She was given the name of a boy because that is what it said on her birth certificate. She never felt like a boy and wondered why she was called Albert after her grandfather. She never liked boy clothes and didn't know why they made her play with boy's toys when all she wanted was to play with dolls. When she turned nine, a girl the same age as her moved into the house next door and that is when she realised she was definitely a girl and told her Mum in no uncertain terms she no longer wanted to be called Albert but from now on she would only answer to the name of Alice.

Her mothers name was Helen. She had divorced her husband just after Alice turned two, so Alice did not really get to know her Dad and he had never visited, so there was no real comparison about men and women in her young life.

Helen decide it was time to take her child to the local clinic and have a talk with the doctor that she had been seeing since Albert was born, so she made the appointment for the next day. That night she went to tuck Albert into bed and asked him why he wanted to be called Alice?

Albert replied, “Mummy I'm not a boy; I’m just like Jane next door and like all the other girls I play with at school.”

“Darling I know you don’t like playing with boys but you were born a boy.”

“No Mummy!! I am a girl, and I don’t want to have that thing down there. I want to look just like Jane.”

“Sweetheart you won't be going to school tomorrow, we will go and see our doctor and you can tell her all your troubles.”

Alice said her prayers and as usual asked God to turn her body into a proper girl like her friend Jane.

In the morning Alice asked her Mum if she could go to the shops after she saw the doctor, to buy some girl clothes.

Helen replied, “Lets just see what the doctor has to say shall we?”

“Mummy I don't care what the doctor has to say, I won't go back to school as a boy.”

Helen decided not upset herself or her child at this stage as she already knew there was something amiss when her son wouldn't play with boys at preschool. She hoped it was just Albert being a timid child.

Morning came all to soon for Helen who was worried what her doctor would say about her now stressed out son. Alice was up early this morning. She got her own breakfast and was sitting at the table in a nightie that was given to her by Jane a few days previously, and decided to just wear it so her mum could see that she was determined to be a girl.

Helen decided not to comment and let it slide. She herself was getting worried about what would happen with her child, but thought about giving all her love and support to see this through with Albert, Time was getting on so she told Alice to get dressed and ready so they could drive into town to keep the appointment with Dr Jennifer Bricksure.

In the car Alice was very quiet and had her hands folded in her lap looking out the window as if not wanting to talk with her Mum in case she changed her mind and sent her to school instead, Helen looked at her child and thought, 'I would quite like to have a daughter. I hope that Jennifer can sort things out Albert,-- no!!! I will have to think of Albert as Alice, I quite like that name for a girl.'

It wasn’t long before they were in the car park of the clinic. Alice was still quiet so Helen said, “Honey I know you are worried that the doctor will tell you you can't live as a girl but just tell her how you feel and she will tell you what she can do to help you.”

Helen took Alice by the hand to show her that she loved her no matter what happened.

Alice relaxed a little and said, “Mummy will you still love me now that I want to be a girl?”

“Of course darling I will always love you.”

“They won't send me away will they?”

“No sweetheart, no one is ever going to take you away from me.”

Still holding hands they arrived at the reception desk.

The young woman said, “Oh hello Mrs Jenson, the doctor will be with you in a few minutes. Hello Albert no school today?”

“No miss and I’m Alice.”

Jan the receptionist looked at Helen but said nothing. Helen just nodded her head slightly but also said nothing and sat down on the chairs in the waiting room and picked up a magazine which was of course like all waiting room reading matter three years old, and she said to Jan, “Is it your job to keep these magazines up to date Jan?”

“Yes Mrs Jenson, sorry I haven't had a chance to swap them over but seeing there are no other patients due I will quickly go out the back and bring them out.”

“Thank you Jan.”

Helen was a stickler for order in all things in life and had also instilled in her son, soon to be daughter, to be the same.

The door opened and the doctor walked in and said “Good morning Helen, good morning young man.”

Alice replied, “No I'm Alice and I'm a girl.”

“O.k.,” said Jennifer, “lets see what we can do to sort things out for you Alice.”

Helen said, “Jenny, you have known me for a long time and I know you will not beat around the bush and be completely honest with me. The problem I have is with Albert wanting to be a girl.”

The doctor replied, “Helen would you mind if I had a little chat with Alice by herself?”

Helen wasn't too happy about Jenny wanting her to leave the room so she could have a chat with a child getting more anguished by the minute, so she said, “Jenny if I'm going to be helping my child I want to know exactly what’s in store for both of us so I am not going unless Alice wants me to.”

At this Alice looked at her now concerned mother and said, “Mummy its o.k., I’m nearly ten and I'll be alright.”

“Well if you need me just tell the doctor and I’ll come in.”

Helen sat down and watched her now daughter disappear through the doctors surgery door.

Jennifer was not just a GP but also a qualified psychologist and was quite familiar with dealing with transgendered people. She had two other patients at the time who were doing their real life test; the only difference was that they were adults. She knew she would have to tread carefully with this nine year old.

She very quietly said, “Alright young man, lets see if I can help you by asking you a few questions. Is that alright with you?”

“Yes but I’m not a boy.”

“Alice if I’m going to help you, you need to let me ask you some questions. I'm not going to force you to do anything you don't want to, o.k.?”

The questions were the typical ones to ascertain what was going on in this child’s head. After half an hour Helen was asked to come in and have it all explained to her and how to deal with a transgendered child. Once Helen knew what to expect she seemed to relax and started to ask a multitude of questions herself.

Being only nine almost ten, all Jenny could do was prescribe puberty blockers for Alice so she wouldn’t develop any male characteristics, but of course there was a lot more to sort out for Alice such as school records, name change and protecting her from people that are completely against letting people change their gender, let alone a ten year old boy.

The future will not be an easy journey for mother and daughter.

This scenario repeats itself a thousand times throughout the world.

To be continued?

If readers are interest in this story continuing then please make it known in the comments.

Hugs to all, Carla Bay.