Operation Bella
By Sophie Michelle
We all knew why we were called into the schools assembly that morning. It wasnot the fact that the girls had not been called, only the boys. We knewbecause we had all seen the news the previous day."Today in Parliament finally passed the 'Re-alignment of the sexes act' by amajority of 4, and moves are already afoot for Operation Bella to be launchedin schools tomorrow."This new law had been argued about in parliament for months, if not years,though we never sure quite whether it would happen. We joked about it in thefootball team though."Hey, Steve, got yourself a bra yet""Hey lads, this must be Andrea!"Not that Stephan Jacks or Andrew Westman were likely girls, but we were allsubject to some of the teasing.It all started before we were born, of course. There was this drug that a lotof men took so they could be sure of having sons. Y-Selection factor theycalled it. My Mum never really explained why this was such a big deal then,and she said my father never took it anyway. It had started in America, butit was only six months later in early 2002 that the drug reached the UK andmy generation was the first set of British kids to be effected. Result was inmy year of 150 pupils, over 100 were boys.In the US they realised something had to be done, and so the GBRA - or GenderBalance Restoration Act - was made law. There was plenty of argument aboutthe rights and wrongs in Britain. Now we knew which side had won, and we hadgot our version. We were all year 7 students by this stage, aged 12-13, sothe onset of puberty was imminent. That was why Operation Bella, the resultof this new law, had to be set up fast. The idea was to deal with my schoolyear first, then take two years at a time until children were treated at 8 or9, as in America.We all sat quietly in the hall waiting for the head teacher to arrive.Normally a group of boys of our age would have been noisy and boisterous, butthis time we waited with an air of expectancy, and a lot of nerves too. Wereally did not know what Mrs Dobson was going to say.When she did spoke it was in her kindest voice. She said a lot of stuff aboutthe background that we knew, but I could tell she was not sure how to tell usstraight. So she put on this video. And that told us straight!The woman on the tape explained that because two thirds of children of ourage were boys, it would be a good idea if some of us were girls. Then shethat grown-ups had decided that some boys would be helped to change intogirls if they wanted. For the rest of the film a lot of girls wereinterviewed about why they liked being girls. The audience got a bit restlessat this stage. I wasn't surprised. Twelve year old boys are not interested inwhy girls like being girls. The last two girls were American, and I had agood guess that these had been boys changed because of the law in America.They looked just like girls to me though and talked about what they liked,just like all the others had.After the video, Mr. Gatting the Religious studies teacher gave us a talk onhow important it was to get married, and how difficult it would be for us tofind a partner with so many boys but not many girls. Then we all returned toour classes.I played football that lunchtime on the school field just like always. I hadbeen in the school team for my year, as the right back, until Darren Collinsin class B7 had got a bit stronger, and better than me. I needed all thepractise I could get. Before afternoon class a piece of paper came roundannouncing a meeting after school 'for all boys who want more informationabout the video this morning.' That is what the note said. We all guessedthey were asking for volunteers!I said to my best friend Peter. "Lets go and see who goes to the meeting." Itwould be a chance to start spreading the rumours round school."Yeah Harry, what if Collins is there, you'd get your team place back " hesaid with a laugh.I wasn't sure there was much chance of that but we said we'd meet by the oldoak tree. We could see the entrance to the hall from there.At 3:50 I took up my position. So far I had seen no boy approach the hall,which didn't surprise me. At least Peter had not missed much. Late again.Then I wondered if a spot closer to the door would be better. Where wasPeter? I looked towards the science building where he had his last class.That's how I missed Gatting coming round the corner."Come on Henry Chappell. You're late."With that he ushered me into the hall. What was I doing there!The meeting was just like the morning really. There was a video again withyet more girls talking about, well, being girls. My mind wondered and Ilooked around the room. There were four other