I went straight for my mom's clothing when I was first left home alone at the age of 8. I remember it clearly... panties, bra, dress. It felt so amazing, because it's something I'd been needing to do for years by that point. Whenever I was in a situation where I knew I wouldn't get caught, I went straight for my mom or sisters' closets. I was good at covering my tracks, though, and they never discovered me. Later, i dressed openly with my two spouses while I was still living as a male. Those experiences were fun, but awkward and tense as my partners were not okay with my transness. I finally decided to take hormones and begin transition, and it was around this time that I wore male clothes to my therapist's office, changed into female mode in his bathroom, and went home as a woman. I don't/can't drive, so I had to walk to a bus stop and ride it home. I was so terrified and exhilarated to be out in public in the correct clothing. I expected every car that passed me to slow down and yell transgender slurs out the window. On the way to the bus stop, I realized I had to pee really REALLY bad, and I ducked into a grocery store hoping for a single-stall bathroom. I carry a white cane (blindness), and when I was forced to choose between a men or women's bathroom, I decided I'd use the men's to avoid trouble. A woman saw me entering the men's room, and said, "No, no, no honey! Wrong bathroom", and she physically redirected me to the women's room. Later, when I got on the bus home, the driver referred to me as "ma'am". At that point, I figured I was striking most people as female, and I began to relax and enjoy the clothing and the status I was assigned by those around me. It was a great, reassuring experience, and the culmination of experiences of this kind gave me the courage to shed my socially-conservative upbringing and pursue full transition. No regrets!!