What More Could a Woman Want?

By Vicki Estrada
My name is Vicki Estrada and I am featured in episode One of Sex Change Hospital. I am a 56-year-old post-op transsexual woman living in San Diego, Calif... I am a landscape architect/urban designer, a Latina, a vegetarian (for 32 years), an agnostic, an environmentalist, a musician (piano/keyboards/guitar), a parent and grandparent (two great kids born in 1977 and 1980, a 3-year-old grandson, and a 2-week-old grandson). I am also a community activist and a transgender activist, an arts advocate, a racquetball player, a spinner (indoor cycling), an avid Chargers fan and I have lots of great, supportive friends and family. I am on many local boards and committees as I feel community involvement is the duty of all of us if we want input on maintaining and improving our quality of life.

I had my genital re-assignment surgery in July of 2006. Two months after my surgery I had a re-birthday party that over 300 people attended. Videos of that party are viewable on my YouTube site--www.youtube.com/vicki2001. I also have two MySpace sites. One is my personal site with lots of pictures, www.myspace.com/vicki2001, and the other is my music site at www.myspace.com/vickiestrada, where you can hear some of my original songs.

Why did I feel the need to have genital re-assignment surgery? There are many trans people that choose not to have the surgery and go non-op due to financial reasons or they simply are fine with their body the way it is. I was not. It was incredibly awkward to have the remaining male portion of my body hanging on, so to speak. People also assume that the only reason we do this it to have sex with a man. At one time, I thought that was a goal as well since I had been with men before as a pre-op. I met the woman you will see on the documentary in 2001 as a man, but she knew I was transgendered (she thought I was only a cross dresser), but not transsexual. I transitioned (went full-time) in 2005 and had the surgery in 2006. However, it was just too hard to be in that relationship, not so much because of my surgery, but because our values and personalities clashed. I then met a woman, Lynda (another post op) in 2006 and got married (California...you know) on Aug 23. I am now effectively in a lesbian marriage and I probably will never have sex with a man. But it just FEELS right...it just does.

My children are great, and my father has been incredible as you will see in the show. However, my mother (divorced from my dad 30 years ago) is tolerant, but not supportive. Still, at least I can visit her. My three sisters no longer want anything to do with me, which is hard since I was the big brother and we were all very close. My transition has split the family and they blame me. As to my work, my clients have been loyal and I have not lost a single one.

This has been the most amazing, magical and happiest two years of my life. What more could a woman want?