|
 Stephanie
Anne Lloyd
has been a well known name in the transgender world
for many years. She has been a pioneer on the new frontier
and has helped to make transgenderism more acceptable
to society. But her success has not been without personal
sacrifice.
TT:
You haven't always been Stephanie. Tell us about what
like was like
when you were Keith.
SAL:
I spent the first 30 years of my life as Keith, 3 years
as an “inbetweenie” and since then I've
been Stephanie (I am now 58). Life as Keith got gradually
more difficult as I got to puberty and the boys around
me started to act as if they were aliens, with their
views and stories about girls seeming very odd.
I got on
well with girls and lots of good platonic girlfriends,
so much so that I gained a reputation as a Casanova
(how ironic!!!). I did not know that I was transsexual;
in fact I did not even know that such a thing existed.
When I met
Marylin at 21, I thought that the only problem had been
that I had simply failed to meet the right girl up until
that time and with a feeling of relief I married her.
Having twin boys just 10 months later confirmed me in
the eyes of the world as a “normal red-blooded
male”.
Gradually the problems came back to haunt me with physical
symptoms being caused by psychosomatic problems. When
I was diagnosed as transsexual my first thought were
to commit suicide, which I came very close to doing.
I could not contemplate losing everything that I treasured.
TT:
It must have taken a lot of courage to go all the way,
opting for
surgery. What kind of support was available for transsexuals
at that time?
SAL:
At this time there was absolutely no support network
for transsexuals and virtually no medical specialists.
I was referred to a specialist at Withington Hospital
in Manchester where I had to attend a clinic for alcoholics
– I think I was the only one who went there without
a brown paper bag!!!! My saving grace was to have a
very supportive doctor who took it upon himself to research
every aspect available. (Co-incidentally the same practice
where Dr. Shipman, the mass murderer was based at the
time!!!)
TT:
Becoming Stephanie caused you no end of hardship. How
was the news
greeted at work?
SAL:
I paid a very high price to become Stephanie. I lost
everything - my wife and children, my house and job
– all I had at one stage was the clothes that
I stood up in.
I was Sales
and Marketing Director of Hestair plc where we had 6,000
employees. When I informed my Chairman he was very supportive
and begged me to stay on – this I did throughout
my treatment leaving as Keith the day before my operation
and returning some weeks later as Stephanie.
All of the
staff had been informed and welcomed me back and I was
happy for the next couple of months until one of our
staff sold the story to The Daily Mirror newspaper.
The story was splashed across the front page and page
3 and became both national and international news with
radio and television jumping in with the newspapers.
After a week of unrelenting publicity the large institutional
shareholders decided that they could not risk any further
slide in the share price and so my career ended instantly.
I was left
homeless and friendless with only a rescue dog called
Sheba for company. My so-called friends evaporated overnight
and I was all-alone housed temporarily by Social Services.
TT:
Having lost everything to be female, you managed to
pick yourself up
and start again?
SAL:
Racking my brains Sheba and I walked many miles very
afternoon searching for inspiration. It was only when
I turned the problem on it’s head and instead
of thinking about what I could do despite my pariah
status to thinking of what could I use it for an advantage
that I came up with the concept of Transformation.
I then went to various banks and sought finance –
no-one wanted to know so I put an advert in the regional
newspaper that read “Mature businesswoman seeks
financial partner to invest in new venture” I
had 36 replies mostly from weirdo’s but one from
a businessman named David Booth who became first my
financial backer and then my husband.
TT:
Was Transformation a hit right from the start or did
you have some
teething troubles?
SAL:
Transformation started very modestly with a shop in
Manchester. We struggled financially and at one point
looked like going under. Without a word to David I started
offering “massage services” with all of
the normal extras and found an instant way of making
money. Prostitution is not a pretty word and there are
many times I have had to close my eyes and think of
what I would make for the meal that evening.
Eventually
we were raided by the police and arrested but the resultant
publicity from the arrest and trial launched Transformation
and gave it the nationwide publicity it required. I
was later arrested and imprisoned for selling videos
which are now legally on sale. I spent 3 months in a
woman’s prison but that needs another book to
tell the story. Gradually from the small acorn of one
shop in Manchester we expanded to provide all of the
services that our customers demanded including printing
and publishing, more shops and a medical clinic.
TT:
What is the Albany
Clinic? Is that one of your creations?
SAL:
Most successful people want to put something back in
to their community and the idea of The Albany Gender
Clinic was realised when after David became my husband
agreed to finance this as a non-profit making venture
that would provide the help, counselling and medical
treatment that I had been unable to find in my hour
of need. Established more than 15 years ago The Albany
Clinic provides treatment for transsexuals from around
the globe.
TT:
As someone who's been there and had more than
her fair share of ups and
downs, what is the best advice can you give Trannyweb's
14500 members
worldwide?
SAL:
My advice to all of your Tranyweb followers is to be
true to yourself. All of us have such a short time on
this earth and it is vital that you learn to be at peace
with your inner self. I have found contentment and self
respect albeit at a high price.
Being true
to yourself gives you the confidence to help others
and of making true friends who know the true you. I
am happy that 2 of my 3 children have come back to me
after a painful 14 year separation – we are now
good friends. Add to this my loving husband of 19 years
standing, 2 step-daughters and an adopted daughter and
I can look back and say that all of the pain and sacrifices
were worthwhile. |
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