Terry stepped into the family room, the soft rustling of fabric marking her entrance. She wore a pink sleeveless midi dress that hugged her figure in a way that left no doubt about her femininity. But as she stood before her mother, her expression was one of firm determination.

"Mom," she said, her voice steady, "I am a man."

Her mother, seated on the couch with a magazine in hand, looked up, then let out a small chuckle. "That’s a good one, honey. You almost had me there."

Terry’s expression didn’t change. "I’m not joking. I’ve always been a man."

The smile faded from her mother’s face. She studied Terry carefully, searching for any sign that this was an elaborate prank. "You mean you feel like a man? Are you saying you’re transgender?"

Terry shook her head. "No. I’ve always been a man. It’s not a feeling. It’s a fact. Everyone has treated me like a man my whole life. But yesterday… something changed. Suddenly, everyone is treating me like a woman. I haven’t changed. The world around me did."

Her mother frowned. "Terry, what are you talking about? You’ve always been my daughter. You were born my daughter. You look like a woman."

"Look at me!" Terry gestured wildly at herself. "I look the same way I always have. I am still the same man I was a couple of days ago, but now, suddenly, everyone---even you---thinks I’m a woman. I haven’t changed at all, but you have. Everyone has."

Her mother’s eyes softened with concern. "Sweetheart, I don’t understand. What about Jim Shatly? You two have been dating for months. And Susan Duckworthy---she's been your best friend since childhood. Are you saying they don't exist?"

Terry blinked in confusion. "Jim Shatly? I’ve never dated any man in my life! And Susan? She’s just a woman from the neighborhood. She was never my best friend. We barely even spoke."

Her mother’s face paled. "Terry, you and Susan were inseparable. You shared everything. And Jim---he adores you!"