I am HIV+ and need to know if I can transition from being a shemale and crossdresser to being a real girl in the future. I have always dreamed of becoming a girl and am sick to think I can't because I am dealing with HIV. Please answer these questions for me - I need to know.

Thanks for writing. HIV has great potential to steal dreams. It casts our future into doubt and makes us question whether we can ever really become who we are meant to be. I encourage you not to let HIV lead you off your path. There are, of course, medical concerns which must be taken into account. For example, hormones can interact with medications and some surgeons won't operate on someone who is positive. Despite these obstacles there is no reason why you should not strive to fulfill your goals.

I encourage you to seek out resources and support where you live. Here is a collection of links at the TheBody. A great source of information is The Center of Excellence for Transgender Health at University of California San Francisco. There you can find a great deal of information, as well as an online center.

Good luck to you!

-David