who were previously professional female impersonators, some of whom I had initially helped with the arrangements. Through a friendly gynecologist, who was interested and had done some work in this field, I met some others. Then, also, through mutual friends and acquaintances I met more. In all there were seventeen reasonably intelligent convertees whose histories and attitudes I considered worthy of evaluation. The other six (I had talked with a total of 23) were very bad mistakes and, in my opinion, had no chance from the start. (They were still men, re- gardless of their plumbing, and any resemblance to femininity would be purely accidental.)

Of the seventeen, five, immediately, went into prostitution. None, unfortunately, had prepared themselves by planning, in advance, for careers or, at least, jobs as women. It was obvious to note there was insecurity and unsureness in their new roles and, therefore, what greater proof of recognition of femininity than for a man to desire your body and, as an additional yardstick, pay for it. Four of the five ex- pressed their hopes that among their customers would be the "knight in shining armor" who would fall in love with them, marry them and take them away into an affluent suburban society and a life of leisure, ease and security. Although each expressed herself in her individual manner, the gist was much the same in all cases. Their unhappiness was obvious by too frequent use of tranquilizers, alcohol and aspirin. Their justification for their situation can be best expressed by quoting one who said, "So what? I'm not any less happy than I was before!" But, I wonder: Yesterday, they had a tomorrow; but do they today?

―

One is a cocktail waitress, good looking and very personable; charming, gay and witty. She worked in the same job in the same cocktail lounge as a waitress for six years before the operation; took a leave of absence, had the operation, then returned to her previous job. Now shares a small apartment with another girl and apparently is con- tent. She was reluctant to discuss her previous sex as she was raised and treated as a girl most of her life.

One, prior to conversion, was a "gay queen". Since the operation she is being shunned by her previous playmates and, now, has gone "butch” She claims she likes it much better than before and is not sorry about having had the change.

One, was among America's most successful young executives in his line. He made provisions for and gave up his wife and two young

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