[GoneGirl]

I have a friend (maybe 'acquaintance' is a better description), a retired police officer, who after retirement feminized her body top to bottom. She passes for a woman in most situations, but I wouldn't say that she's good looking by today's standards given the masculine secondary sex characteristics that remain. She refuses to characterize her gender identity as either male or female, insisting that she identifies simply "as myself". Yes, legally she's classified as female, and she accepts that over the alternative, but it's not important to her to conform to society's concept of what being female is about. I think she has a very healthy attitude about her gender, and has adapted well to the life changes that transition required. I've fallen back on her example several times in dealing with my own inability to emulate my ideal woman image which I know I can never achieve for the same reasons that Bryony expressed.

Time and time again I find evidence that the happiest among us are those that find a way to be true to ourselves, however that is accomplished. It's different for each person, and it's by no means easy, but if you can arrive at that state of mind at some point in your life, it really doesn't get any better than that.

Clara