Katie Neeves spent years never really fitting in – now she’s strutting her stuff and feeling fabulous
WORDS: JENNY ACKLAND AND FRANCESCA WOODSTOCK. PHOTOS: GETTY; COOL2BTRANS
Creeping into my older sister’s bedroom, I pulled out a dress from her wardrobe and carefully stepped into it. At just four years old, I already knew I wasn’t like other boys my age. I spent school lunchtimes chatting to girls instead of kicking footballs around and often felt I didn’t fit in. But wearing my seven-year-old sister’s girly clothes felt right.
‘Martin!’ my mum shouted, bursting into the room. ‘Take that off.’ I hung my head in shame, cheeks burning red with embarrassment.
After that Mum kept a close eye on me, but I couldn’t stop. Each time I crept into my sister’s bedroom, I told myself it’d be the last time, but it never was. For years, I kept my secret, terrified of being called a weirdo or pervert, and as I grew up, I pushed my feelings away, throwing myself into a career as a photographer.
In 1990, aged 21, I got a job on a local newspaper and tried my best to fit in. And in 1996, I married a lovely woman. At night, while my wife watched TV, I’d sneak upstairs and delve into her wardrobe. I loved the look and feel of her blouses and skirts, and whenever I squeezed myself into them, I felt fantastic. Sadly, after 11 years we drifted apart and in 2009, we went our separate ways.
When I met my next partner, I knew I couldn’t keep hiding my secret hobby so I admitted I liked to try on women’s clothes. She accepted me for who I was, but had three rules: I could only wear women’s clothes once a week; I wouldn’t transition; and I couldn’t wear women’s clothes in front of any children we might have.
I agreed. So one day a week I’d wear women’s clothes around the house, and it felt great just doing normal things, like watching the TV or washing-up in a skirt or blouse. I even started buying my own women’s clothes online.
NO BIG REVEAL
Our daughter was born in 2011 and I loved being a dad, but as she grew up I didn’t want to hide the real me from her, and I didn’t want some ‘big reveal’ when she turned 18. So I often wore women’s clothes around her. My partner found it hard but over the years it became normal.
In August 2017 we got married, but my urge to crossdress got stronger. Looking in the mirror, at 48, I felt so old and drab, but bringing out my feminine side made me feel more youthful. Once a month I’d sneak off to a beauty salon to get my legs waxed, making friends with the
