KarenSerenity.com-OFFICIAL WEBSITE-Karen Serenity Positive Thinking Successful Transsexual Women Role Models for Post-Operative, Male-To-Female Transsexual Women! Inspiration Page 1.

"I took the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference." ~ Robert Frost

Life is always a search for balance. Listen to your heart. Follow your dreams.

Make new choices. Cherish time for laughing, loving, connecting & making new friends.

If you keep Listening to your Heart and place God First...You'll Never Come in Second!

If you're a successfully transitioned Post-Operative Female, who'd like to share your hard

won "Transitional Life Story" of challenge, struggle, triumph to assist and enlighten

others here on this equal opportunity website, we'd enjoy hearing from you, sharing

your positive ideas, affirmative suggestions and mutually beneficial life experiences.

• The Karen Serenity Story •

Karen's early, confusing, shame & guilt-filled, Boy years.

At age 3, Karen's mother knew something was terribly wrong with her young boy. On many nights, this male child often told his loving Italian immigrant mother, with tears streaming down his small cheeks, that he was supposed to be a girl. The young boy, often dreamed of being a girl, experiencing a loving crush on his own grandfather at age five. By age 12, he had first laid with and kissed another boy finding it shameful but strangely pleasurable.

This boy's teenage years were filled with constant, mentally hurtful name calling and almost daily damaging physical attacks, usually while walking home from school. For a time, the boy thought his real first name was, "Hey Queer!" On many days his dear Italian mother would run out in front of their small three-story apartment house trying to protect him, yelling loudly at the other boys in the urban neighborhood, "You stay away from him!"

Living the first two decades of his life with his biological family in a small second floor apartment, the boy shared the same small bunk bed and bedroom with his younger sister, until age 19. It wasn't until the boy was 21 years old before he actually "discovered" how to masturbate. This newly found physical awareness and sexual knowledge came as a surprising, sudden shock to him, causing even more inner confusion, turmoil, misunderstanding and mental anxiety.

At age 23, this young boy, later to be known as "Karen Serenity," purchased one of the very first issues of a newly published women's magazine called Playgirl, at a local downtown newsstand. Later that same week, he "shamefully came-out" to his mother as a "confused, gay male" - for lack of knowledge or a proper, precise description of his true inner feelings.

Sitting Between The Tables, Spinning The Labels.

During his twenties "he" attempted to blend into hetero-society by perfecting a deep, rich, smooth baritone radio voice, which, as a unexpected side effect, "protected" him from being thought of as a "homosexual male." Through the late 1960's to mid 70's he successfully worked in the radio broadcasting industry as a popular, fast talking rock and roll disc-jockey.

Many thanks to PAMS® and JAM® for all their wonderfully creative and upbeat radio ID jingle packages which enthusiastically lifted "his" spirits as well as the radio audience. "The JAM Song" (.mp3) ( credits & lyrics) with "Zorp Furble-Andromeda" will live on forever up and down the radio dial throughout the cosmos.

He later moved on to network television during the 1970's, working with entertainers Redd Foxx, Soupy Sales, Glen Campbell, Lesley Gore, The Monkees, Neil Sedaka, Tiny Tim, Dinah Shore, Jack Albertson, Rosemary Clooney, Lucille Ball and the talented casts of CBS's "Petticoat Junction," "Hogan's Hero's," "Mission: Impossible."

Along with other members of the backstage technical staff, he occasionally looked after little nine year old George Clooney while his talented father Nick Clooney was entertaining in the large production studio of his popular variety television show. Of course that "deep announcer voice" and "straight world facade" only worked for so long, eventually and disorientingly catching up with him.

Epiphany Evening of many Tears.

After seven more years of internal struggle, much personal, painful denial, mixed with decades of deeply held, religious Catholic guilt and shame, he simply couldn't stand it any longer. By age 30 he remained a confused "virgin." Finally at age 31, on a sunny Midwestern USA morning, after a non-stop, three hour crying session in front of his conservative parents the previous evening, his wounded raw soul was lovingly comforted and divinely inspired.

That "evening of many tears" and inner reflection was a miraculous discovery of the challenging, monumentally difficult new life path he had to successfully learn to navigate and actively pursue as if his very life depended upon it...because it did. With his dear mother's words, "Why can't you just be gay?" - still ringing in his ears, he left his old male life and world behind forever.

