It’s interesting when you look back in life because as I say I’m 80 now. I’ve been in and out over the years. Sydney; I lived as a woman there for so many months. I’ve done it all my life. But when I was 79, I said ‘oh well that’s enough of this’. So that’s where I’m at.

The only thing I kind of regret; and I do regret it because I like being honest. It’s too hard telling lies. But when I married my wife 54 years ago, I didn’t tell her I had a problem. It took a couple of years to get it out of me. She said ‘what the hell’s the matter with you?’ I said ‘I just want to put on a dress. But of course if I had told you that before, would you have married me?’ But we have never been so much in love and life is rolling on. She loves me as I am and that’s terrific.

I had my first perm yesterday and for my 80th birthday my wife bought me a wedding band so that was nice. It took me two months to be patient, but now I got my driver’s license in the name of Patricia Hales. I’ve got my IDs, right. I’m all organized.

I’ve got a few projects. Of course, paint’s a new one at $4 a litre. People come along, bring their paint in; out it goes and everybody wins. You see what I mean? I love it.

And of course, my library’s whistling along. Yes. Four or five years now. So that’s good. It’s a service. We got them all free. That gives me a lift. Everybody wins. Everybody has to win. Beautiful. And I meet all sorts, which is lovely.

And the new project is well; this is what I’m trying to get off the ground. I’ve got a whole swag of positive stories with transgender people. I’m trying to cover New Zealand; that’s called the New Zealand Transgender News. It will take another six months to get organized. Because it gives other people hope. And that’s what I’m trying to do is sell hope.”

– Patricia