boys there. I don't know howthey sneaked in past my guard. Billy Spencer lived with an aunt and threefemale cousins. The poor lad probably felt left out. Edmund Allman had alwaysbeen the weakest boy in the class. The other two, though were a real shock.Chris was the year brainbox with a really bright future. And then there wasDarren Collins.After the meeting there was more talk about the importance of the program,though I it was all a bit in 'grown-up' talk. We were asked about what wefelt, and after an embarrassed silence Chris said something about the goodsense of the scheme. I left the meeting in a bit of a daze, so I barelynoticed when I signed a register as asked by Mrs Dobson. Darren Collins?!The two smaller boys left quickly so the three of us stood there together. Iasked Chris if he'd really meant what he had said."Sure Chaps, its not logical to grow up alone." Then he must have realised itwas not logical to miss his tea, and went home on his bike.Then there were two of us. Rivals for one place in a team. Not bitter rivals,we were both to friendly for that and, so it seemed, not rivals for muchlonger. Darren explained as we walked home."Please don't say anything to the team, Harry. They'll know soon enough, butthe thing is, well, I've always wanted to be a girl. I've been praying forthis law to come in. I can't explain why."As we passed the park, he beckoned me behind a bush. I hope nobody waswatching, but if you were I assure you that one twelve year old boy showinganother inside his trousers was quite innocent. He showed me he was wearinggirl's panties.Then we parted, and as I walked home, a thought struck me. Neither of myclassmates had questioned why I was there.The next day Mum was waiting to meet me from school. This was unusual but shewas wearing her kind face so I was sure there was nothing wrong. We walked tothe car and I guessed she wanted help with shopping. My sister worked awayand my brother could be difficult, so I often helped at the supermarket. Shewas chatting away in an unexceptional way, but then we drove right past thecar park for the shops.The conversation dried up for a moment, or rather Mum stopped talking and Iwas thinking. Then she said:"You never said you went to that meeting yesterday."It had not crossed my mind to. I had not gone winningly." I, err.."We arrived home and as she put on the handbrake, my mother looked at me andsmiled. "You know you can tell me anything, Love.""Well, I was just passing and Mr. Gatting thought and ..."Mum did not let me finish."You should think about it though."I was gobsmacked I can tell you.I did some homework and then went round to Peter's because he has Sky TV andthere was a match on. We talked football all evening and though he gave me acouple of strange sideways glances, we didn't talk about his non-appearancethe previous afternoon. And I couldn't even mention Darren being there. Itwas too complicated.It was on the way home though that things started to go really amiss. On thecorner of my street I met my brother and two of his mates. Charlie was alayabout and a rebel, and his mates were bordering on thugs. We were notclose! He never gave me trouble - Mum would draw the line at that - but heprobably saw me as a swot and I knew I did not want to grow into him. As myclosest family role model he was not what I'd have asked for."Oi! Harry."I went towards them. They were reading something, or at least looking atpictures because I saw it was a Mayfair or an Escort or something like that.Yuggy, the tallest of the three was waving a picture of a blond girl in myface. She looked barely eighteen and naked, her legs were slightly apart."Harry, is this what ya gonna look like one day, eh?" asked my brother.I turned and walked as fast as I could to the house, though I still heardwhat they shouted after me."Or should that be Harriet?"If were to put bad reactions to my attendance at that meeting on a scale ofone to ten, big brothers pushing pictures in your face is about nine and ahalf. What was waiting for me when I got home was off the scale, man! Therewas Mum and Alan and they were sitting in the lounge. I like Alan. He hadbeen with Mum for six months at that time, and since Dad had died when I wasfour I liked my mother in a relationship again. It made her a lot, lothappier.It was not the cast of this scene I objected to, it was the script, thoughthe fact that this was two of my favourite people in the world didn't help.Mum beckoned me into a chair and then explained why she had been at theschool gates that day."I was called to your headmasters office today. All the mums of the boys whowent to your meeting were there." I gulped. "Its all