Karen's Enlightening New Journey began in 1982 at age 32.

Transitioning before the internet, FFS or gender support groups, Karen forever left her old life, residence, all her friends and years of successful, rewarding broadcasting employment behind. Out on her own, alone, with no friends, family or support network, she returned to school, dramatically changed careers and established a completely new female identity, voice and persona.

Karen, at 5' 5" and 124 lbs., was accepted as one-of-twelve gender patient candidates approved for SRS annually at the University of Virginia - Medical Center in Charlottesville, one of the large established university gender programs operating in the United States during the 1980's. Her plastic surgeons were the legendary SRS pioneer Milton T. Edgerton, M.D. (photo 2 ) (related pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11) and UVA surgeon John G. Kenney, M.D. After Karen's successful SRS, she carefully followed the advise of the physicians and psychologists, Kayla J. Springer, Ph.D. (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Margaretha Willemina "Ina" Langman, ps. dra. at her (Charlottesville, Virginia) university-based gender program, proceeding to stealthfully blend into American society.

One of Karen's lifelong dreams and goals was to find a loving, functional, accepting, nurturing relationship like any other woman. Karen dated many nice men in search of her own very special "Prince Reasonable." After many years of seeking and dating, she finally met her wonderful sweetheart. Since 1991, Karen Serenity has been gratefully sharing her lifetime with the "love of her life," best friend, soul companion and husband.

In 2003, after twenty years of low profile, stealth living and fulfilling employment in her local community, and with the assistance of many close, confidentially supportive friends, her "Positive Thinking Transsexual Women" website was quietly launched.

In 2008, Karen Serenity continues happily living and

working in invisibly woodworked, mainstreamed stealth.

She is appreciatively grateful for all the challenges, opportunities, friends, and blessings in her life. Ms. Serenity remains cheerfully optimistic while deeply cherishing her private life with her loving, accepting husband of 17 years, balanced with her soul satisfying, life enhancing professional career life.

Because society, family, friends, neighbors, clergy, clients, customers, patients, associates, co-workers and many employers don't feel fully comfortable, completely comprehend, accept or understand "former" Transsexual women, Karen Serenity, like many other long term prosperously ebullient TS women, remains discreetly and safely "hidden in plain sight" in the functionally productive, mainstreamed stealth living mode.

From "behind the scenes" Karen still enthusiastically enjoys helping provide Inspiration, Insight and Hope, through her affirmative, motivational website to other souls who may also feel genuinely called or compelled to follow this often perilous, difficult, confusing, complicated, uniquely challenging life path.

Karen Serenity Warmly Wishes You Blessings Of Joy, Peace & Harmony.

Karen Serenity expresses much gratitude for enlightenment provided by her spiritual mentors,

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale • Dr. Wayne Dyer • Dr. Leo Buscaglia

Christine Jorgensen • Phoebe Smith • Sister Mary Elizabeth

St. Francis of Assisi Meditation

(Colette Baron-Reid) MP3 (6.4 MB)

Timothy Dalton • Cillian Murphy • Owen Wilson • Billy Bob Thornton • Ed Harris • Edward Norton • Tim Matheson

Tommy Lee Jones • Scott Glenn • Nicholas Cage • Johnny Depp • Sam Shepard • Gary Sinise • Tom Hanks • Ray Liotta

Karen Serenity Positive Thinking Transsexual Women

Hi Karen...I was reading over your experience through your life of transition. Your site has inspired me about your

story. I do admire you sharing your story with others able to live life after SRS. You have a beautiful heart and

freely share positive energy with others. The information on your site will help many in their transitions.

Thank You..."Trisha"
Virginia , USA

Hi Karen,

Good morning from England. I look in every morning

and read the TG news just as if it were a newspaper.

I love your site now, you make me feel so welcome and it is

like being among precious girlfriends and sharing with them.

Love...Sarah

England

Karen,

My sincerest thanks & hugs to you for your phone conversation

with me. You so lifted my spirits and encouraged me. Your affirmations were what I needed to hear. And I thank you for

your website. I read it every day. You are blessing the lives

of so many. And I hope that you will, in turn, be blessed.

