Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Rizi Savier Timane, PH.D ASW shares the story of his life with readers in An UnSpoken Compromise. Rizi was born in Nigeria as a female. Nasele was a mere eight years old when she told her father that she was a boy. Her father’s reaction was one of laughter; after all, it was a passing phase. Nasele was around ten years old when she first heard of sex reassignment surgery. Knowing deep within her that she was a male, Nasele began to pray that God would turn her into a boy or to provide the financial means for having the surgery. Life was not easy for Nasele; she was bullied by the girls at school. She hated her body and never felt at home in it. Eventually, Nasele came out to her parents. She expressed herself mostly through silence but her mother made her opinion well known, believing that her daughter was demon possessed. The family dynamics were toxic, causing Nasele to transfer to a college in Los Angeles, CA. Nasele met Christina and they fell deeply in love and married during the short window when gay marriage was legal in California. But she still knew she was a male trapped in a female body. After beginning her transformation into a male, Nasele’s name was legally changed to Rizi Savier Timane.

In writing this review I was unsure how to distinguish between Rizi’s early life and later life. I hope he will forgive the use of the pronoun she and his original name. My heart was troubled for Rizi Saver Timane. He knew who he was inside, but had little support. Rizi is a Christian and attended seminary in Los Angeles. He has heard all of the arguments against transgender and homosexuality. He shares the scriptures often quoted in regards to homosexuality. He also shares his interpretation of those scriptures. Rizi reminds readers that God loves us just as we are. He also reminds readers that no one is without sin for often those most opposed to homosexuality forget to look at their own life. An UnSpoken Compromise will cause mixed reactions among readers. It will cause some to question their beliefs while it will fall on deaf ears to many. As a reviewer, it is not up to me to state my beliefs on this topic. Rizi writes in a conversational manner. By sharing his story, he brings hope and comfort to others.