natina
04-25-2009, 10:46 AM
A woman's quest to erase a past that won't die
30 years after gender-reassignment surgery, woman's past as a man lingers
PAYETTE, Idaho - Catherine Carlson threads through the discount store, her hiking boots clopping against the linoleum. She is numb to the shoppers who glance curiously as she plucks a pair of long underwear from a sales rack.
Cold sneaks through the walls of her trailer home, but this is the only remedy she can afford. At checkout, Catherine writes a $15 check. The clerk with the "Deb G" name tag examines the signature and runs her eyes over Catherine — the side-swept, faded blond hair, large knuckles, blue jeans and plaid work shirt.
Under the harsh fluorescent lights of the Bi-Mart, Catherine's narrow face is mapped with fine lines and abandoned by cosmetics. She ignores the unwelcome survey of her appearance.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30390801//
http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/g-hlth-090424-ghosts-11a.hmedium.jpg
http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090424-ghosts-hmed-12p.standard.jpg
http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090424-ghosts-bcol-12p.standard.jpg
30 years after gender-reassignment surgery, woman's past as a man lingers
PAYETTE, Idaho - Catherine Carlson threads through the discount store, her hiking boots clopping against the linoleum. She is numb to the shoppers who glance curiously as she plucks a pair of long underwear from a sales rack.
Cold sneaks through the walls of her trailer home, but this is the only remedy she can afford. At checkout, Catherine writes a $15 check. The clerk with the "Deb G" name tag examines the signature and runs her eyes over Catherine — the side-swept, faded blond hair, large knuckles, blue jeans and plaid work shirt.
Under the harsh fluorescent lights of the Bi-Mart, Catherine's narrow face is mapped with fine lines and abandoned by cosmetics. She ignores the unwelcome survey of her appearance.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30390801//
http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/g-hlth-090424-ghosts-11a.hmedium.jpg
http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090424-ghosts-hmed-12p.standard.jpg
http://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Photo/_new/090424-ghosts-bcol-12p.standard.jpg