60 year old Caroline Cossey, a transgender model, appeared in Playboy
back in 1981, at the time her transgender identity was a secret. She has
since broken boundaries and fought tirelessly for the transgender
community.
And while she is thrilled by the outpouring of love and support for
Caitlyn Jenner, the former Bond girl has admitted that she is worried
the reality star is moving too fast with her transition.
When Caitlyn made her debut on the
cover of Vanity Fair in June, unfounded rumors that she had already
undergone gender reassignment surgery began to swirl. But as a
transgender woman who went through countless and lengthy psychological
evaluations before she completed her transition, Caroline has admitted
to Daily Mail Online that she is 'praying Caitlyn hasn't had surgery'
just yet.
'She looks amazing,' Caroline said. 'But everything is being done in such a rushed hurry.'
Guidelines for sexual reassignment
surgery (SRS) vary from country to country, and Caroline explained that a
candidate typically has to undergo psychological testing, and wait at
least a year before being approved for sexual reassignment surgery.
However, she imagines that someone with extreme wealth, like Caitlyn, would be able to find a way to bypass these requirements.
Recalling the detailed and
incredibly personal questioning she had to undergo before being able to
proceed with gender reassignment surgery, Caroline explained that during
Caitlyn's powerful interview with Diane Sawyer in April, the athlete,
who maintained she is attracted to women, was not asked whether she got
sexually aroused when dressing in women's clothes.
'That's the first thing they asked,' she said of starting the SRS process. 'They try to deter you from surgery.'
Caroline said there is a huge
difference between being transgender and being a transvestite, and while
there is 'absolutely nothing wrong' with being a transvestite,
confusion can lead to a painful surgery and a lifetime of regret.
'She is beautiful. She looks
amazing,' Caroline said of Caitlyn. 'I just want to make sure she is not
going down the wrong road.'
Caroline is not only protective of
Caitlyn, she is worried about the countless others who may be rushing
into SRS as a result of the increased public awareness about transgender
people.
'I am very concerned about the
people who are following and rushing into things without getting the
right counseling,' she explained.
Ultimately, Caroline said she wants
Caitlyn to be happy, and while the I Am Cait star hasn't reached out to
her, she said she would love to share her experience and answer any
questions she might have.
'You can't just go from playing the
male role for 65 years, and then go to being a female and expect for it
to fall into place,' she said.
'The most important thing she's got -
and I was very touched by this - she has got a loving and supportive
family. That's what kept me stable, and that's what will keep her
stable.'
Caroline recently spoke with Playboy
about her experience after decades of silence, as well as the initial
shock she felt when Caitlyn came out as a transgender woman. However,
the interview was conducted before Bruce transitioned to Caitlyn, and
she referred to her using her former name and male pronouns.
