At the age of 55, I'd only in the last few years gone from starting to acknowledge that I have a somewhat feminine side, embracing and indulging her - to now considering myself transfeminine, and socially transitioning to live in this aspect of myself. Strangely, I never wanted to dress when I was younger, nor ever felt at odds with my body, although since my early teens I have always had a thing for removing whatever body hair I could get away with. If anything, I had no feelings at all - with my son being at the lighter end of the autistic spectrum, you can imagine there's some of that in me, too. Then, a few years ago I just got the urge to find out what wearing a bra and panties would feel like, and acted upon it. Fiona has been growing on me and in me ever since. The first cheap lingerie set I bought was very soon replaced by nice satin & lace underwear and breastforms to fill the bras properly. Then I started buying secondhand clothes online, and some hip & bum padding to help out there. Some shoes happened (of course - as they do!). Then, jewellery, a couple of wigs, nail polish, lipsticks & liners and a perfume. I bet this all sounds very familiar! But then having not long started to venture out in public, all of a sudden came the makeover and bra fitting, all fully en femme, which felt like the most natural thing in the world, that changed how I see my life. I'd been together with my fiancee for many years and we lived at her house. I came out to her and to my family as bi-gender at Easter 2024, the moment I realised I was in the transgender realm. However, I already knew she would not accept Fiona around her. She was brave and selfless in giving me a leave of absence to experience life as Fiona 24/7 at my house over the summer to work out which direction I wanted my life to go in. Our relationship ended after I had a clear realisation, which I'd never admitted even to myself: I want to be a woman. I now identify as transfeminine, and consider my birthday to be 17th July, my first full day of the rest of my life as Fiona, and the day that I had my ears pierced in honour and recognition of that commitment. And now, it seems that my partner can actually accept Fiona, and everything that I might or might not become in the future. All the feelings are still there on both sides, so we are getting back together, this time as two women, even if only one of us is genetically so.