I was born on Dec. 4, 1930 and was named Joseph after
my grandfather. Yes, Joseph, a boy, the start of a very confusing
life.

When I was only four years old, my sister used to dress me as a girl;
that’s when my life really started. From that time on, the desire to
be a girl just got stronger and stronger.

I loved all the pretty girls and I also wanted to be like them. The
problem was that I couldn’t tell anyone about this, not even my
mother, for fear I would be shamed and become an outcast.

Like all the other "T " girls I know, I suffered with this all my life.
Due to the guilt and shame that I carried at two different times, I
considered ending my life.

Eventually, I got quite good at pretending to be what everyone
expected me to be. Like most young men my age, I had no fear. I loved
fast cars and motorcycles and was a very reckless driver. However,
unlike my peers, I didn’t care if I lived or died.

At the age of nineteen, I joined the Navy and got married about a year
later. Due to the fact that I was only making $85.00 a month, we
decided not to have children right away, but it wasn’t long before our
first child was born.

I stayed married to my first wife for thirty-five years and had six
children. Throughout our marriage however, my wife never really did
accept my cross-dressing, so I had to do it in secret. We divorced
after our youngest son left home, and I remained single for three
years.

Before I remarried, I told my new wife about my cross-dressing and she
said it didn’t matter. She helped me look better and purchased most of
my girl clothes for me. I was still somewhat restricted, but it was
much better than ever before. By then, I was running my own business
which gave me the freedom to let me grow my hair long and to make
subtle changes in my appearance.

Finally, at the age of seventy-three the time was ripe to sell my
business, so I did. I then retired and had a lot of spare time to do
many of the things I always wanted to do. I spent a lot of time
traveling and four wheeling, and to dress more. Very often, I went
shopping and other places as Linda, but my wife would not go with me.

Early in my retirement, my wife told me that she was leaving me. We
had a beautiful summer home, which I had put a lot of work into, so
she just moved up north. I tried to get her to reconsider for three
months, but to no avail.

After years of hard work and scrimping and saving, not to mention
living a lie, I decided that it was time that I became me. That was
when I started living full time as female, had some body modifications
done, and went on female hormones.

Today, I am the happiest I have ever been. Although, it was a long
time coming, I have finally made it! As Linda, I now go wherever I
please with no trouble. I travel a lot and have even spent a month in
New Zealand. I go country dancing several times a week and have a lot
of new friends.

Perhaps the only thing now that I need in my life is a good trustworthy
girl friend, somebody to enjoy my life with and to share in this adventure
I have never really been sexually attracted to men, but I don't mind
mind spending time with them from time to time.
This is a little bit of my life.