I hope one of these days we can meet.

Your friend..."Dr. Laura"

Oklahoma, USA

Hello Karen Serenity:

I'm 63, yet only 2 years old. I still have very much to go through in my journey which has as its initial goal matching my outer woman

to the inside woman. All the wonderful women in your website have been where I am only now going. I wish I could be on their side

of things, but my time will come. It has been most reaffirming to read of the similarities in our stories. The agony and the ecstasy.

As with them, my transitioning is not really a choice but simply a reality to be fulfilled. I told God some time ago that I know I now

can become the best "person" I can be. Knowing where I best fit, gender wise, in this universe, has given me an unprecedented

joy and peace that all the hardships and lonely tears can never totally suppress.

Then, quite by chance, I happened upon your website. God was telling me something about how to proceed from here, without fear.

All these women who have preceded me have done God's work. I intend to do my share. Thank you for bringing them to my attention.

May your life be blessed with love, peace, and joy.

Sincerely..."Serena"

Illinois, USA

Dear Karen:

It's wonderful to see you become more open about your story &

in the process fully shed the burden of shame, embarrassment

and guilt that society heaped upon so many of us years ago.

As time passes you'll now feel ever more comfortable about

your past and your whole life will begin to brighten. Those

dreadful old feelings will be replaced with a deep sense

of pride in what you've accomplished and real joy

in being the warm-hearted woman you are.

By sharing such stories in your website, you can help

many others gain this kind of pride and joy too -

and that will bring yet more joy back to you!

With love and best wishes,

"Lynn Conway"

Michigan, USA

Dear Karen,

A dear girlfriend pointed me to your site. I’ll not thank every

author for sharing her personal story, but you in general.
Please forward my gratitude.

The life stories and positive feelings make me less worrying

for the future. I am a MtF Pre-Op, having lived my live as an

actor: every day on stage in the spotlights as the ‘star’ in

“The Man”.

The role I played for more than 50 years since I realized I was

not the boy I looked at in the mirror. It’s still a bumpy ride, a

roller coaster ride. The support I received from your positive

website is invaluable. I used to be a man without a future.

But now I am a woman without a past. But with a bright

future ahead!

Thanks again, kind regards,

"José" - The Netherlands

(In the Netherlands "José" is a girl's name).

Dearest Karen,

Just a short note to express to you how proud I am of you that you decided to publish your bio on your web site. I

can tell from the way it is written that it was not an easy thing for you to do and, I am sure, quite painful. Is it

any wonder so many people look to you for inspiration and guidance in this confusing "dance of life?"

Somehow, through your wonderful writing, you have given the facts of your life and the emotional price each step

along the way has taken....without being maudlin and without getting lost in the minutia of the process. To your

credit, you also have kept any bitterness you might have felt in the past from dominating your treatise. Some

may wish you had gone into the minutia for a fuller story...but they'll just have to wait for the book!!

I send you love and kisses and sincere congratulations on a work well done.

You have, without a doubt, the most positive spirit I have encountered.

Best love always..."Terry Noel"

Kentucky, USA

Hello Karen,

Karen, the Beauty of "Warmth & Glow." From the mind and

body of her heart, this woman leads her sweetness, graciousness

and her feminine charm to the stars of all our deepest smiles of joy.

Congratulation darling Karen Serenity for your open life story

and leading your community into positive success.

My smiles and warming heart is sent to you for all to read.

With eye opening smiles and hugs,

"Ar"lene Electrologist

San Diego, California

Dear Karen,

Though we've never met in person I have such love for,

and positive energy when reflecting on, YOU!

Thank you for showing that by choosing Love, rather than

Fear, as my "operating system," life can unfold with joy

and wonder regardless of bumps and hills traveled.

Because you have learned to love & accept yourself,

you encourage others to reach for their dreams. I feel so

fortunate, thrilled and honored to know you. Thank you

for sharing more of your own journey with me and others.

"Terina"
New York State, USA

Karen:

I had just a brief chance to read your bio this morning and wanted to save it until tonight when I had time to savor your story in

full. You are truly an icon among transsexual woman, and part of that is your incredible ability, not only to find and share the

stories of others who faced the same challenge, but to present it on a site that is a fairly bursting with love on every page.

