.

Marcy has started to dress as a girl in public, but was worried her interest in fishing would affect her gender consultant’s belief she is a girl. However, her consultant proved supportive and to Marcy’s surprise said she is interested in steam trains, and she and her husband went on a steam train enthusiasts course on their honeymoon.

Where necessary or possibly helpful to some, there are notes at the end on word usage.

Year seven was over. Marcy had some evening clothes of her own now and had managed to persuade Pol to try evening gowns rather than staying with big frocks, which Pol’s mum had thanked her for. Marcy had bought a pair of B cup and C cup breast forms, and although Pol borrowed Marcy’s Cs occasionally she decided that a B was adequate and told Marcy, “You’re becoming a hussy, Gal, but I can see why. I’ll maybe get some Cs and become a boy magnet too.” Pol’s wardrobes were bulging with their clothes, so they took some of hers to Marcy’s house and filled her wardrobes too. Pol and Marcy were spending a lot of time together during their holidays.

The persona Marcy now completely dominated her alter ego Marc of whom virtually nothing remained, and neither Pol nor any of their peers, all aware of Marcy’s trans status, questioned her right to be who and what she was.

Unknown to any other than Marcy’s mum, Mrs. Bleacher the girls’ headteacher had talked with her to consider the future. The head knew Marcy well, having taught her, and Pol too, once a week in the history top set for a year, and considered her to be a likeable, quiet, studious little girl who fitted in with and was thought highly of by her peers, both girls and boys. That many of the boys as well as the girls were openly protective of Marcy had given the year group a collective identity far stronger than any of the staff had ever seen in a year group before. The only problem it had raised had been just before Christmas with a science supply teacher who had made the lesson unpleasant for Marcy because of her behavioural and appearance mismatches with her name: Marc and the gender marker: male, on the register.

The next time the class had that teacher they had walked out on her and studied in the library. The head had long since decided since, other than that one incident for which Marcy could not be held responsible, Marcy created no problems for the pupils, their parents and the staff it would be best for all to accept the situation quietly rather than to risk causing any unnecessary waves which may subsequently cause Marcy, the pupils and the school problems, in that order of importance. She’d made it clear to Marcy’s mum that since Marcy only ever used one of the lavatories in the medical unit and when she had games and gym she changed and showered in the medical unit too she considered no possible issues could arise from bigots outside the school.

She’d added with a smile, though the school had a uniform policy it didn’t specify that either sex was restricted to any part of it, so should Marcy ever choose to wear a skirt to lessons or a gymslip for games that was perfectly in accord with the rules, and although most believed boys had to wear ties because of the way the dress code was written ties were optional for both sexes.

“Mrs. Harman, I rewrote the dress code a number of years ago, when I took the headship here, in order to bring it more in line with today because it hadn’t been looked at for over thirty years. I deliberately wrote it as a set of guidelines suggesting what would be acceptable rather than as a set of prescriptive rules and left out mention of gender specific uniform because it seemed obvious to me eventually we too should have to deal with issues such as those Marcy has to deal with, and I wished to have the ability to do so quietly and without the fuss that could be so damaging to a lovely girl like Marcy. The code is considerably less tightly defined than it was, which means it can take account of fashion, and it gives me complete authority concerning what is acceptable and what is not, especially concerning jewellery and make up which used to be completely forbidden. It now states jewellery and make up have to be tasteful, and jewellery has to be safe in the school environment.”

She’d smiled and added, “The new code gives us far less headaches than the old one did. Two years ago micro skirts were fashionable, and some of the more extreme girls wore them so short you could see their underwear even when they were standing up, which upset some of the older staff. My view was it’s in the nature of teenagers to rebel, so let’s just go with it, and eventually hem lines will drop. With no reaction from the staff to rebel against micros didn’t last the winter out because the girls were too cold. First they wore warm black tights with the micros, then longer skirts, and ultimately most opted for trousers till the warmer weather arrived, but the micros had had their day and didn’t return. It’s my belief opposition would have made the micros last longer, and look what the fashion is now: A-line skirts belted under the bosom that reach to the floor.

“It’s only year sevens, who are still learning to use cosmetics, who are ever a problem now, and even that is disappearing since our integrated personal development programme has included use of cosmetics for the year seven girls in the half term before Christmas. A lot of the pupils of all ages regard Marcy as the authority on current trends and what’s cool. Marcy has never been anywhere near in breach of the dress code, she always looks lovely and has always been a proponent of the less is more school of thought regards both jewellery and make up, for which I am grateful. You are to be congratulated on your success there.”

“You need to congratulate Pauline Munro’s mum for that. Lydia is a professional make up artist for Western TV North, and keeps both of them under her eye. What else does the personal development programme encompass, Mrs. Bleacher?”

“All the things that you would expect. Relationships, feminine hygiene, sex education and health, child care, financial responsibility and a lot more. Some of which are only taught in depth to upper school, but all are at least touched on in all years. I also wish to eventually include issues of identity and sexuality, but it is difficult because there is a lot of prejudice to contend with, and I’d rather make progress slowly by including such matters gradually into the sex education and relationships topics in the upper school and gradually working them down a year at a time. A working party of staff is already preparing schemes of work. That way by the time the syllabus becomes reorganised and it is a separate topic we’ll have been covering the subject matter for some years. Most of personal development is taught in mixed groups, but some is taught to single sex groups.

“There is perhaps something I need to explain. At the beginning of the year when the year sevens were separated to teach the girls menstrual issues and feminine hygiene and the boys issues relating to male puberty the topic was nearly over when we realised Marcy had joined the girls with Pauline. I took the decision to leave well alone since Mrs. O’Donnell the school nurse, who teaches the topic, informed me the girls considered Marcy to be a rôle model especially concerning matters of fashion and cosmetics which was why she had been so surprised when just before half term on passing the register on to the teacher of the next topic, which for the girls was use of cosmetics, she discovered Marcy was a boy named Marc.

