Transvestia

enough to know that I had better keep up the pretence rather than undergo the scorn and teasing from the local children if they should find out that I was a boy wearing dresses. My haircut raised no suspicion because many genuine girls in Britain have their hair clipped as short as boys, added to which most English boys have rather shaggy "Pudding Basin" haircuts. (more about this later)

Anyway, school term came and I was entered in the village school as a girl. I don't know how Aunt Joyce managed this with the documentation from my London school, perhaps she told the headmistress of the situat- ion, but I was never questioned about it, nor given any reason to think anyone knew I was not a girl.

I continued in this life for over three years, until I was thirteen and a half years old, and generally speak- ing it was for me a very happy time. Except for having been put in girl's clothes, which I soon ceased to resent I was very well treated and quite content to live with Aunt Joyce and her daughters.

The following lines about my hair are probably tri- vial, but because of shaping my present feelings on TV, I think I should mention this. My hair was never cut' during this time, and as it grew longer it became a so- urce of great fascination to me. After my first few months in dresses when I had become accustomed to the idea that I had to be a "girl", I began to look forward to having long hair. One reason for this anticipation was that I was utterly fascinated by the long hair of Aunt Joyce's younger daughter. Rosemary was then about fifteen and had never had her hair cut, so that it was long enough for her to sit on. She usually wore it in plaits, and when she combed and braided it I 'requently looked on, finding myself intensely curious, wondering what it would be like to have such lovely long hair. She (and the others) probably sensed my curiousity, for she often suggested that I comb or brush my hair, I was de- lighted at this and frequently did so. Anyway, although I pretended not to be interested, the girl's began to tea- se me saying that I should have hair as long in a few years. This of course could never happen, but at that time I thought it possible and was almost praying for my hair to grow faster.

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