What would you do if your twelve-year-old son began his period? That is the question one California family had to ponder in 1960, an era when rock and roll shattered the innocence of the 50s. With impending doom from nations near our shores, the world was not ready to accept, discuss, nor tolerate a boy having a girl's period. This American family was soon to be drawn into a world they never dreamed of, much less prepared to cope with in an unimaginable nightmare that would envelop the family for decades. Stephanie endured bullying, teasing, ridicule, and downright evil as she tried to become the female she knew she always was. Formerly, her condition was called "hermaphoritism." Today the condition where a child is born with both male and female anatomy is termed "intersexual." Although rare, the condition obviously is traumatic for both the individual and the family. Hopefully, with the advent of acceptance of persons who are transgendered, the intersexual will find more acceptance and less judgment. Truly, this person has both sexes. How does one choose which one is the correct one? Stephanie has labored as both a man and a woman - a boy and a girl. It was obvious from her early toddler years that this was a little girl. She states that she always felt like a girl. But she had the misfortune to be born to a father who could not face the reality. Ignorance and the times did not allow him to understand fully what had happened to his first child. It was not his fault. It was not his wife's fault. It simply was. Read on to understand and then begin the campaign to help make this a more peaceful and loving world. It starts with one.
About the Author: Lola Carlile has always been a writer and a purveyor of justice. As a teacher and therapist, she writes about what she knows. She knows people. She knows stories and she shares them in a format where others can easily understand. Dr. Carlile received three degrees from The University of Texas - a BA in English, a Masters in Bilingual/ESOL Education, and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. She continued her education to receive a Masters in Art Therapy Counseling. Today she teaches high school and counsels women and children with art therapy. In her spare time she writes books. She and her husband live in the Northwest. She is the proud mother of three amazing sons and the grandmother of Grace and William.