Author shares personal battle of a man becoming a woman.

Mom•Logic: When did you start to question your gender?

Jennifer: I lived my life as a man and married my wife, Deedie, three days after my 30th birthday. Eventually, I had two problems. First, I was transgender, and second, I had been hiding a secret from someone I loved. I didn't tell Deedie about my feelings of possibly being transgender before we married. I should have, but it's fairly typical not to share what's in your heart with anyone, including loved ones. I carried an atomic secret.

It wasn't until my late 30's I started sharing my feelings with Deedie. I explained what I was going through, and we talked about what we were going to do as a couple. I was 40 when I decided to start therapy. At the time, our sons were 6
and 4.

Mom•Logic: How did you explain the transition to your kids?

Jennifer: I explained I had a condition, like a disease, where my inside didn't match my outside, and the doctor was giving me medicine to make my outside match. I also told my kids I would always love them, and not to be sad. My son said, "Why would I be sad? You said you would always love me." People always say, "What about the children? The poor children." My kids are fine with it, it's the adults who aren't always able to understand.

This fall, my then 13-year-old son Zachary wrote an essay for school about an experience that changed him. He wrote, "Sometimes it's true that I wish I had a regular father, but only because I don't remember what it was like to have a normal family. Sometimes it's hard to have a family that is different. But most of the time I think I am the luckiest kid on earth. Even though my family is different, I can't think of any way that life could be better. From this I learned that everybody is different. No matter how different people are, you should treat them all with respect and kindness."

To read Zachary's full essay, click here.

Mom•Logic: What is your message to others?

Jennifer: You can't run from your past, you have to make peace with it. I feel this is true not just for transgender people, but also for everyone. Everyone deserves to live one full life--no matter how different people are, they are all equal and should be treated with love.

To find out more about Jennifer Finney Boylan, visit her Web site.