Gender in Transition

Abstract

Sue Anne, an attractive middle-aged woman, comes into my office for the first time. She had been referred by a friend, a former patient of mine who had just given birth to her first child—a son. She looked familiar. As it turned out, some 10 years ago, she had been my travel agent briefly. She began speaking slowly and to the point. The scenario seemed familiar. I want a child—he doesn’t. I’m 42 years old and I’m running out of time. Everyone around me is having babies. My life is empty; it has no meaning. My marriage feels repetitive, boring; please help me. A week later, Tom enters. An attractive middle-aged man, he seemed familiar as well, for different reasons. He just never felt the urge to have children, and until this baby boom, things with her were going OK. I don’t know what it is, I just like things the way they are. She’s my baby—maybe it’s my freedom, and losing it; maybe it’s because I fear the unknown: I’m not doing such a great job providing for us anyway. It’s breaking us up. She’s so depressed, it’s unbearable.