Han Ximin, Hugh Fang
INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day this year will have special significance for Liu Changfu.
After almost 100 days in hospital for sex-transformation surgery, Liu, 39, will embrace her first Women’s Day on Saturday.
At 9 a.m. Thursday at Peng’ai Hospital of Plastic Surgery in Nanshan District, Liu was preparing for her first public appearance after surgery and to enjoy women’s privilege — to go shopping.
Dressed in a long outfit, wearing bracelets and carrying a handbag, Liu couldn’t believe the transformation. “Is it really me? I can’t believe it,” said Liu, pointing to the mirror, while her hairdresser was preparing her makeup.
“I feel really grateful to the hospital and for the public support so I can bid farewell to my miserable life as half-man and half-woman and I will cherish my future,” said Liu.
Born in 1969 in a village in Sichuan Province, Liu was no different to other boys during his childhood. But when he entered puberty, he began to show female physical characteristics in his upper body.
“I couldn’t bear the misery of my life especially when I got married at age 24. I felt irresponsible for getting married because there was no sex involved,” said Liu.
Liu and his wife, Hu Wen-ying, adopted a daughter from Hu’s sister in 2004.
Liu was known to households in Shenzhen after a report in the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily in December 2007. Three hospitals offered free sex transformation surgery for him. His condition was caused by dysfunctional chromosomes.
Liu divorced Hu in December after he decided to have the surgery to change his sex. He underwent four surgical procedures over the course of three months.
“I’m very happy now that I can call my ex-wife sister,” said Liu.
Although Liu stunned residents in Nanshan with her beauty when she was out shopping, accompanied by medical staffs and reporters, she knew there were still a lot of challenges ahead.
The first thing she had to do was to change her name and gender on her hukou or permanent residence permit.
“I will go back to my hometown and change my name to Liu Aili to show my thanks to the hospital,” said Liu. In English, the name of Liu Aili, literally translates to “Liu loves to be beautiful.”
“My first wish is to find a boyfriend to love,” said Liu. Her boyfriend had left her during her surgery because of the pressure from publicity.
“I don’t have high expectations, as long as he has a little money and is nice to me. I will study English hard and maybe foreigners can accept this,” said Liu.
“Although Liu has physically become a woman, she needs time to become accustomed to her new life psychologically,” said Zhou Ning, director of the psychological consultation and therapy department of the hospital. He hoped the public would be more understanding.
“In the coming months, she will face challenges on entering society in her new identity,” said Zhou.
To help her become accustomed to her new life, the hospital will offer her a job as a soft landing and she can choose to leave and enter society when she is ready.