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Reviewed by Danelle Petersen for Readers' Favorite
Holding On by a Thread by Stefonknee Wolscht is the bittersweet story of a transgender woman who decided to shed the oppressive mask and reveal her true self. Walking away from 23 years of marriage wasn’t easy, but when her wife gave her an ultimatum, she chose to embrace her true identity. But she quickly realized that while the world loved her as a straight, white male, it had no love for her as a transgender woman. Stefonknee learned the true meaning of discrimination. It was exhausting having to defend her right to exist as a normal human being, and that brave decision came at a cost. Her first time appearing as a woman was liberating, and she started her transition journey in June 2010. However, she still missed her children terribly. In 2019, Stefonknee was reunited with her son Christopher after almost 11 years of separation, after which she was able to get in contact with 3 more of her 7 children. Today Stefonknee is no longer depressed and remains a staunch advocate for transgender people and their rights and continues to spread awareness and love, encouraging others to do the same.
Carrying immense guilt for being seen as the one who abandoned her family was one of the reasons Stefonknee Wolscht attempted suicide. She lost her business, family, and her community’s respect in just a short time, and it was too much. I loved to read about Stefonknee’s wonderful encounters with God and how she used them to influence others positively. It is proof that God’s love is everlasting and that He is inclusive. She also cited her anguish and frustration with God for giving her a cross that seemed too heavy to bear. I learned interesting things about the vagus nerve, Complex PTSD, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which Stefonknee recommends looking into if you’re a victim of trauma. The abuse she suffered at her father’s hands also played a vital role in her issues with mental illness. Stefonknee also addresses the oppression women go through, and the pressures to keep a good home and to remain compliant to their husbands. Holding On by a Thread is not just a book for transgender people, but for everyone who has ever been unfairly discriminated against.
