76.

the tables on society and gotten into the position where she could wear all the gorgeous clothes she could afford and wear them 24 hours a day and almost anywhere she choose. We all yearned for that, and many of us in the heat of those early days longed for an operation too.

But this was before we had a chance to sit back and think a bit. As Roberta, Charlotte, Tamara and others came to light the intensity of the situation rather wore off and some of us at least were able to sit back and look at the situation ob-

jectively. I was one of these. Since those days I have per- sonally met and talked with Christine, Roberta Cowell (in Eng- land) Tamara and about a dozen others. Through these contacts I have come to see that surgery is positively NOT the answer for FPs (TVs till you get used to the new initials). For a very few, and by no means all of the self proclaimed transsex- uals it is perhaps the answer, but should only be permitted after long and careful psychiatric scrutiny and after the pat- ient proves his/her ability to LIVE AS A WOMAN 24 hours a day for about six months. Most of those craving surgery and a large percentage of those who get it were neurotic before it and neurotic after it. Entirely too many of those who have achieved surgery end up as stripteasers and prostitutes. Too few of them take a regular female place in society, earn- ing a living as a woman and comporting themselves as such. Those who take up teasing and prostitution are neurotically under compulsion to continually prove to the world and them- selves that they ARE "women". If they were satisfied of the fact they would not have to keep exhibiting themselves on the stage or in bed.

A good many others, I am afraid, were essentially homo- sexual before whether they had experienced it or not, but the removal of male organs and the creation of an artificial vag- ina gives them the physical means and the moral license to bed down with men without the "gay" tag being pinned on them.

But for a TRUE TV or FEMIPHILE, surgery is not only not the answer, it would be the worst possible solution, This is because we are femiphiles because we ARE males. Points 1, 3, and 4 particularly of the 5 points discussed previously