right love. We only wantthe best for you." Her words seemed to dry up and Alan took over."The headmistress showed your mum the form you signed yesterday."I hadn't signed a form. I had signed a register. I said so."No, you signed a form, expressing an interest in Operation Bella. A personalinterest.""Alan?" There was a note of reproach in my mothers voice."OK. Harry, I have to give it to you straight. You signed an agreement to bepart of Operation Bella."I stood up, I could take no more of this. Alan waved me down."We don't know if its legally binding.""It can't be." I felt desperate but I was trying to keep it out of my voice."What we do know is that the two together will be very hard, and veryexpensive, to get out of.""Which two?" I was losing the plot. Fast."Harry, dear. Oh I feel I've made a terrible mistake.""Your mother was given a form to sign saying she accepted your wish.""You signed it, mum? Mum!""I thought it was what you wanted, Love. I thought I was showing my love foryou.""You might have asked me first!"I stormed upstairsA little later, Mum came to my room. I sensed her placing some leaflets in onmy desk."Mum?" was all I could say through sleepy eyes. She sat down on my bed."We'll talk about this more, Love. But you have to think about it. Mrs.Dobson has explained to you how your chances of finding a girlfriend or wifelater are quite small when there are twice as many boys as girls. And theidea of you turning like Charles, oh look these are big things to talk aboutnow. See you in the morning love. Get some sleep." But I was wide awake now.When I heard her bedroom door shut, I turned on my light and went to thedesk. For an hour or more I was lost in study. The amused curiosity of recentweeks has now become a matter of urgency.The first document I picked up was the form I signed. I had held out a hopethat it had been a trick, that my signature had been transferred by computeror some other way from something else. But I recognised this form now. ThoughI hadn't been paying so much attention when I signed it, the pale yellowbackground and the dark borders were now familiar. Had the other boys readthe document and then signed. Though the layout looked like a proper form,the words used were quite simple. They said:I agree to take part in Operation Bella. I have been told and understand thatfor the good of the country some boys will have to become girls. I am happyto be one of these boys. By signing below I consent to have a course ofinjections that will make my body more like a girl's, then later to have anoperation that will make me exactly like a girl. I accept that at some pointsoon the law will say I am female and that for the rest of my life I will bea female. Signed Harry Chapman. Then I picked up the form Mum had signed. It was written a lot more officially,of course, but I picked out a few lines. It said things like "I hereby accept my son's desire to undergo gender transformation" and "I promise to give all the support necessary for this difficult process." Then near the bottom it had penalty clauses. From what I could make out Mum could go to prison if between us we went back on the agreement.There were a couple of other leaflets about how things would happen. I wasgetting tired again, so I read through them quickly, then found somethingcalled a timeplan. This said that the treatment could start in three weeks,but this had been reduced to a week because at twelve puberty might strikeanytime. Then it gave how long it should take before a name change was goodidea. And how long the whole process would take.A name change? The whole process? I'd kind of got use to Harry (though I'dnever been keen on Henry). And what 'The whole process' meant I didn't wantto think about. As far as I could tell, my mum was going to prison. Or I wasgoing to be turned into a girl. I had a hard choice. If it was going to be mychoice, that is.The next day at school was quite strange. The word must have got out that Iwas at that meeting. People seemed to be keeping their distance from me, butnobody was openly hostile. Then as I was preparing to go, I saw a small groupcrowded around Darren. This was it. They'd take him first then they'd comefor me. I might last until tomorrow if I was lucky. Maybe I should not wait.I should go and help him now.Then I realised they were all shaking hands with him. And heading towards me.It was Stephan Jacks who spoke first."I think you've been very brave, Harry.""Yeah, it's kind of a sacrifice." Said Andrew. I suppose he saw it as arelief for him, but I'm sure I noticed respect in his voice."We girls will give you advice if you like." I hadn't seen Alyson, a smallgirl at the