This Monk Wears Heels: Be Who You Are

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You won’t become the real you unless you face up to what you’ve avoided most. Once you allow yourself to be who you are, the change will come.

Kodo Nishimura, international make-up artist and Buddhist monk, rose to stardom after appearing in the Queer Eye: We’re In Japan! special that aired to massive viewership on Netflix. His wide smile, however, hid a painful past. The book starts with Kodo’s childhood in Japan, playing dress up as Little Mermaid, and his lonely adolescence when, although born into a family of priests, all he wanted to do was wear pretty dresses and become a princess. Growing up an outsider in a society that celebrates uniformity, Kodo’s time in New York at the Parsons School of Design and his work as a leading make-up artist finally brought him to embrace his own uniqueness.

The book is full of practical tips for positive thinking and insights into the philosophical approach to life Kodo has crafted as a Buddhist monk. Detailing his journey to self- love, the book provides a gentle, loving, and encouraging voice for all those who dare to be different. This is the English translation of Seisei Dodo, published in Japan in 2020 by Sunmark Publishing, Inc., Tokyo.

What we think of this book & ideas for gifting

Kodo Nishimura weaves in his own experiences of gender, sexuality, and self-acceptance with a number of Buddhist perspectives on life in this uplifting memoir and self-help guide.