CHABÓCHI DOLL by Féi Iká Shumarí

Description

Part memoir, part cultural critique, and part manifesto, CHABÓCHI DOLL is a powerful declaration of survival, self-determination, and radical joy.

In this extraordinary debut, Féi Iká Shumarí examines what it means to exist at the intersections of trans identity, undocumented experience, disability, race, and belonging in contemporary America. Written with wit, vulnerability, and uncompromising honesty, these essays chronicle a coming-of-age that unfolds not in adolescence, but in adulthood, as the author confronts both systemic injustice and deeply personal transformation.

Across the collection, Shumarí reflects on encounters with immigration systems, invasive security checkpoints, healthcare, relationships, activism, and the everyday negotiations of living authentically in a society that often seeks to erase marginalized lives. A life-altering brain tumor diagnosis further reshapes her understanding of womanhood, embodiment, mortality, and resilience.

Throughout these essays, humor becomes an act of resistance. Sharp cultural analysis sits comfortably beside laugh-out-loud storytelling, creating a voice that is at once generous, incisive, and impossible to ignore. Whether challenging misconceptions about gender, questioning the limits of citizenship, or exposing the failures of performative allyship, Shumarí writes with remarkable clarity, compassion, and conviction.

Richly layered and deeply human, CHABÓCHI DOLL celebrates the power of living truthfully despite extraordinary obstacles. It is a book about identity without apology, community without compromise, and the enduring strength found in claiming one’s own story.

Essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary LGBTQ+ literature, trans studies, memoir, and social justice, CHABÓCHI DOLL is an unforgettable debut from a bold new literary voice.

Book Details

• Author: Féi Iká Shumarí
• ISBN: 9798995583202
• Format: Paperback
• Genre: Memoir, Essays, LGBTQ+ Nonfiction
• Themes: Trans Identity, Immigration, Disability, Womanhood, Race, Activism, Self-Discovery