side of the group. They all shook hands with me as they had withDarren. When they left me he came over and he was clearly excited."Isn't it great, we're going to be girls." he said. I was beginning to thinkhe might be right, but it didn't seem so great.Over tea Mum asked "Have you thought more about it?"I said I had which was about as truthful as I could get."We'll have a family meeting tomorrow night. Amanda is coming over." Mandy ismy sister, nearly ten years older than me. She works as an airlinestewardess. I always thought she was glamorous and worshipped her from afar.After I had eaten I went to do my homework. We had rather a lot that night. Iremember that because Peter and I had agreed not to meet after. I did it indouble quick time because I wanted to investigate what Mum had put on my bed.It was a pile of my sisters old books. I started to read.The books I usually read were adventures, or about boys playing football. Theresults for the team were more important than the characters. These bookswere really different. The girls in the stories talked to each other aboutthings and you could really start believing they were real. By the time Mumknocked on the door to ask me if I was OK it was past midnight and I startedmy fourth title.All the next day I spent thinking about the stories. I wasn't ready to admitit fully, but in one of the girls in one of stories I had seen something ofmyself.The following evening was Friday, and as Mum promised both Charlie and Amandawere there. Charlie was wearing a suit which seemed a strange gesture for theoccasion. I didn't even know he had one. After tea we all went into theliving room and the conference began with a little speech from Mum."You all know now that Henry has put himself forward for Operation Bella,though he did not really mean to at the time. Alan has been doing someresearch, and it seems the get out clauses are very difficult. I just want tosay I will be with him whatever we decide." Then Amanda said: "Well I'd loveto have a little sister. I think this is all a smashing idea." Charlie said,"You won't get any trouble from me, brother, I mean, er.. or the Lads." Hetailed off. He might have been saying what he had been told to, but hesounded genuine enough. "And sorry about last night." I gave him a nod thoughthe memory was still a raw one."I know you are not particularly keen, " said Alan. "But I've been readingthese testimonies from the States. There are a lot of examples of boys whowere very strongly against, who now admit they are very happy as girls."I drew a deep breath, as anyone is surely allowed to before life changingspeeches. I wasn't really thinking of the consequence of what I was saying."I got the family into this so I can hardly expect anyone else to get me out.I've been reading those books and the leaflets and today I watched the girlsin my class and I wondered and...." It was time to get it over with. " I willdo this. I will let them turn me into a girl." The family all cheered but Ifelt drained.In the morning, when I had recovered my strength, the whole family startedmaking plans. Mum said that for what I was doing the whole of the countrywere going to be grateful, so the least my family could do was make a realfuss of me. A calendar was drawn up, and with the help of the timeplanleaflet we wrote on when various stages that I would go through and on whatdates. It was now September 24th 2016. I would start counselling almoststraight away, and blood tests would be needed so my injections could beworked out. Dates were written on as to when I would start wearing morefeminine cloths, when I would start attending school as a girl, when thewhole process might finish. Though I helped by writing most of it on, my headwas in a whirl. Then we went shopping, just for groceries. I helped as usual,but I could tell Mum was treating me a little differently. Usually she wouldsend me off on errands for this and that, but that day she kept me by herside and asked my advice of what we should buy.For the rest of the weekend I read more Mandy's old books and watched someTV. Then on Sunday afternoon I knew there was something I had to do. I foundmy brother watching motor sport."Charlie, can you do something for me?"When I explained what it was I wanted, and why, he winked at me and went upto his room. Moments later he knocked on my door with a pile of magazines.The thing was that with my sister a lot older than me and neither she nor Mumin the habit of touring the house with no clothes on, I was quite naove aboutwhat a girl's body was actually like. I'd seen pictures like the ones Charliehad leant me - They'd been passed around the football team, but