Well, not a child, exactly - she just turned 29, but the last fifteen years or so have been quite an education. We had just got used to learning Elizabethwas gay during her high school years, when she informed us five years later, whilst at Graduate School, that she was actually transsexual and though she had her "top" done, she didn't plan to actually get completely reassigned sexually. (She talked her Dad out of the money by telling him she wanted a breast reduction - being a great fan of plastic surgery, he never questioned her!) Elizabeth (now Eli) insists that you can fall anywhere on a scale from 1- 10 as far as sexual orientation goes, and that though she now identifies as a man, she actually feels quite androgynous (and looks it - like Jim Morrison), is in a relationship with a great girl (lesbian) and is perfectly happy being neither either/or! She's getting her second Masters' Degree, as we speak - though she lives as a man, she's quite open about her transexuality - and - why am I writing? Because I know so many of her (his - I'm trying - still have trouble with the pronouns) wonderful friends, at this point, that I just want to go on record as being a Mom who truly feels she's adapted to the fact that NO MATTER WHAT, your child is always your child. Eli will always be that beautiful baby to me; that wonderful independent little child who grew up with boisterous brothers, and had wonderful girls for friends throughout her school years! I remember her once telling me that she really, really REALLY loved her friends! And I remember thinking then (she was about twelve) that she could very well be gay! It was always fine with me, and always was despite some of the minor glitches once she finally decided to express herself! . (Getting attacked by the wrestling team at prep school when she announced her unabashed love for one of the freshman cheer leaders!) SHe/He has always been something of an activist - and i've been constantly amused, actually, by her wonderful stories of life as a trangendered person. In fairness, I've heard many tragic tales from some of her transgendered friends - but, anyway - I wanted to say here that if any of you are parents who would like to exhange thoughts with me on the topic, then I'am here. I would also like to get some sort of a glimpse of what it really means to BE a transgendered person because sometimes I think Eli puts a really brave face on it, and despite his ability to "make it all work" for him, he's STILL in college, and sooner or later will have to tackle the rest of the world head on!) Thanks for listening.