You are such an inspiration to me. Whether or not you continue to live in stealth, you are a stunning example of what

courage and love look like, together. You didn't need to risk discovery by creating your Karen Serenity site, but

you did, to help others find their way.

I believe that the only things we can take with us from this life are love and knowledge and you, dear one,

are overflowing with both. I love your site, and I love Karen Serenity!

Love and blessings,

Mindy Hitchcock - Attorney at Law

Michigan, USA

Dear Karen:

I just read your Bio and it was as inspiring as I know you

hope it would be. Congratulations hon, for having

the courage to do this.

I know the past pains that are behind this, and I know

how much it cost you to get to this point.

You're a wonderful, wonderful woman.

"Anne"

Attorney at Law

Colorado, USA

Hi Karen,

It's 3 in the morning here. I just finished reading your bio.

Could not go to bed without writing. I've felt the pain

you felt and I have felt the joy you feel.

We have traveled the same road, met the same enemies,

and won the same battles, and now bask in the warmth

of someone who loves us no matter what.

Thank you for being you and for sharing you with the world.

You are indeed an inspiration and a role model for us all.

God bless you and keep you. Wishing you well,

wishing you joy and wishing you love.

"Diane"

California, USA

From "Lady4Justice.com" and "PhenomeNews"(April, 2005)

Karen Serenity breezed into my life via the internet. When I opened her email I felt like I’d been smacked with a big ray

of sunshine. She told me how much she enjoyed my website.

Karen is a happily married transsexual. Her website, KarenSerenity.com, is a celebration of the courageous journey

of transsexual women. She features many of these women on her site. If I thought my life was tough being left to

raise the kids and handle all the finances on my own, these women have been through some stuff! I cannot

even imagine what they must have endured for their choice.

Yet on Karen’s site, along with an abundance of inspiring quotes and pictures, someone identified only as “Author

Unknown” says, “When I look around me at the mundane lives, there are times I think that maybe I am glad I

was born Transsexual, for I would never have been what I have become without that curse. “

It’s true; from our challenges come our gifts. We get nothing from the easy stuff. Remember that, when you find

yourself trembling on the banks of the River of Life, clutching at the branches and trying to play it safe. Don’t

settle for mediocre. Let go and dive in! Steer your vessel with love through the bumps and turns, and start

living out loud. Who you are, is exactly who you are meant to be. Let it shine for all to see!

Mindy Hitchcock, Attorney at Law

Lady4Justice, PLLC

Michigan, USA

Dear Karen Serenity,

How nice to "get to know" you better - thank you

for your Bio. I do appreciate all that you do for

positive presentation of our community.

Jerry and Lynn Montgomery are

special people in my life also.

Very best wishes,

"Becky Allison, M.D."
Arizona, USA

Karen,

I just read your new Bio about your experience through

self discovery and transition. I can only admire the

way in which you have ultimately followed your

heart and have lived life after SRS.

I am grateful to you for telling your story and

for all the work you do on your site to

inform and inspire so many people.

"Leslie Townsend"

Texas, USA

THANK YOU for all your Emails, comments, ideas, submissions and suggestions. Please be assured

I gratefully appreciate, honor, cherish, and personally read every Email that arrives here.

Reasons to Cherish Being Transsexual Karen Serenity Positive Thinking Transsexual Women ...Really!

Because being Transsexual is often so hurtful, so filled with sadness and longing, with shame and loss and difficulty, it is easy to come to the conclusion that the whole thing is utterly a curse, perhaps inflicted by arcane and evil ancient gods. Oh, probably.

But there is an Upside too. Most human lives are utterly mundane, devoid of any real uniqueness, the average person somnambulates through an existence devoted to filling the roles expected of them. But to be a Transsexual is a magical, wondrous thing. Consider. We are given many gifts in compensation for the terrible loss of our childhood as ourselves, and for the pain we endure. We are, by some as yet unknown mechanism, statistically far more intelligent, as a class, than perhaps any other kind of people. We are almost universally more creative, and we often possess incredible levels of courage and self determination, demonstrated by our very survival, and ultimate attainment of our goal. We are rare as miracles, and in our own way, as magical, or so has been the belief of all ancient cultures on the earth.

