In my world of trying to find a place to be me, things can seem very serious; even hopeless and oppressive at times. Something happened this morning to put it all in perspective, though it took a while to sink in.

For some time, I have been coresponding with an English Expatriate Woman who is married to an Iraqi man. Both are living in Mosul. She has been extremely encouraging, and absolutely accepting of me. Both She, Aisha and her husband are professors at the University there. Over the months she has been telling me how they are trying to live normal lives with the Taliban wreaking havok nearly every day. She is still able to get out but I suspect that she is in considerable danger.

A few days ago, she wrote how her driver had been assasinated right in front of her. This morning on the news, I read that extremist Sunnis, doubtlessly inspired by the Taliban waccos were forcing the christians there to pay protection money or killing them.

My heart is for those of any place who suffer unjustly, and it is absolutely crushing to know that there is very little I can actually do to help. Having been on relief missions, I can say from personal experience that seems to be an absolutely insurmountable probem.

So, here I am, entering on stage left with my pitiful problems with the treatment protocal for the transgendered. I am seeing very clearly now that the T problem needs to be treated as young as posible to give the youth a better chance at real success.

I believe that some of those youth, given proper support and counseling could live out their lives by simply being allowed to exist as effiminate males. Others, would be young enough to actually benefit from the proceedure.

Ultimately, I want to see a number of posible options for middle to late life twomen. Some may actually need to transition like I did, but some may, with sufficent support from their families may actually be able to complete their lives as they are, thus sparing a wide circle of family and friends the pain.

The problem for me lies in penetrating the establishment and securing a voice. I can say from harsh experience that any disenting opinion is quickly shouted down in that arena. I am not saying that everything is wrong but the whole process can be made wider, improved and augmented by more compassionate solutions.

Ayesha's situation is much more serious than mine, but sometimes I just lose perspective for a moment.

Gwen