Regina Ibrahim's maiden fiction "Perjalanan" (The Journey) is expected to raise eyebrows as the book exposes the emotional and physical journey of a transexual woman.

Published by independent publisher Fixi, the book tells the story of a young transwoman, Rozila, from Bukit Mertajam, Penang, who ventures out to George Town, where she learns about life and transexualism.

She later leaves for the capital Kuala Lumpur, living independently as a transwoman, meeting many of her kind as she progresses positively in life.

She travels to London where she meets a "romantic" Malaysian man and plans to marry him but this is where the conflict begins.

She has been secretive about her identity. She is beautiful, glamorous and no one can tell whether she is a transexual or a woman. Should she tell him about her secret?

"It's a little bit of my own life and the activities I went through," Regina, the writer, said in an interview with Malaysiakini.

The fiction also touches on breast and sex surgeries, which are depicted in dialogues between the characters, she added.

"It's about feelings I went through when I was pushed into the operation theatre.

"It's about feelings when I deal with men, people that I thought I could fall in love with.

"It's very hard because at the end of the day they say "I cannot be with you because of this, this, and this ...one of these is always religion.

"I would assume that these people are very weak as they cannot decide for themselves, it is always the society around them who decides," she said reflectively.

But despite the trials and tribulations of her own journey, Regina remains jovial and confident, happy that at 50 she sees her first book in print.

Open to interpretation

Her own life is an open book as she dedicates this fiction, which was written over two years, to her friends and to all the "Mak Nyahs" whose lives, joys, tears and sorrows are an inspiration to her.

She is always in awe of her sisters, saying "they can be funny, witty and complicated at the same time".

Her favourite quotes in the book is when young reporters ask one of the characters a personal question about her sexuality, referring to one of her paintings titled 'Menjunjung Kasih' depicting four women carrying a male genital on their shoulders.

"It is a reflection of the transgender men's willingness to get rid of their penises," some would say.

But the character in the book, Mama Regina, replies quickly “you can interpret anything. But as for me, this is my protest on Polygamy, how cheaply 4 women can share a man, while no man in this world, seriously is eligible or qualified to commit polygamy”.

Regina ( right ) is not worried that her "expose" may court controversy although the issues surrounding the transgender community often does in the country.

These days, the community only laugh over the  conflicts raised by so called "orang sempurna" (perfect person), Regina said.

She cited the example of a university professor who claimed that transexualism is due to "environmental toxins".

"How can someone who is not transexual speak on our behalf? Nonsense," she quipped.

Not her first

Perjalanan is not her first book as she has authored another fiction titled 'Ruby' and a semi-academic book about the transgender community waiting for print.

She also has an unpublished compilation of short stories, and described herself as being a "very greedy artist".

Far from being greedy, Regina is multi-talented as she writes, paints, sings and cooks while she works as an emcee for various corporate functions since the 1990s.

But not everything comes easy for Regina.

"I tried to get into the entertainment line but failed to do so as they want girls who are fair with long hair and sexy.

"I was fat and dark but there was one time when a guy was looking for an emcee so I offered to do it and requested to be allowed to sing.

"I actually consider myself a vocalist first, not just an emcee," said the former teacher from Bukit Mertajam.

Regina is aware that employers are very selective when it comes to work as they often want to "play safe as society is not ready" for her kind.

"Actually, all the predicament, obstacles faced by transexuals are similar to "real" man or woman.

"Only that people judge us differently. For me, I don’t expect support from people around me but some understanding.

"Some people judge you from far which is not good. Get to know me first, you might love me," she said, laughing.

Regina will be launching her book this Sunday at the Whiteaways Arcade along Beach Street as part of the annual George Town Literary Festival.