Perhaps Audrey Hepburn, Diana Rigg in her Emma Peel days, and Beryl Burton for being a stupendous athlete. I might even add my own mother who coped when my father was ill and when he died became the breadwinner - I was 13 and actively cross-dressing, though at that age refused to consider I was TS, that took another ten years when I realised not all worked in drag acts or as sex workers. When Mum found out about my dressing she simply said she didn't want to see me. Then returning late one evening from a meeting of the local TV/TS group she was still up--her sister had just been widowed and she needed to talk to me about it. Years later when I'd transitioned she came back to the UK to see me and seemed to have no problems with her new daughter. Then she was taken ill and I had to fly out to Australia to care for her. I was post op and definitely her daughter. When she needed a shower but was too ill to do it herself, I showered her. The enormity of seeing my mother naked for the first time shook me, then I stripped off too and washed her--we were both naked, her only comment - 'You've got a good pair of thighs on you, girl.' So she coped with having me as her daughter even though she told me she didn't understand it.

So in some ways she was one of my heroines as was my paternal grandmother who I loved to bits. My aunt, who lived with me for 23 years and was also my godmother, never had a problem with my gender change, in fact she was very supportive, and said my grandmother had mentioned as a small child I should have been a girl - I did have quite a collection of handbags!

Time has passed, though it's suggested that MtFs look younger than their actual age perhaps due to long term oestrogen. Retirement is less than three months away - well semi retirement, I'm giving up my NHS job after 42 years. As one of the foot soldiers the only recognition I'll get is the pension I've paid for, while those higher up the food chain get gongs or knighthoods and bigger salaries or pensions.

I'll get by, I live frugally but eat well, try to exercise somewhat and keep scribbling. I hope the combination will keep me alert and active for many years to come. While there will be a body of my work left as long as BC or its members have computers, I hope otherwise not to leave more than my footprint other than to have done some good for my patients, my family and friends and the wildlife I've tried to protect or conserve. Perhaps they'll name a dormouse after me?