was not until I came to California that the urge to dress up completely really hit me again. I went through my purges but about eight years ago I took the plunge and have acquired quite an extensive wardrobe including several wigs.

I became engaged on one occasion but the marriage did not occur and TVism did not break it up. She was a lovely and charming girl — a widow with two small children. We enjoyed everything together and with the children. We even purchased a home together, but an inter- loper interceded. The romance ended when I found them in bed one Sunday morning. It was heart-breaking, but I had been forewarned of this by the girl's former employer. He merely said on the break-up: you don't know how lucky you are. It is probably a blessing

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in disguise."

After this, I again reverted to dressing. In the meantime, a romance with one of my girl friends from my home town blossomed again and we were married. That marriage ended in disaster about a year and a half later as my wife was an alcoholic and I could not maintain her alcoholic pace. Again, TVism didn't enter into the marriage, nor did I have the urge to dress.

It was after the divorce early in 1962 that I believe I became a true Transvestite. Heretofore all my dressing had been primarily with wear- ing feminine undergarments. It was less than a year after the divorce that I began to acquire all the various items of dress, including the accessories and costume jewelry. Of course, my venture into purchasing through catalog was a hit and miss thing, not knowing what size to order. Now I know my sizes in most articles and what size is needed for a certain cut of the dress, so I have come a long way since those first days. I have become braver and have even gone into stores to pick out a particular dress.

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I did not pick up a good wig until I first was accepted by FPE. Need- less to say it was a blonde wig — blondes have more fun but it was not suited to my complexion. Since that time a very dear friend of mine whom I told about my being a TV has given me a lovely wig more suited to my color. This girl would make a perfect “A” wife in Susanna's vernacular.

woman

I first learned of TRANSVESTIA about five or six years ago. I wrote a letter to the Editor asking for information on the subject, stating I was writing a thesis for my college psychology course. I never

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