Hi, I am Stacy Lynn Makin when I was 8 years old I discovered the world of crossdressing, my mother used to take my sister to ballet and tap dance lessons and I would have to go and sit there and watch her practice and perform.

It was during that time I wondered why I didn't get take ballet and tap, That led to me trying on her ballet outfits and then my mothers and sisters clothes. At first it was kind of exciting, then I kept wondering why I kept having these feelings and no matter what I would try to do to suppress them the feelings would always return.

In my teenage years I thought dating girls would make it go away but that only made it worse being around girls and seeing their clothes and makeup and how they present themselves was just so overwhelming. It was in high school that I meet my first real girlfriend her name was Stacy, she was really special because she was my first serious girlfriend, unfortunately I didn't handle jealousy so well back then and we broke up but the memories of that first love has stayed with me my whole life, It was after we broke up that I adopted the name Stacy.

All throughout my high school years I would refer to myself as Stacy, when I got dressed up.

When I was in College I dressed occasionally but not on a regular basis, After College I met Cindy we dated fell in love and moved in together, living together and being around her clothes and makeup was just to much and all of the previous feelings returned 10 fold, it was around that time that I started to acquire my own wardrobe we had a storage unit at our apartment and I kept my Stacy clothes in suitcases, She never knew! She would work most evenings and Saturdays and that provided me enough time to be Stacy, after a few years of living together we decided to marry and it was then that I told her my secret.

She said well that explains a lot, I said why, she said I often wondered why you never minded going shopping with me or offering suggestions as to what I should be wearing, she was extremely accepting thru out our marriage, my extent to crossdressing back then graduated from just getting dressed at home to going out in the car driving, when driving didn't satisfy my craving I wanted to meet others and go out in public.

I found out about CrossPort a Cincinnati Transgender Support Organizationn I wrote to them I drove by and checked out the meetings from a far and even though I wanted to get out I was still scared to death. Eventually I built up enough courage and attended my first meeting, My first time getting dressed to go out is a funny story I will tell another time.

. I was amazed at my first meeting their must have been 30 girls just like me, We talked and listened to their adventures and longed for the day I could be just like them. I got involved with Crossport and after about a year attendfing the support group meetings the moderator asked me if I would be interested in taking over as she was getting burnt out and she thought my ideas for future meetings like doing makeovers and having a swap night or bringing in guest speakers would be what those attending would find of interest. I ran the Crossdresser Support Group meetings and became a board member for 6 years.

My marriage ended in 2006 and do to a job and taking care of my kids, Stacy was only able to go out about once a month, typically on a Thursday night my regular girls night out with friends. A tradition we have kept alive for the last 19 years about five years ago I came back to going out with my friends on a more regular basis almost every weekend we were going out and doing something,

Last year CrossPort The transgender organization I originally was involved with years ago I heard they were thinking of disbanding and since I thought their was still a need for a organization like this I started attending meetings in the hope that I could get back on the board and prevent any possible decision by the board to stop this idea, after a couple of members resigned I was able to get back on the board along with some of my friends and turn this organization around. I think most everyone would agree that we are moving in a good direction with fresh ideas. I am involved in many functions answering the hotline phone, outreach, to organizing all social functions. Every weekend we have some activity to take part in.

Early in 2017 I made the decision that I wanted to transition and to eventually live as Stacy full time, I started going back to support group meetings and asking friends who have transitioned who they saw for a therapist and who their endocrinologist is after several months of seeing a therapist she gave me a letter last June confirming my gender dysphoria

I cried when I got the letter because it confirmed to me that how I have felt most of my life was real and that letter cleared the way for me to see a doctor to hopefully begin HRT, it took 2 months to get in to see the doctor but on August 28 I began

hormone replacement therapy. That is another day that I cried I was finally beginning a journey that took 50 years to get started. I am truly the happiest I have been my whole life, for most of my life I have taken some sort of depression or anxiety medicine after starting HRT I stopped using those meds, I no longer feel depressed I feel alive, happy like I can accomplish anything.

I have been on HRT for the last 7 months and after attending Keystone Conference on March 6th and getting to live as Stacy for 6 days straight I made the decision to starting living full time, On March 22nd I applied to have my name changed.

I am excited to be on this journey and for the first time in my life, I am looking forward to every opportunity the future has in store for me.