by Pearl Bennett

“What Was It Like? Stories by LGBTQ Elders” is a new program by I’m From Driftwood, in partnership with Comcast, the nation’s largest cable provider, and SAGE, the countTRANSCRIPTS: “IN THE LONG RUN, I’M GOING TO BE HAPPY I TOLD HER THIS.” My name is Pearl, I’m a transgender woman. I didn’t transition until I was 50 years of age. Back i“I’M NOT TAKING THIS DRESS OFF.” In 1997, give or take a year or two, I was working out on Fire Island, a barrier island, off of Long Island, and I worked at this little res“THE CHALLENGES OF LIVING PUBLICLY AS A WOMAN: “HE YELLED, ‘THAT’S A MAN!’” The year was 2000. I was living my life as a woman, as Pearl. I had not changed my “JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE DOG RUN.” During that first year before any, before my transition, I, the day before, I went to the dog, took my dogs to the dog run as Ken. And I wen“THAT’S HOW I CAME OUT TO THE FAMILY.” The big hurdle for me was telling my family about my living as a woman now, living as a transgender woman. What I did is, I went to a “MY NAME WAS PEARL FROM THEN ON.” The year was around 1997. I went out, it was Gay Pride weekend. I marched in the Gay Pride parade with some friends in New York City. They we...