We are given awareness that others would never experience, understanding of gender, of the human condition, of society and roles and hidden rules unquestioned within it. We are given a window into the lives of both sexes, and cannot help but be, to some degree, beyond either. From this we have a rare opportunity: to choose our own life, outside predetermined and unquestioned definition or role. We can do new things, original things, only because our experience is so unique.

We get to be true Shape Shifters, and experience the sheer wonder of melty-wax flesh and real rebirth into the world. Our brains and bodies gain benefit from having been bathed in and altered by the hormones of both sexes. We appear to retain our visible youthfulness where others wrinkle, and for years longer. We possess neural advantages from both sexes, such as the language advantages of the feminized brain, and the spatial abilities of the masculinized brain both. We are shocked into waking up, if we allow it, to a life we create for ourselves….we are not automatically doomed to sleepwalk through life.

After our transformations, after the full-moon lycanthropic miracle that the modern age affords us, we can live lives of success and love, and genuine specialness, if we choose. If we can get past our upbringing, past the programming, the bigotry, the messages of disgust from the culture around us, if we can stand as ourselves in freedom, then our special gifts grant us a heritage of wondrous power.

We have a proud and marvelous history. In ancient days we were magic incarnate. We were Nadle, Winkte, Two-Souls, Shamans and healers and magical beings to our communities. We possessed the ability to give the blessing of the gods and spirits, and were prized as companions, lovers, and teachers. We were the prize gift of ancient tribes, entertainers, designers and dreamers. Sometimes we were the somewhat reluctant rulers of empires, and the consorts of emperors. We were champions and warriors too, who were feared for our unique gifts turned to inevitable victory.

To be Transsexual is not easy, and it is not a birth that could be envied, but neither is it a damnation. It was once considered a rare wonder, if a mixed one; a faery gift that cuts as it blesses. And in the modern age, of hormones and surgery, we are the first generations of our kind to finally know the joy of complete transformation, of truly gaining our rightful bodies. No other Transsexuals in history have been so fortunate.

I say that we are unicorns, rare and wondrous, with still a touch of ancient magic and the kinship of the gods. Though it is agony, beyond the fire we have the opportunity to become alchemic gold. We have much to add to the world, and to give to ourselves and those who love us. We have always been, we are still the prize of the tribe, for only the world around us has changed. We are still the same. Our compensations are real, and our lives are special; we have but to grasp the gifts born of our sufferings.

When I look around me at the mundane lives, there are times I think that maybe I am glad I was born Transsexual, for I would never have been what I have become without that curse. I cannot help but be grateful for my uniqueness, so I am brought to a strange revelation: Deep down, I cherish having been born a Transsexual. Be a unicorn with me, and Cherish it too.

~ Author Unknown

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support,

to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they

are! They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing

on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring

Then people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share,

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order

to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the

areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

All Information presented on this KarenSerenity.com Website is Copyright © 2003-2008 Karen Serenity, KarenSerenity.com Positive Thinking Transsexual Women, Regular Women with Exceptional Lives!, Karen Serenity Report, Seek the Positive in all things and you will find it, Heal the World with Your Love. All rights reserved. Copyrighted materials are reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of U.S. copyright law (17 USC 107). Such use is intended for nonprofit educational purposes only. All rights remain with the original copyright holder. Trademarks and brand names listed on KarenSerenity.com are the property of their respective holders. All information and contents contained within this KarenSerenity.com website is subject to change without advance notice.

We thank the many outstanding women who are listed on these webpages. It's our sincere hope that all visitors will respect their personal privacy, anonymity, lives, and space. The brave, dedicated, positive thinking women listed on these pages have overcome extreme difficulties, hardships, pain, and loss, to achieve their current joyful, loving, spiritual, fulfilling lives. Reading and learning about their personal challenges and triumphs, you begin to understand the great trials and self-sacrifice these genuinely courageous women have undergone in order to have achieved the successful lives they are presently experiencing and enjoying. As time progresses, a percentage of the women listed on this KarenSerenity.com website may desire to move into low-profile Stealth living, and may decide leave this website. At the same time, other women having inspiring, interesting stories to share on the Internet may decide they would like to be listed here for a while, and will be added to this Website.

Any additional legitimate contributions or confirmed submissions to these pages(i.e. photos, stories, biographies, interviews, inform