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Charli, I love your photo! You have beautiful skin and hair!

Dear Eve, Chuckled when you mentioned a leather mini-skirt. Decades ago, in the 70's, I bought a beige suede leather mini-skirt, but because my parents were ultra-conservative (I was wearing my dresses six inches below my knees! LOL!), I could only wear it at home, even though all the other girls were wearing mini-skirts at school. This was in upstate New York (Wappingers Falls). It is amazing, even in a city like NYC, that there IS a dress code for how ladies should dress! Yours truly, Monica

Congratulations, woo-hoo. In regards to emotional changes, it takes a while for this to happen and is usually a gradual change. Also, starting out on a small does is really best so they can monitor the effects of the hormones on your body and mind.

Charli, Hiya, I Am Steph. I Am in Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, in the UK. I Am 14 Week's "Out" as MtoF Transsexual ! The Fact that You are Happy being You, and have a Loving Wife, is All that matters, apart From Your Health. If You have Good Health, that is Good ! Your Photograph is Lovely. Like You, I Am 5'11" Tall; with Hazel Eyes. I Am a UK Size 12, and have Dark Brown Hair, in A Pony Tail. I Wish You All The Very Best For The Future, I hope All goes Well for You. Take Care, Regards, Stephanie.

Dr Brassard hasn't retired. That was his predecessor, Dr Menard who retired and left the clientele to Dr B. Dr Bélanger and Dr Brassard work together. It's a shame options for transitional surgeries are limited. I hoped there were more options too. The surgical work and immediate aftercare from Montreal was very good. Better than a lot of other places. Longer term after care (for non Quebecers ) has been difficult for some people. i went to the US for a top surgery that OHiP wouldnt cover and basically lost all the money I spent on it after the surgery failed, and the Dr wouldnt provide what I felt was an a acceptable and fair revision process. I went to a different surgeon in the US Nd had good results with the repair of the first one. We're a small and vulnerable minority, so sometimes we're sidelined or ripped off, and other times treated quite well. We just have to keep doing our best research and sharing what we learn with each other to protect ourselves. Thank you for your article.

I really hope that the estrogen resolves my gluten-intolerance. I know it's unlikely, but I can hope (I want real pizza!!!) Eve, absolutely nobody is asking you to shut up forever - or at all!!! What it all comes down to for me - and this isn't just wardrobe, but across all aspects of my life - is being authentically me. Now since I'm a woman, that means being a woman, but I try not to be driven by that thought. (that seriously made sense in my head, but writing it out it suddenly doesn't - but i'll leave it in case it means something to anyone else). And I think I'm in agreement with everyone on one major angle of all of this - to the extent that someone is dressing a particular way because they want to look like a 20-something girl (assuming they're not), then that's something to be raised in therapy. That's a case where the person is probably not being their authentic self. Similarly, as Eve mentioned, if you're trying to look like what your male self thought a woman should look like, you're probably not being authentic to yourself (sorry for the endless "probably's," I try to avoid absolute statements). I should probably (ahh! there it is again!) add that my wardrobe is, in fact, fairly conservative. It's more colorful than my male wardrobe was (a good amount of pink), but still what most people would probably identify as moderate to conservative. Ann Taylor is my goal store If anything I can imagine my wardrobe getting a little more vibrant as my body starts to "look right" (I do own leather mini-skirts, but I've only ever worn them doing drag - and I don't so much care for boots of any height, I like shoes that are easier to take off) xoxo Christie

Last entry, I promise and I'll shut up forever after. Christie, I recall friends telling me to tone down my dress sense when I first started out on my journey, because I wouldn't "fit in", I too cringed at that point in time, I thought that dressing the way I did was a major driver behind who I had become, I remember saying that "I don't want to look like someone elses mum". Change was inevitable, oestrogen changes all sorts of things, not all of which are physical, I have already commented in one of my earlier blog entries "things I didn't see coming" about my taste buds having changed, i.e., no longer liking beer and unable to eat hot chilli flavours without my tongue catching fire, taste in dress sense is also something that changes. When I look back Isee now that when I first starting dressing in female attire, I was dressing as my male self thought a female should dress, yes I was envious of the opposite gender being able to wear short skirts revealing tops and long boots. But not many women actually wear that sort of attire every day, maybe for a party or to see a band or similar occassionally, but not to go to the supermarket, or out for a days shopping, or out to visit a tourist attraction. Wearing those sort of clothes is bound to attract attention and close scrutiny, which is uncomfortable, which is why most women don't often wear that sort of attire. To look authentic, in my view is "to fit in or blend in", view it as camoflage, now if in NYC women do wear leather mini skirts, revealing tops and thigh boots, my wearing them might blend in with the background (except I'm probably too old now). But over here it is not the case unless in circumstances that I have already described. I think it boils down to do you want to look like a real woman, or do you want to look like what your male self has thought a woman should look like for all those wasted years? It took me a long time to realise this two and a half years with oestrogen, followed by another 8 months of oestrogen combined with testosterone blockers, they are indeed as Karen has said in one of her past entries, "a game changer". Cheers, Eve

Tara, Thank you so much for sharing - it was incredibly interesting! Especially as I'm moving towards HRT shortly (in the next few weeks) and am starting to think seriously about GRS. Reading about personal experiences is so incredibly helpful (recognizing that everyone's experience is a little different). xoxo Christie

A highly informative blog, good to be informed of your thoughts and feelings as you felt them (telling it as it is!), please post more.