I'd neverreally looked at them. Now things were different. Now it seemed that I reallywas going to become a girl. I needed some physical sense of what that wouldmean.I thought some of the pictures were horrible with the girls made to lookdumb, like toys. There were others though where older teenage girls stoodface or side on, a nice enough smile and of course naked. I traced the lineson their breasts and looked studiously at where I had a penis. Of course Iknew that was one main difference - I wasn't THAT stupid. But even so, Iexamined the shape of a girl there. This was not the most usual way for ayoung boy to discover girls.In the evening we had another little meeting, just Alan, Mum and me. Alanbrought out a booklet."This came in the post yesterday morning with the letter confirming yourfirst appointments."He showed me the cover "A parents guide to Operation Bella""There are a few suggestions here. I'm not sure you'll like all of them, butI think its best we follow them as closely as we can." I nodded, wonderingwhat I was letting myself in for. I saw Mum had a parcel by her side."It says that you should not rush, but that time is quite short. It makes apoint I didn't agree with a first, but I understand now. Although in societytoday it is quite possible for gender roles to blur a little, results fromAmerica's program show this program works best if the boy aims at being afeminine girl rather than a tomboy.""I'm not quite sure what that means, Alan." I did really, but I needed itspelt out. "It means if you throw yourself into this and not hold back,you'll accept yourself more quickly.""I.. I.. " I wanted to say something but the words would not quite form on mylips. " I see what you mean. I'm just not sure I...""That's OK Harry." Said Mum. "It will take adaption. The secret is going tobe reading all the books and leaflets we get and talking with yourcouncillor""Are that brings me to something else, your name. We don't think we shouldcall you Harriet. The book suggests you choose name a bit different from whatwe call you. It shows acceptance of a new role.""But the initials can stay the same," added Mum.I sighed with relief. I knew I didn't want to be Harriet anyway. Charlie'scall that night was one thing, but no girl my age had that name. Mum musthave seen my smile."You have something in mind?"I had."Helen," I said.It had been the name of the girl in the book. The one who had first showed mehow I might accept all this.Alan gave a little clap. "Bravo". We had a little discussion about a middlename, something the replace James. I didn't like Joanne and we all agreedJamie wasn't right. I was going to agree to just plain Jane, but then in aflash I said Jade. I knew that's was right. It wasn't really a reward forchoosing a name for myself so readily - I was going to get them anyway. Inthe parcel, was a girl's hair grip, a make-up box and a pack of girlsknickers."You're not quite ready for these yet, but I thought it best to show we allmean this." said Mum.Nevertheless, I wore the panties to school the next day, under my boysuniform. I decided the 'In for a penny in for a pound' approach was a goodidea.The following week was uneventful. On Monday the school doctor took a bloodsample from the five of us. Then on Wednesday I saw the councillor. She wasOK, just got me talking about myself."Don't feel you have to put on an act, love." she said.The five of us formed a little group, though the too smaller boys were quietand Chris seemed happier to be studying. None of them had thought of a nameyet, and I kept mind to myself for now. I don't know why, I already knew I'dchosen right. Darren was full of it though. At first I thought his enthusiasmmight rub off on me, but it got a bit irritating after two days. First he wasgoing to Karen, then Diane. Then he admitted it was anything but Mary becausethat's what his Dad had chosen for him! After three days of this I askedPeter if I could join in the football again. He wondered why I hadn't so far.I knew it would have to stop soon if I was going to keep my promise, but fora week or so? That would do no harm.For a while life became routine again. I had injections every Friday andcounselling sessions every Wednesday. Every second Monday there was a supportgroup for parents and assignees. I had little battle with Mum over magazines.She wanted to replace my 'Shoot' with something called 'Sugar'. In the end wecompromised. I would read 'Shoot' and 'J-17' for a while. I think it wasunspoken that this was for a limited period and Mum asked if J-17 wasn'tperhaps a little too old for me until Amanda had told her that all girls readmags that are meant for three years older. I