I have been asked to put into words what it is like to be the wife of a Transvestite, where do I start ?

Unlike most wives I had met Sarah before I ever met Colin, she was visiting a mutual friend one day when I popped round for coffee.

All three of us were chatting away, talking about shopping, clothes and housework. After she had left I asked my friend who "she" was.

I was told the story of how the two of them had met and that he was a lorry driver in Italy.

Some time later I was to meet Colin himself, again at the house of our friend, and we hit it off at once that evening. We talked for ages about Sarah and how difficult it was for him as his wife did not approve, he was not allowed to dress at home at all. So I invited him to come to my house and dress if he wanted to.

The next time he was in England he telephoned me and asked if he could come over at the weekend and dress. I of course said yes.

That was the start of many visits to my house, I advised him on make-up, wigs, fashion and decided that I was going to bring this girl up to date and into the real world.

The problems at home were getting worse and he started to stop over at mine from time to time, he was spending four weeks in Italy and one week at home, eventually half with his wife and half with me. His wife was in full agreement with this. The phone calls and visits became part of normal life and I even went to Italy a couple of times to spend time with him in the lorry, not the best of environments, two large people in a six foot box in the Italian summer.

Soon it was obvious to both of us that we had to be together and he left his job in Italy and came to work in England, driving a lorry, based in London.

Now he was able to dress more often and we would get Sarah ready and go into the town to window shop, lots of the store assistants in the town know her now and we seem to have very few problems. She feels a little vulnerable in large crowds but is quite happy on quieter days. We have been out to the coast for the day, gone to a nearby large town shopping, we go to friends houses for dinner when she is dressed, and have the occasional party at ours where she is the hostess.

Recently we spent the weekend in Wales, he did not go at all, the whole time was spent dressed, we took more clothes than you would for two weeks away, but that's one of the problems with TV's they can never make up their mind what to wear.

She now does her own make-up, her clothes better suit her nature and size, she wears her own hair, although I still have to blow dry it for her, and she is confident enough to go out into town to look round the shops.

What have I gained from encouraging this "dressing", I have a loving, caring husband with a more feminine side who enjoys window shopping, make-up and girlie nights in, and who also now has some taste when it comes to choosing presents for me, he knows just what will suit me and what size to buy it in.

Down sides to the "dressing", she takes forever to get ready, shower, hair removal, shaving, make-up, hair and then deciding what to wear, it all takes between one and two hours. If she is having a "fat" day it can take longer. The amount of outfits we have on and off you would not believe.

Any other downsides, I have not yet found them, although she did get chatted up one night in Brighton and I was left sitting in the corner !!!!

All in all I think you accept it as part of the person you have fallen in love with, and if you encourage both sides of the personality you will see both the people inside blossom.

We are still learning about each other as we have only been married for nine months, perhaps we are still on an extended honeymoon, perhaps the bubble will burst soon. I hope not as I am happier now than I have been in a number of years, and so are Colin and Sarah

Copyright Beaumont society 2006