Gideon Borges

Leto - A Pricey Freedom Gideon Borges

This book tells the incredible story of a trans woman born during Brazilian military dictatorship, to whom the world seems to have no place. Like Leto, she is cursed to ramble restlessly, tormented by solitude and deprived of her most fundamental right: her freedom to be herself. In ancient Greek mythology, Leto was the mysterious goddess of the night. She was cursed by Hera, the wife of Zeus, to wander eternally and to not find rest in any land where the sun shone. This was because she had an affair with the God of the Universe, Zeus himself, and had two children from that affair, Artemis, the goddess of the hunting, and Apollo, the god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the sun and light, and poetry. Likewise, modern Leto was cursed by her family to end up homeless and disgraced; this was because she dared to be curious and undissembled. She dared to challenge one of the most archaic of prejudices. But against all the odds, she took control over her life and changed her destiny, even though she was not a goddess, only a queen, according to her boyfriend. Born in poverty in a small town in the distant State of Minas Gerais, from an evangelical family, she is forced to make her way through the harshest of adversities to find her place in the sun. Proud of her nature, she fights prejudices and ignorance and succeeds where many had failed before and proves that a better world is possible. This thrilling story guides the reader through her trials and victories along her way from the darkest of the oppressions to total freedom, both economic and spiritual. Beaten by his hating father, prosecuted by a violent Police, and refused by society, she has to play along and challenge her own principles to survive. Tormented by illnesses, depression, and unfortunate events, she travels the world, makes the best of her talents, with honesty and determination, and against all difficulties, she achieves her highest goal in life. This is a formidable tale of courage, determination, and success.