remember the first week whenboth magazines were delivered. I started of with the best intentions and openthe girl's magazine first. I studied the entertainment pages which had gossipthat wasn't very entertaining, read the horoscope then studied and interviewwith the latest boy band sensations - Torn Apart? You remember them? Weren'tvery good, were they? I looked into their eyes to see if I could see anythingI'd not seen before. I couldn't. Then I read 'Shoot' from cover to cover.Then I went back to J-17 and cut out all the articles about make-up andstored them in a shoe box. I was saving them for later at Mum's suggestion.It wasn't that I was going back on my promise. I had grown used to the factthat I was changing. It was just that I didn't feel much like a girl yet. Ifollowed the news regarding Operation Bella. Most schools had more than fiveboys changing, though a few had found no volunteers. About 5% only of my agegroup had volunteered and it was agreed that next year there would have to beboys forced to take part. I went to support meetings and saw my councillorand took my injections. Every few days Mum and I would look at the chart. Themore serious moves seemed to be getting seriously closer.As November passed I did spot one thing that was curious - Time spent reading'Shoot' declined and I was finding more in the J-17 I found interesting. Itwas a gradual thing really, I never really noticed when the news from Chelseagot boring and I wanted to know more about fashion tips. Also I can't quiteremember when the last time I joined the guys for playground football was,except that it was after I told Mum I had stopped. One lunchtime I noticed Ihadn't gone out to the playground for a day or two, and didn't want to. Ijust found I preferred to chat to some new friends than run around. These newfriends were the girls in my class rather than Darren and company. On thelast Wednesday of November I put my 'Shoot' aside barely read. That afternoonI told my counsellor I felt ready for the next stage.The following Saturday was when my Indian summer of boyhood was over forgood. That morning, by agreement, Mum took me to her hairdressers. I hadneeded a haircut when I first signed up, but it was decided to leave for awhile so my hair could grow out. I chose a style from the magazines in theshop and sat there passively for my first big change. Two hour later - muchlonger than I was used to for having my hair done - I came out with anattractive bob cut. Then we went cloths shopping. With my help, Mum chose noend of skirts and dresses. I never realised I'd need so much. Then on the wayhome we made one more stop. It didn't hurt so much as I thought and then Ihad pierced ears. When we got home I changed into a denim dress. Over tea Ihad two announcements to make."I think its time we stopped 'Shoot', Mum. I'm losing interest in football abit now." Mum smiled. "I noticed you hadn't read it much this week, dear. Itso good you have reached that decision for yourself." She then presented mewith a small box. It was a lovely pair of earrings."Oh thanks Mum". I gave her a hug. I held them in my hand and then rememberedI had something else to say."I know the official date for this hasn't arrived yet, but I'd like it iffrom now on you'd all call me Helen."I got the biggest round of applause of my life. From that moment Mum and Alanrespected this wish, and took to referring to me as 'she' and 'her'. Thatevening I looked in my mirror. Though I still looked like Harry really, witha different haircut, I did feel different inside. I was still two months offmy thirteenth birthday, but I knew something that I wouldn't have imagined onmy twelfth. I was changing from a male to a female and not only did I acceptit. I wished it.The following morning I woke with a terrible fever and was rushed tohospital. I don't remember much of the next two days, I was tossing andturning. Though I'm assured my life was not in danger, you could have fooledme. When I woke up, on the Thursday I think, the first person I saw was MrsWood, my counsellor. "Hi Helen," she said.I realised she was talking to me and gave a smile, just a small one but itwas all that I could manage.She came back three hours later and we talked, and talked."What I don't get is how I went from 'OK, if I have to' to 'yes this is whatI want' so quickly.""That was fairly common in America too, Helen. Sometime from a starting pointof absolute hostility.""Just by talking to a counsellor?""The hormones mainly. Maybe I have played my part."I smiled and wanted to say thank you, but found myself without the words.Instead I started to cry.She let me carry on for a while, and then she said "You