As I understand it, the male phallus is not that big a deal, only about 4-6 inches on average. However, porn stars and soft porn books always portray the male lead as hung like a horse, and it has become the male ideal over time to act like it is so or to be perceived as being so. Why? Well, they can't be girls, can they, and they are a bit jealous of women and a bit fearful of the bleeding that doesn't come from a wound. The mystery freaks most of them out to some degree or the other, and the fragile ego needs support, so they pretend or aspire to great sexual prowess.

As far as the kid in the story goes, his parents and the school should have already been seen to by the child welfare and legal system. The parents should have lost custody of the minor child, and there should be a great uproar over him being compelled to maintain the presentation, not to mention the actions of the "school board" in the changes in his classes. Also, with as much supposed opposition to the uniforms as described, the school should be very worried about its funds and even continued existence since it is a private school and therefore receiving no outside funds. At the least, the board of directors or whatever should be shaking in their boots since they could be held accountable as part of the $5 million suit. There are a lot of private schools, and I don't think this one is very good from what has been written about it in the story so far. As a plot device to push the kid into feminization, it may be a bit weak.

According to the story, the glue used for the forms and the faux vulva would be breaking down the skin if left there for the time indicated by the story. There should at least be weekly release and "airing" of the skin for several days to a week. Long term gluing without a break would put the kid's health at risk at the least, if not his reproductive future by having his testes pushed inside where they would not be exposed to the cooling air, which is necessary for fertility. Not to mention, he could be suffering considerably from the lack of being able to "expand" for a morning woody or "piss hard on", something that is normal for most pubescent boys and younger men at least, unless they have low testosterone or have other birth or hormonal abnormalities.

IIRC, the kid has had his 16th birthday, and so should be able to put his foot down over whatever the mother and "Robert" the photographer are plotting about modeling, if he wants to.

As far as mental changes, I had a couple of classmates that entered the Marines right out of highschool, and they did have some mental changes as a result of the discipline of the Corps. When they came home on leave, they did such incomprehensible things like keep their rooms clean and make their beds, keep themselves looking "sharp" even in civvies, and use some table manners. How long term these changes would have been were curtailed by their several deployments to Vietnam, and they now reside in the cemetery, so who knows. I do know ex-marines who sorta got over all that discipline, but still wear their hair short and insist their boys do so as well. But then they are sorta nuts.......

So there are several departures from accepted reality in the plot. But then, that is the author's perogative, since the story is from his imagination.

CaroL

Not because of preconceptions of it's import but simply because the story never focuses on Ronnie's plumbing. His girlfriend seems to disappear after her initial introduction so he never seems to have the hormonal need to aspire after her and Ronnie himself doesn't seem to attach much importance to his genitals as his primary symbol of maleness (which is not a bad thing).

As to the roughness of men's clothes versus women's a lot depends on the the tactile sensation and most women's skin (and males who have taken hormones) is usually softer and more attuned to such differences. As there is no indication that Ronnie has taken any (or secretly been fed them) the difference in sensation may not be any stronger than for most men or boys (including myself in the years before taking hormones). Not that the silk and lace aren't softer but the common cotton or knit contents of men's clothes are not necessarily 'rough.' In fact I have found lace in the wrong places to be as rough if not rougher on the skin than many men's garments. I never wore jeans as a male and don't as a female because I found them 'rough' in both cases while quality menswear can be as soft and comfortable these days as women's wear. That Ronnie will run back to female clothes simply because they are softer is not true but simply a projection of the blogger's desire and experience. There are lots of women's clothes I will not wear because they are uncomfortable or rough but I still have some men's clothes that I've kept because they are just as soft and comfortable as any of the women's clothing that fills my closet.

The problem is more with fit than feel for Ronnie due to the corset that has altered his waist. However, a small waist is not uncommon in men and unless the degree of corsetry was extreme a boy with normal hips and ass may have to hitch in his belt a few notches but oversize shirts will disguise that for the most part.

Now psychologically Ronnie may have a more difficult time adjusting back but then so do soldiers who come back from combat or prisoners to life on the outside. Simply because it's difficult doesn't mean it's not done every day and Ronnie seems to have a good 'sense of self.' If you write a strong character it's not hard to envisage him returning to a normal male life unless he really prefers to remain female and Ronnie hasn't shown any real evidence of that. It's the people around him that prefer he remain female. I follow the progression of the character as written and have no problem with characters that go either way as long as they are consistent.

As to Ronnie being a minor - any ethical doctor would not do body-altering cosmetic surgery on a minor simply on his parents say-so. In fact as most transexuals know even hormones before 18 are hard to get prescribed except for blockers. While a minor may not be able to make such changes without parental consent any doctor worth his medical degree would not perform such surgery at the behest of the parents either.