Chapter 27: the decision

A few weeks later I went and saw my father again; I'd made a decision and as far as I was concerned it was irrevocable.

"Dad, I want to become Lynda permanently."

"What are you talking about, you can't do that?"

"I can, it's called transitioning. I don't know a lot about it but I would become a transgender girl."

"Bloody hell. What do the Keatons think about this?"

"I haven't spoken to them, Dad, I need the support of you and Mum first."

He was standing there holding a spade and shaking his head. "I don't understand this, I don't understand this at all."

"Please Dad, can you talk to Mum . . . and I want to talk to her as well."

"I suppose I'll have to. I don't know what else to do; for God's sake, change into a girl, are you serious?"

"Yes, Dad, totally."

My mother wanted to see me of course, so I went along as Lynda and made my heartfelt pleas. Her reaction wasn't quite what I expected - she wanted to talk to Mum Keaton. I was sent back to sit in the car.

The two mothers talked for over an hour and then I was brought back in to find out that mothers are more perceptive than kids. They had realised something that I hadn't, or hadn't acknowledged to myself - I didn't just want to be Lynda, I wanted to be Lynda Keaton.

What followed was a very emotional and often teary session, but acceptance - summed up with my mother saying, "It will be very hard for me to essentially lose my child, but Lyn's welfare and the welfare of the rest of the family must take priority" - and a plan of action emerged.

First up, get the two fathers to agree. My father agreed fairly quickly, but Dad Keaton took longer to convince. Over the next few weeks, he talked to me and my parents several times before he consented and then it was consultations with advisers, counsellors, doctors and so on.

Finally, the process got started.