had a fever, Helen.""That's all?" I thought I was dying."Well, the doctors thought the fever was also reacting with the mixture ofchemicals in your body.""That doesn't mean I have to stop having the injections, does it?""Haha, well no. Though you will be taking the hormones by tablet form fromnow on. That change would have been made anyway. The injections are mainly tomake sure the hormones go in. None of the hiding under the tongue business,but that's not going to happen with you now, is it"I laughed and confirmed not."What the doctors had to do was removed your testicles. Your balls, Helen""Oh!" It was an involuntary noise, but Mrs Wood took it as surprise."You were quite ready in your emotional development, or I wouldn't havesanctioned it. You sanctioned it when you signed that form."So I did.I spent the next two weeks in hospital, and then resting at home. I might hadbeen well enough in some circumstances to return to school, but when I did itwas going to be a grand entrance! So I read a lot and tidied up my room.Well, cleared out my room really. A lot of things were thrown out and theroom was redecorated."Your child's room should be redecorated in an unambiguously feminine way"said the 'Parents guide to Operation Bella', and I went at it with gusto. Allbed linen and wallpaper was replaced with delicate pinks. All rock music andfantasy posters were replaced by pictures of kittens and horses. Yes Horses!These were things I'd have certainly turned my nose up only three monthspreviously. Now, they just reflected the way I felt about myself. Then, as ajoke, I put up a picture of Adam Neilson, not the lead singer but the bestlooking out of 'Torn Apart'. Then when I saw it there I like the look he wasgiving me so I left it up. Still hated their music though.My ballsack certainly felt curious, and first of all I'd hold it between myfingers, just getting used to its emptiness. But soon my body asked me to getused to something else. With no testosterone my tablets had their way. To putit another way, I bloomed.The other thing I did then was shop. All my male clothes were now given awayso I had a whole lot to buy. Amanda took me once when her schedule wouldallow it. It was that day I was measured for my first bra. I wasn't evenwearing jeans these days, just dresses and skirts. I was given a lot ofencouragement in this, and all the adults concerned with my case praised mefor my choices. I'm not sure how much influence this had. I just felt like areal girlie girl. I'd more or less mastered make-up now, probably ahead ofother girls of my age anyway.The Wednesday before Christmas I went with Mum and Charlie - Alan was away onbusiness and it annoyed him that he missed it - to a small room in the townhall and signed another bit of paper. Only this time I knew exactly what Idoing. It was a formality really because those first forms said this musthappen, but this all made it legal and I did it happily anyway. Mum andCharlie were witnesses. Then the man gave Mum a piece of paper, which shehanded to me because she knew how much I wanted to see it. It said that HelenJade Chappell was born on January 16 2004 and that she was female. Under theterms of the act, birth certificates were to be changed - it was a stickingpoint right up to the last minute. According to this document, Henry JamesChappell had never existed. For Christmas I got... Do you really need a list?Tops and skirts and dresses and jewellery and bracelets and hairgrips. I gotmy supply of feminine toiletries and more make-up and the Boys book of theCountryside 2017.Ugh, no I didn't really. I don't have any out of touch aunts who didn't knowwhat had happened. I had a whole family round me who seemed to like having anew sister, daughter, niece, granddaughter. So I must have been doingsomething right. Three days after Christmas, Mum and I went shopping (Yeah,again, yawn!) and had our first mother-daughter bust-up. I needed a new bra -I was growing quite fast and now filled a B-cup comfortably and I bought twosensible ones and on that was quite lacy and cute and Mum didn't bat andeyebrow. It was the length of the school skirt that did for us. I wanted mineto be halfway up from the knee and she wanted it covered. Tried for acompromise - one of each. Not taken. I sulked. She got mad and called me atramp. Uh! I got nervous the night before going back to school. I even had abit of a cry. Was I missing Harry? Maybe, though for the last time I shouldthink. I wasn't at all sure how I would adapt to familiar surrounding when Inow felt like a different person. When I was last there I had just admitted Iwas ready for the next stage. Now I felt like a girl, through