Sex Change

Hugh		(To camera) My guest tonight is someone who in
		1987 caused a sensation by becoming the first
		woman to undergo a complete and successful
		sex change operation. In August of that year she
		entered the Pert Frool clinic in Dusseldorf as
		Melinda Coppice, author, broadcaster and mother
		of three. Two weeks later she left that clinic as
		Michael Coppice. His bestselling account of the
		operation, the painful decisions leading up to it,
		the painful incisions during the course of it and
		the aftermath of fame that resulted from it have
		made Michael Coppice a household name. Let's
		meet him now - ladies and gentlemen, Michael
		Coppice.

	Enter Deborah, completely normal woman. Shakes 
	hands with Hugh. They sit. The sofa they sit on is 
	dangerously soft and yielding: every now and then they 
	are out of physical control because it's so squashy and 
	hard to maintain balance in or on.

		Michael. Welcome.

Deborah		Thank you. Great pleasure.

Hugh		So. Michael. How would you say your life has
		been since the operation?

Deborah		Well, I have to say firstly that everyone, my
		family, my friends, the people I meet have been
		enormously supportive since the operation that
		transformed me into a man. Both my ex-husband
		and my present wife have been tremendously
		understanding.

Hugh		You now have a wife?

Deborah		Yes indeed. With two children.

Hugh		You are able to have children?

Deborah		Oh yes. I have fathered a wonderful pair of twins.
		It was a total gender change, the operation.

Hugh		And how successful would you say that operation
		has been?

Deborah		Well, you can see for yourself. One hundred
		per cent.

Hugh		Ye-e-es. How would you describe, as perhaps the
		only person in the world in a position to be able
		to do so, the difference between the sexes, then?

Deborah		In a way it's hard for me to answer that, Clive: you
		see although I have been completely transformed
		into a man, I am still a transvestite. Hence the
		women's clothes.

Hugh		You are still a transvestite?

Deborah		Yes. More properly a transexual. Rather a good
		one, I think you'll agree. You'd never know I was
		a man would you?

Hugh		No. No, I don't think I would. Does your wife
		object to your transexuality?

Deborah		She seems to understand and support me fully.

Hugh		Well let's meet her and find out. Ladies and
		gentlemen. Welcome now please Michael's wife
		Lucy Coppice.

	Enter Stephen as manly as ever. Man's clothes.

Hugh		Welcome Lucy. (They kiss)

Stephen		Thank you. (He squeezes Deborah's hand)

Hugh		We were talking about whether or not you
		objected to the fact that your husband is a
		transexual.

Stephen		Oh good Lord no. I'm one myself.

Hugh		You are?

Stephen		Yes. It's my ambition some day to have an
		operation like Michael's and become a man.

Deborah		And I'm going to change myself back into a
		woman and we'll marry again.

Hugh		Are you worried that this might upset and confuse
		your children?

Stephen		Oh no, the twins are very aware of what's
		going on.

Hugh		Are they identical twins?

Deborah		That's right. A girl and a boy.

Hugh		Um - identical twins must surely be of the same
		sex ... er ...

Stephen		Yes, well Simon dresses as a girl and Lucy is a
		complete tomboy.

Hugh		But what sex were they originally?

Deborah		Um ... ?

Stephen		Do you know, we can't remember.

Stephen		Well it's a dying art, that's
		my view.