and the journey from showgirl to James Bond girl to top international model.

At the height of her career, Tula had appeared in Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Harper's Bazaar, and graced the covers of many top fashion and beauty magazines and calendars around the world. She was also the first transgendered model to appear in Playboy magazine and was featured on the cover of multiple international editions.

After she was twice exposed by the News of the World, Tula's career plummeted and her marriage to multi-millionaire Elias Fattal was annulled. In the spring of 1989, she was forced to make a unique appeal to the European Commission of Human Rights: she was fighting for the legal validation of her marriage as a female and the right to have her birth certificate amended after gender reassignment surgery.

Her activism led to appearances on numerous television and radio shows with people such as Phil Donahue, Joan Rivers, Howard Stern, Geraldo Rivera, Montel Williams, Maury Povich, Arsenio Hall, Neal Boortz, David Frost, Gloria Hunniford, and Jonathan Ross. She has also often been featured on Entertainment Tonight, had a day named after her in Atlanta, Georgia, and was given the key to the city.

My Story is not just the true account of Tula's battle for the body she needed to survive and her struggle for the legal rights she deserved as a woman. It's above all an inspirational exemplification of the triumph of the human spirit over seemingly insurmountable adversity and suffering.

©1992 Caroline Cossey (P)2015 Caroline Cossey

Saved my life

Loved the book all our stories are fascinating. This was very intriguing because I didn't know what the hell I was or what was wrong with me. I have an uncle how somehow had her appearance on Phil Donahue on a disc and he showed it to me. it was like a bomb went off and I was like oh my God that's me this is what I am. since indirectly I am part of Caroline Cossey story and Caroline Cossey is part of my story and basically the reason why I'm alive The book was very very interesting as her journey is that in 2021 I could never relate to. She is brave courageous in one fine woman

Caroline Caroline Caroline

I am amazed by the efforts and how interesting this book is. It gave me hope, understanding and to be aware of the difficulties that I could face being born male in a female body.

It’s so well written! It’s so informative!

I listened to Eliot Page’s book and it struck me how ignorant I am about Trans life. So I am continuing my education! I had no idea what the journey for people has been. Caroline is SO well spoken. She’s honest, and so eloquent! I love this book! I would read/listen to it again!
I hope she’s doing well out there!!!

Great Audiobook

This audiobook is well written and well narrated. It is a heart moving memoir about her pursuit of happiness.
Annika

True Courage

Caroline Cossey’s memoir about her struggles through transition, making a life for herself, and finding love in a world so strongly prejudiced against her rights is an inspiration. This book is a testament to her strength, courage, and determination, and I found it incredibly moving.
Katherine Fenton does an excellent job narrating this book. I highly recommend it.