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my eyebrows plucked and arched and have my ears pierced for earrings but, of course, cannot wear them at work but do most other times. My evenings and weekends are spent in the role of a woman and I really do enjoy myself. I feel so dainty and feminine and ladylike. I love expen- sive cologne and perfumes and spend too much money on these items.

I think most transvestites were given a start by a mother or some other female member of their family. I can remember my first feminine garments that were put on me when I was about 6 years old. I have two sisters and at that time mother was a widow and we were very poor and had no money to buy very many articles of clothing. So at that age I began to wear my sister's hand-me-down underwear add dresses. I became a girl and was raised as a girl until I became 12. My name was changed to Betty and that is still the name I love to have my friends call me.

I go out freely in my skirts and dresses to shows and even go shopping. I have several women friends who know all about me and drop in for the evening or even go out with me and think nothing of it. However I am not friendly with men and do not seem to be interested in the things they are.

Please tell me about yourself and if you are a TV, write to me often.

Betty--Penn

(This is a long letter but is given in full because it may serve to show non-TV readers how a love for feminine things can be formed in a young boy. It is by no means always this way of course, but many TVs got their start in similar ways. To "Betty" herself I can only say that I would not be going to all the work involved in publish- ing TRANSVESTIA if I did not have a personal interest in the subject. I must also add that though I'd like to correspond with all of you who have written it just isnt physically possible--I do have other responsibilities in life than this and they demand much time too, so I will try to make my contacts with all readers through the col- umns of this magazine except under special circumstances- -Ed.)