Trans advocate Allyson Hamblett is soon to release a memoir, reflecting on her life living with cerebral palsy and the realisation of also being a transsexual woman. Allyson Hamblett's memoir will be launched 7 June in Auckland. A Life Lived Twice will be launched early next month and has been described as an inspiring and compelling read. “It’s mainly focussed around my advocacy work in the rainbow community, and I’m hoping it will add to understanding of what it means to be trans,” says Hamblett. “Last year the book really started to take shape when I found an editor to help to shape the manuscript into something people will, hopefully, enjoy reading.” Hamblett has a long history of advocacy and in 1995 first became involved in the Pride Centre, going on to start TransIT, which eventually became Gender Bridge, in 1997/98. In February this year, Hamblett delivered a petition to Parliament to improve the process for trans, intersex and gender diverse people to change gender on a birth certificate. Rev Vicki Terrell, Disability Community Chaplin for the Anglican Diocese of Auckland says A Life lived Twice is a compelling read because it bears witness to the struggles of disability and gender identity as well as an incredible sense of celebration of being comfortable in one’s skin in the face of society’s prejudice and ignorance. “This is a unique and important book for it contributes much to conversations about disability and gender identity within New Zealand society.” The book launch will be held 7 June at the Women’s Bookshop in Auckland . Copies of the book will be sold for $20 each, with a limited run of 100 books.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 11th May 2017 - 1:53pm