One day in early May 2017, a nervous forty-six year old transgender woman picked up her mobile phone and rang Stacy Novak to make a booking for her first ever trip to a Transliving Eastbourne event. In spite of her nerves, she was thrilled at the prospect of being able to spend an entire weekend in the company of like-minded girls. This was to be her first ever public ‘outing’ and a major step forward in her life as a woman. That nervous trans-woman was me – Sophie Kelly!
In the weeks leading up to Eastbourne I spent a lot of time planning my outfits, buying new clothes and accessories and doing my best to refine my look. This was done with a huge amount of help from Gail, my best friend in the world. Gail is a genetic woman who has been the most wonderful friend to me for many years and I was delighted when she agreed to accompany me to Eastbourne. When I told her I had managed to make our booking, I think she was almost as thrilled as I was.