and through. Inthe mirror, with make-up, I looked like a girl, and my chest wasn't going tolet anyone think different.But it was all quite easy. I said 'Hi' to Peter who then went off to playwith the lads and I fell in with Fiona Simon's crowd. Just like that. I evenmanaged - by showing how I stood out - to get Mum to get me a shorter skirt.For my birthday I got more girlie things and more, but that was fine by me. Ikept taking the tablets and seeing Mrs Wood, though more as a friend now. Ifelt a whole lot older than the boys I'd played football with, and I supposeI was, with what I'd gone through. The only boy who called me Harry got athick ear. From Steven Jacks.Alan bought me riding lessons, going on my choice of pictures more thananything I'd said. They were OK but I never persuaded my friends to comealong so I stopped after the one course. I developed a crush on Adam Neilsonand then tore his poster down when I heard one of their records at the youthclub and remembered how BAAAD they were. (No, not because he came out as gay,that was the other one.. Kevin?) then I got a crush on James Granger, theformula one driver - note lack of boys in my class in this list! But, I wasstill only thirteen.If you're still reading, there must be a reason. Want to know what happenedto the other four? Was my change complete? What am I doing now?Well they all went through with everything. Only Sophie (Chris) stayed at ourschool. Stayed logical! Didn't get popular. Chose her name from ClassicalGreece, she said. Hmmm! I still keep in touch with Daisy (Darren) - Yes I didtry to talk her out of the name - and she is finding girlhood much as she'dhoped and she did have high expectations, remember! Bianca Spencer and EmmaAllman are happy, somewhere, as far as I know. Was my change complete? Ofcourse, though I did seem to have to wait a long time. First my hormonelevels weren't quite right, then Mum thought I only wanted girl bits for sex.What, with the boys in my year? Anyway, the 'completeness' argument finallywon out, though only just in time because Fiona's Mum said she'd take us bothto the canaries for Easter 2018, and I wanted to wear a bikini in comfort. Soa week after my fifteenth birthday, and more than a year after I becamefemale as far as anyone could tell, a kind doctor (and you can look away nowif you don't want to know the details) made a cavity between my legs,inverted the skin of my penis, used my ballsack leftovers for labia and mademe a nice sensitive spot out of some left over glands. Just so two out ofthree boyfriends I might have can fail to find it. How sweet. When everythinghad calmed down swelling wise, a rather fussy nurse pointed out me where Icould find my vagina and clitoris, then she took me to the Ladies and stayedin case I couldn't work out how to pee. But I had to laugh. Sitting there Ifelt so happy and complete.My face sort of filled out - OK I paid some money - your money! for a man tochange it a bit. I suppose I do look a bit like one of the girls in ourCharlie's mag - the one he showed to his brother Harry. But I did turn downMayfair's offer when they were planning an 'Bella Babes'. So you'll have toimagine me nude. Long blond hair, 19 years old, 36D chest. No that's it boys.Quite enough detail.Mrs Dobson said I was a credit to the school and to Operation Bella, whichwas kind. When I qualified to do English At Oxford - Sophie is doing herClassics at Cambridge, thank God - she put my name forward as an ambassadorfor OB. Its still running though the percentage of boys who have to take partis falling away each year. Y-Factor lost its appeal when a possible trace onit was found and in 2025 the whole thing will have had its day. So in thisyear off my job is to visit boys who have just been forcibly assigned andhelp to soften the blow. It can be a bit traumatic sometimes, and there aresome stories I can tell, but they will have to wait for another time. I dofeel I'm the woman for the job though. I feel exceptionally natural as afemale. I'll do it for nine months and then my rewards in the summer will be,and this is me as guinea pig again, to be the recipient of a womb and ovariestransplant. A woman I do not know, and who doesn't want kids, is the donator.Its a bit of a first for this country but I'm game. (Oh, and I want kids.)And when I make the news, remember where you heard the name first. Helen JadeChappell.Post Script. Medical history was made today with the first birth given by anOperation Bella woman. Helen Emery gave birth to a 7lb boy, named SimonHenry. Mrs Emery, the former Helen Chappell, met her husband Ian whileworking on this paper. Mother and baby are both doing well.The End