“Hi, my name is Rachel, and I have been a TV /CD /T-Girl for as long as I can remember, at least from my early teens (I’m now 70ish). Like most of us, I suppose I went through all the periods of self-doubt, purging of clothes and shoes, and all the other things we girls collect through life.

Eventually, a sense of self-acceptance sets in, and at least in my case, the enjoyment begins. Being married with children, I was dressing for only short periods of time, a matter of a few hours, very occasionally.

My wife knew about my little hobby. She never really understood but tolerated it, and when the children had left home, I could indulge a lot more. It wasn’t until the last few years of her life that she actually met Rachel, as I had become her full-time carer.

Now, I try to live in female mode as much as I can; it wasn’t until I attended a girl’s weekend at Chesterfield, after being encouraged to go by some very good friends I had met in Manchester and actually appeared in public as a woman that I realised the level of contentment it gave me.

I now attend every girls’ weekend I can; I go shopping and to restaurants with friends, both TV and real girls, who have been very supportive and encouraging of my efforts.

If I can help, support, and encourage any of the girls out there who are struggling to come to terms with their true selves, I would only be too happy to help even a little bit. We all need to express our inner true selves, even if it’s just dressing in the privacy of our own homes or making that first move to go out and socialise as a woman.”.J

oining the Beaumont Society has been life-changing. The support and resources available have helped me embrace my true self.

“Caroline Watson joined the Beaumont Society after discovering her son of 22 wanted to be female and has shared her experience of her journey with Hannah to become the daughter she is so proud of. She understands the loneliness, heartrending choices, and ultimate triumph of her and her daughter’s pathway to Hannah becoming the person she wanted to be.

As a follow-up to Caroline’s experiences, she has offered to support other parents beginning their own journeys.  Any parent with a son or daughter aged 18 or over can contact Caroline for friendly support, conversation and understanding.  She also runs a regular Zoom meeting for parents to interact and share information but also to understand that some parents are going through similar experiences and are not alone”.

“My name is Kay Holmes, and I’m Mentor Program lead. I was born in the mid 1950s, and I’m married to my fully supportive wife. I spent my early life having no idea about transgender issues, which is probably quite unusual for many members of our community. Indeed, I did not first present as a female until my mid-30s, when I was invited to attend a girls’ night out. Much to my surprise (and dare I say dismay), I realised that I had enjoyed the experience rather more than I’d expected. Before long, I knew that I had released a part of my personality that could not easily be controlled and had been buried deep within. It was like opening Pandora’s Box.

I met my soon-to-be wife not long after I suspected that I was part of the trans spectrum. This was something that we discussed early in our relationship, and she was 100% supportive. Whilst raising our family, my feminine nature was suppressed. It was a period of great confusion for me, as my male persona had always been considered very masculine. I spent many years suffering feelings of guilt and confusion because of my desire to express my feminine side, even though I had the full love and support of my wife.

I joined The Beaumont Society in 2017. This acted as a catalyst, helping me to normalise and finally accept who I am. Despite the incredible support from my wife, it had taken many years to arrive at this point. I finally became comfortable with who I am, and as my confidence grew, I realised that I wanted to offer help and support to other trans people, particularly as many do not have the same level of support that I’ve enjoyed. To this end, I became much more involved with trans issues. I became an RO in 2018, and by doing so, I hope I’ve been in a better position to help and support others”.

I am Karen Barrie, a Trans girl from Scotland, and I am the Membership Secretary of the Beaumont Society, which is a rather meteoric rise to an elevated position, as it were because I only joined two years ago.

I had heard about the Beaumont Society some years ago as a young T-Girl but got the impression that it was for old, boring people who liked knitting and gardening. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Since joining, I have attended so many wonderful weekends away, seeing cities I had never been to before and enjoying the nightlife in these vibrant places enormously, visiting nightclubs and pubs as my authentic self. Liverpool is, without doubt, my favourite venue, a wonderful, welcoming city, followed closely by York.

However, I would never have been able to do so if it hadn’t been for the support of the many wonderful new friends I have made within the Society. It’s quite an amazing club to be a part of!

Why don’t you contact me to find out more about the countless benefits and support, both personally and socially, that you will encounter as a member?