The journey to know ourselves fully may be the most courageous act of all.
In I Hardly Knew Me, Nia Chiaramonte offers a powerful, intimate account of gender transition, told not in hindsight but in real-life moments that became a path to survival. With humor and vulnerability, Nia brings you into the everyday world as a trans person: from the complicated grace of coming out to the people she loves most, to the flood of silence after posting her truth online; all while watching her beautiful children accept her regardless.
"I used to be so hidden that even I couldn't see who I was," Nia writes, and that sense of disconnection is what makes this story so resonant. Through therapy sessions, late-night writing, and grace-filled family conversations, she begins to uncover the truth and non-negotiables of who she's always been.
In a time when trans lives are often reduced to debate points, I Hardly Knew Me captures the painful, beautiful, uncertain in-between. It's not just a book about gender. It's about choosing love, honesty, and self-worth in a world that often denies all three. It reminds readers that unconditional love is real, survival is possible, and coming to know who we truly are might just be the bravest thing we ever do.
Autorentext
Nia Chiaramonte, with her wife Katie J. Chiaramonte, is the co-founder of Love in the Face (loveintheface.com) and co-author of Embracing Queer Family: Learning to Live Authentically in Our Families and Communities. Nia and Katie work to support other transgender and LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families on their journeys of self-discovery. She and Katie were featured in the Hulu documentary We Live Here. Nia is a nonprofit professional and she and Katie reside near Baltimore, Maryland with their five children.