“A little discreet investigation revealed that the error, if it can be called that, occurred at the beginning of the year, when Mrs. O’Donnell had created the year seven register based on the year six information provided by our feeder primary schools. Of course there was no information on pupils coming in from outside our area like Marcy, so she completed the new year seven register using information the pupils in front of her provided. It seems Pauline Munro had responded for Marc saying, ‘Marcy Harman, Miss.’

“Because many girls feel unable to answer or ask questions, she only ever asks scatter question for any to answer, and if no one will answer she provides the answer. She didn’t question that Marcy was completely silent in class, for over half the girls were the same. She told me it was clear that Marcy like all the others was paying close attention. For the entire seven weeks of the topic neither Marcy’s behaviour nor that of the class gave Mrs. O’Donnell any reason to think she had anything other than a class of girls. Interestingly, as far as the staff can determine, the boys haven’t even commented on Marcy going with the girls. Some seem to believe Marcy is a tomboy struggling to break back into her real gender. Mrs. O’Donnell also told me it was her opinion that to have placed Marcy with the boys would have been a serious error of judgement, and though it was her opinion that Marcy didn’t need them she recommended Marcy attended the use of cosmetics lessons with the other girls.

“I endorsed that, and we consider all has serendipitously worked out for the best. I consider the issue to be irrelevant now since Marcy is accepted by all as a girl and she is clearly happy being with Pauline who is a most effective friend, I hesitate to use the word advocate for she needs none, of hers. There are other topics where the children are separated higher up the school, but I am gradually eliminating those in favour of mixed groups, albeit slowly. For those that do remain it is my intention for Marcy to remain with the girls even for the pregnancy and nursing topic in year nine, which is also taught by Mrs. O’Donnell who recommended that to me.

“With my approval, as a result of the unfortunate incident with the supply teacher before Christmas, regarding which I wrote to you, Mr. Jameson her form tutor has had the main school computer register altered from Marc James Harmon to Marcy Jane Harmon and she is designated as female on all school records except my records computer, which is a stand alone PC never connected to the school’s system, or the internet, where she is recorded as a trans girl and all your communications end up. Only my self and the six senior pastoral staff, the heads of houses, have access to it. I should also add we no longer use that supply teacher. I have little tolerance for the intolerant.”

Marcy’s mum smiled and said, “I did know Marcy’s name had been altered on the register, for Marcy asked me if Jane was ok with me. She likes Mr. Jameson, and told me he had asked her whether she wanted just one name or if not what she would like John replaced by. Jane was her grandmother’s name, my mum’s. I wasn’t aware Marcy was noted as female on the register, for which you have my gratitude. Marcy did tell me of the feminine hygiene lessons, but not that it was an all girls’ class. I presumed it was boys as well as girls being taught because it made sense to me in this day and age. She said it was interesting and it gave her a girl’s perspective on things she would never experience. I know Pol and she talk concerning Pol’s periods and Marcy’s gender reassignment plans and her visits to the medical people. Marcy has bought tampons for Pol when we’ve been shopping, and I saw them on the internet not long ago researching menstrual cups.

“Lydia and I have discussed it and agreed the girls, who are more like sisters than friends, are best left to deal with the matter as seems best to them, for both are sensible and intelligent enough to ask us for help or advice if they need it. They have done so a couple of times, and don’t seem bothered which of us they ask. I appreciate your concern, but as long as it is not a problem to the school it’s certainly not to me, and I’m sure Lydia Munro would say the same. I sometimes think John Munro thinks he has twin daughters, for that’s how he treats them. I’m pleased that for the first time Marcy has a supportive adult male in her life. A major reason why I divorced was my ex-husband’s treatment of her which caused her to chew her fingers. I’m still trying to persuade her to get help for that, but she’s not ready yet, and it would be a mistake to push her.”

“Marcy and Pauline are lucky to have such supportive parents. Other than for girls like Marcy, who will always have to be considered on a case by case basis, I suspect year seven feminine hygiene will always have to be girls only because it needs to be taught right at the beginning of the year and most boys are not mature enough then to hear it. Their behaviour would inhibit the girls from seeking answers some badly need which would render it pointless to try teaching the topic. You’d be shocked by the number of very frightened year seven girls who have become young women before they arrive here and have no idea what is happening to them. Many have no one they can talk to, not even their mothers. Some won’t even talk to their friends because they think it’s only happening to them. It’s tragic, and you wouldn’t think it possible in this day and age where every child has an internet connected mobile phone, but that’s how it is, and all we can do is our best, which includes posters on the pastoral noticeboards providing details of helpful websites.”

Mrs. Bleacher further explained there had always been a few girls who chose to play football with the boys and a few boys who chose to play net ball with the girls, usually because they ultimately wished to play basketball, but not always. It was only in the upper school they were separated for safety reasons because the boys were beginning to be so much stronger than the girls then. Marcy’s mum, grateful for the head’s understanding, explained far more than she had originally intended concerning Marcy’s gender dysphoria and transition, the future of which was in part in the hands of her medical advisors. The two women agreed to keep each other informed of any and all developments and parted on the best of terms both convinced the other would do their best for Marcy, the pupils and the school.

The governors, nowhere near as enlightened nor as compassionate as the head, cynically considered their pragmatic agreement with Mrs. Bleacher may ultimately be presented publicly as enlightenment which would be much to the school’s advantage. Though it was a pragmatic rather than an enlightened solution it was one for which all most nearly concerned were thankful.

Ch 5 Macy deals with her father and brothers by a strategic step back into the closet.