Latrese : The Whole Story
I was born James Richard Voitnick on March 18th, 1968 to Bob and Carol Voitnick and raised in Bushwood, MD. I attended all the local schools up until my 2nd year at Chopticon High School, 1984, where I finally realized that I was different from everyone else. My parents, being the uptight people that they were, decided that rather than having to explain to their friends about me they would relocate the entire family to, of all places, Alabama where my fathers company had a branch office. I did manage to make a few friends at Chopticon before we left, the best of which being John C. He was the only person at CHS who knew my secret and promised to keep it as such. He was a good man. I wonder if he ever knew that I had a crush on him back then? Oh well, the past is the past. On to the future. It was bad enough trying to figure out my sexuality in southern MD, and now it worsens because we are in Alabama. I spent the next 2 years as a closet trans sexual. I wasn't to happy about it but I didn't feel like getting beat up and threatened on a daily basis so I hid who I was. Even during all these tribulations, I still managed to hold a 3.8 GPA and made honors society. The only thing I regret was not trying out for the field hockey team.
After high school, I decided it was time to explore who I was without the restrictions of family life. I applied to many liberal colleges and was accepted to the one that I wished to attend the most. So after I said my goodbyes to the family, I headed back to southern Maryland and St Mary's College. Here I was able to step out of the shadows of my parents and experiment with my new persona, Latrese. I would go with some gay friends to the gay bars in the DC area as Latrese and just let my gaurd down. It felt so liberating to finally let the world know who I was. My friends and I made this a weekly outing and these were some of the happiest times of my life. Not only was I finally getting to be who I wanted to be, but this is also when I 1st met Josh.
I spent the next four years earning my degree in Sociology and when I wasn't studying, I would spend all my time with Josh. I finally found someone who accepted me as me. I told him all of my secrets and dreams and he told me his. I even told him of my plans to go all the way and have the operation. I was surprised, he supported me 100%. So from that point on, I decided to go all the way and be Latrese full time. Rick no longer existed. I got a job as a bartender at a local bar called the Green Door and started saving my money. I planned to have the surgery by the time I graduated from college. In my 3rd year of college, Josh and I went our seperate ways. I think that even though he supported my decision, he wasn't comfortable with the thought of me being 100% woman. We are still good friends to this day though. I graduated in the top 10% of my class with enough money to head out of the country and have the operation. I got the paperwork in order and headed towards my destiny. I was leaving Rick and coming back Latrese.
After 3 months of intense and painful surgeries, I was at long last all woman. I had already had my name and gender changed with the US and state governments, so now it was time to head home and face my family as I hadn't talked to them since my 2nd year of college. I was so nervous but the counselors at the clinic said that if I truly wanted to be happy with who I am, I had to face my past head on. I landed at BWI airport, where Josh was there to greet me. He said he was so amazed. He didn't even recognize me. I showed him all the brochures and premarin pills I have to take to complete the change. He told me I had more courage than anyone he knew. After that I broke down in tears. That one comment meant more to me than he or anyone else will ever know. He also informed me that my parents had moved back to Maryland while I was out of the country. He drove me to my new apartment in Waldorf, MD. I offered him the couch since it was very late, but he declined stating that he had a meeting early in the morning and he still had to go home to prepare the paperwork. I got the best night of sleep that I had in a long time. When I awoke, the sun shone brightly through my window and I knew life would be good from this day on.
I called my mother and she and my father agreed to meet with me at the Ledo's pizza in Lexington Park, MD. My mother immediately broke down and cried, telling me how beautiful I looked. My father on the other hand was a tougher sell. In the end though, he said as long as I was happy he was happy. We talked for what seemed like hours and then I headed home. It felt so good to finally get everything out in the open. When I got home, I called Civista Hospital in La Plata to make sure everything was still a go. I started my new position there as a grief counselor in the morning. Six AM arrived and I headed off to work. I had my own office and secretary. The people there were just amazing. After 6 happy years there, I was offered a position with a private counseling center in Birmingham, Alabama. I accepted the job happily but was sad to leave all the friends that I had made there.
This brings us up to date.I am now the managing director of the Seekers Mental Help Clinic In Birmingham. I am not currently seeing anyone, but I am always looking for Mister Right. I hope this was helpful in bringing you a glimpse of the life of a trans sexual, and that you realize that I am a person too, with hopes and dreams just like anyone else. I know I may have skipped around a bit but I think I covered all of the highlights of my life. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me or contact me on AOL Instant Messenger.
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