Former Navy Seal Kristin Beck Kristin Beck’s book Warrior Princess: A U.S. Navy SEAL’s Journey to Coming Out Transgender describes her transition from biological male Chris Beck to transgender female Kristin Beck. On CNN, Beck told Anderson Cooper that she “wanted to be a SEAL because it was the toughest of the tough, … an escape into hyper-masculinity.” Because of the military’s ban against transgender people and the extreme prejudice that transgender people face, Beck told no one of her gender identity until she retired from the military after 20 years of decorated service. Beck compares her previous life to the many layers of an onion, with her “female persona” hidden in the middle. “I’m starting to live my life as a full female,” she says now. “This is my life.” (Hadad, Chun, & Ford, 2013).

(both) Warrior Princess: A U.S. Navy SEAL’s Journey to Coming Out Transgender by Kristin Beck & Anne Speckhard. Advances Press. Photo by Christy Borjes, http://borjesphotography.com