Sharon's Parent's Letter to Family

To Our Family Members:

The words and terms attached to this letter have become very familiar to Cecil and me and our children in recent months. We feel it is time to share with all of you the reason for our new-found knowledge and interest. This has not been an area we ever thought we would tread, but are now doing so. Last September when Cecil and I visited Sharon and Josh in London, we were there for a wonderful vacation. Unknown to us, Josh was at that time beginning his transformation from Joshua David Bussert to Jessica Diane Bussert.

He had started some months before on huge doses of hormone therapy to begin some of the physical changes that would eventually be necessary as he transitioned. For several years, Josh has studied about his condition and has sought religious, medical and psychological counseling. For several years he was in counseling in Lafayette for severe depression and he was seen as a patient at the Kinsey Institute for Gender Studies in Bloomington. He also was counseled by a psychologist in Indianapolis who works with the Catholic church. After numerous sessions with all of these professionals he was told: "Josh, you can fight this forever, but it's never going to go away, You need to make a change."

Josh has prayed about this for years and finally, with the support of Sharon, he approached his company to tell his supervisors his decision to change gender. The company, Hitachi, is fully supportive and allowed Josh/Jessica six months of leave with full pay and benefits. The company also said it would re-assign her to a new location if that is a wish of hers when the transition is complete. Hitachi recently had two employees in its Atlanta division that made this same transition, so company officials are very familiar with this, unlike most of us.

How does Sharon fit into this new life? That's been the greatest concern of all of us. Sharon is very supportive and understanding of the need for this change to take place. For years she has been much more aware than any of us of the long months of depression that Josh has suffered. We knew at times Josh was having depression problems, but were not aware of the reason.

The medical profession agrees that depression in these people becomes more debilitating as time goes on and unless a change is made, the person affected will become less and less able to function and very often become suicidal.

Sharon at this time wants our support and understanding and wishes that we could all be happy for Jessica in her new life. We are not sure how long Sharon has been aware of Josh's desire to make this change, possibly three or four years, but she is convinced this is the correct thing for Jessica to do. Sharon does not know what the future holds for her -- but then do any of us know for certain what ours will be? Sharon believes she and Jessica will always be together. Sharon has a deep faith in God and His plan. She made a vow when she married Josh where she said in part: "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do we part." Sharon wants to honor that vow forever.

During Holy Week, I spent five days in San Francisco with the two of them while Jessica had breast enhancement surgery and facial, trachea and scalp surgery. I met her surgeon, many of the nurses and aides and three women who were there as visitors just to be supportive. The entire staff at the hospital was wonderful, caring people. The three visitors had in their previous lives all been men. No way would any of us ever have been able to know that. The doctor who specializes in this type of surgery is a brilliant, honest and kind person who promises that he can make all of his patients look feminine, but not all of them will be pretty.

The extent of surgery Jessica had is mind-boggling. No one could go through it for a lark. I was very glad that I could be with the two of them during the surgeries as Sharon doesn't do well with hospitals and bloody scenes. They are back in London now and Jessica has returned to work. Sharon continues to assist her with such things as hair, make-up and clothes selection.

This letter is long and involved, but the situation is like that. It's the kind of thing that can literally take days, even weeks, to try to absorb. Believe me when I tell you, we, Sharon's parents and her siblings, were heartsick when we first heard this news. We are still dealing with a whole range of emotions over it.

We all agree that for Jessica it is the thing she needs to do, but are concerned for Sharon in her new position. We can only ask your prayers for all affected by this and for understanding and kindness.

We remember, God loves Jessica as He loved Joshua and as He loves each of us.

Cecil & Martha





Words and terms that may be helpful

Gender dysphoria: The state of discomfort felt by transsexuals and some transgender people caused by the incongruity between one's physical sex and one's gender-identity.

Gender identity: A person's internal self-awareness of being either male or female, masculine or feminine, or something in-between.

Gender identity disorder (GID): A condition identified by psychologists and medical doctors wherein a person who has been assigned one gender at birth identifies as belonging to another gender.

Transsexual (TS): A person who feels a consistent and overwhelming desire to fulfill their lives as members of the opposite gender. Most transsexuals actively desire and physically make the transition including Sexual Reassignment Surgery (MTF -- male to female).