Dear Virginia:

**EXCERPTS FROM THREE LOVELY LETTERS*-

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You will never know what a wonderful feeling came over me when I suddenly discovered TRANSVESTIA a few short weeks ago. After years of loneliness in my TV activities it really sent me into indescribable delight. I feel like a new person.

I have read and reread all of the back issues and feel that I already know many of the sorority sisters through the pages of our magazine. No woman likes to disclose her age, but I am over 50 and have never yet met another TV. The younger girls do not realize how fortunate they are in having such a wonderful medium in which to express themselves and meet others. But now, thanks to you to Barbara and that lovely cover girl Susanne a feeling of serentiy and new femininity has come over me. Another lovely cover girl, Terry sent me a wonderful note and we are planning a visit in the near future. Sincerely, Karen--Mich.

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Dear Virginia and Barbara: Before I say one thing I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for offering me at least the begin- ning of reassurance in a hope I had almost lost--that a transvestite could be a transvestite and still be an intelligent and contributing member of society. I was really beginning to feel that I could be no more than a sort of disgusting parasite, whose mind, ideas and a- bility to produce would be completely ignored because of one desire which needed very much to be fulfilled, but which society had chosen to judge "unacceptable". And when one has to stand alone against society, he finds himself beginning to suspect himself of all sorts of horrible things and feeling nothing but destructive guilt. But to find a group of individuals who have the same desires I have, and who are attempting to deal with them maturely, but honestly--now I have hope again-- Sincerely, Diana, Wash. D.C.

Dear Barbara: I cannot describe my feelings of happiness when I read through the first two TV mags except that most of the letters from others indicated more clearly than anything else what I was and

have been for a long time. The odd thing is the complete separation of personalities--one IS two people. The compulsion to progress with one's feminine self is so real that it is hard to justify it when alone. When I see and read about others it gives me the understand- ing and encouragement I have sought for a long long time. It encour- ages me to feel that I am different from many but not queer. in my 40s, married and with several children---yours, Kathryn, Canada

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