by Aimee Gold

Created on: September 03, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Transgender: A person appearing to attempting to be a member of the opposite sex, as a transsexual

To my mom transgender meant a lot more than that. It meant freedom, getting to be the person she had been hiding for over forty years. It meant being able to live in a body that felt right. It meant happiness.
I guess I always knew there was something different about my mother, so when she called and said she had something to discuss with me I was able to guess what that something was. My mother wanted to be come a man. Now most would be upset about this and wonder how such a life altering decision would affect their life, but not me. I was grown and if it made my mom happy it made me happy. As far as life changing consequences there just weren't any for me. I didn't have to worry about getting made fun of or looked at differently. I knew my moms personality would be the same as it had been for the last forty one years, so other than a few concerns like what would happen to my parents marriage and worrying about how others would look at my mom, I was cool with it. My husband on the other hand was a little thrown off, he wasn't sure what to call her after she started hormone therapy and he was worried about how our kids would be affected by it, but he soon got over it once he saw that my mom was still the same on the inside, just much happier. My children were so young at the time I don't think they even remember my mom as a woman.

I found out quickly that not every body's reactions were going to be as positive as mine. My grandmother was extremely upset and mourned the loss of her "little girl". There were some family members who refused to acknowledge the transition, and even some who refused to speak to him because of either their beliefs or fear. My dad, who is absolutely amazing, felt pretty much the same way I did. Whatever makes you happy. So their twenty three year long marriage continued. My parents lost friends over my mothers decision to transition and also because my parents chose to stay together.
The most difficult part of the transition for me was changing pronouns and what I had been calling him for the last twenty two years. Explaining to people that you aren't stupid when you use "My mom" and "He" in the same sentence was now a frustrating part of life.
Through the transition my relationship with my mom remained much as it had been before, though having your now male mother ask you if he's hot is a little off, there are definitely worse things.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>