audio, stills, text and or video: Go to zReportage.com to see more - There was a time when Ramsey was not at all happy. In fact, she was miserable, living an inauthentic life, known to all as Richard, and hopelessly trapped in a male body that did not feel like her own. Then, five years ago, at the age of 77, Richard Ramsey underwent gender reassignment surgery and became Renee. The craggy-faced retired Navy veteran, who had spent most of his leisure time hanging out at American Legion and VFW halls in New Jersey, became an older woman with an easy laugh and gangly gait. Dresses, blouses and wigs replaced the old Army uniform Ramsey was fond of wearing. Eventually Renee Ramsey settled in South Carolina, where today she lives quietly, and quite happily, in a small town outside Charleston. Just another typical older woman, except, that is, for the remaining forearm tattoo that reads, ''Death Before Dishonor.'' Ramsey is likely one of the oldest people in this country to undergo male-to-female gender reassignment surgery, but she is hardly alone. In May 2014, Medicare announced it would begin covering gender reassignment surgery. Two months later, President Obama signed a bill giving employment protection not only to gay federal workers, but also to transgender men and women.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Oct 25, 2009 - Milltown, New Jersey, U.S. - Military retiree RICHARD RAMSEY fulfilled a lifelong desire to become a woman, Renee, at age 77, but kept attending veterans' events as a man to avoid upsetting friends for a long time.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Oct 14, 2009 - Milltown, New Jersey, U.S. - Initially, RENEE RAMSEY or Richard Ramsey was afraid to dress as a woman in her working-class New Jersey community of Wallington, and only wore dresses at home.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jul 18, 2006 - Piscataway, New Jersey, U.S. - At Lady Ellen's Le Femme Finishing School, Renee got lessons in hair, makeup, and walking like a woman from ELLEN WEIRICH.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jul 3, 2010 - Milltown, New Jersey, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY began to grow weary of dressing like a man at veterans' events like this parade in Milltown.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Feb 12, 2010 - Piscataway, New Jersey, U.S. - LADY ELLEN WEIRICH teaches RENEE RAMSEY how to move in a feminine manner at the Le Femme Finishing School.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Feb 12, 2010 - Piscataway, New Jersey, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY winces as Lady ELLEN WEIRICH puts earrings on her at the La Femme Finishing School.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Feb 12, 2010 - Piscataway, New Jersey, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY practices sitting in a ladylike manner at the Le Femme Finishing School.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jul 24, 2010 - Piscataway, New Jersey, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY eyes bras at a swap meet with other transgender and cross-dressing males at the Le Femme Finishing School.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jun 27, 2010 - Wallington, New Jersey, U.S. - For the first year after her sex change, RENEE RAMSEY delighted in wearing short skirts and youthful clothing.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Nov 25, 2011 - Bristol, Pennsylvania, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY paid Dr. SHERMAN LEIS to perform several surgeries to feminize her face, including this facelift.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Nov 25, 2011 - Bristol, Pennsylvania, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY gets a post-op check from Dr. Sherman Leis after her facelift.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Feb 21, 2012 - Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY cries out in pain immediately after her breast implant surgery.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Mar 9, 2012 - Wallington, New Jersey, U.S. - After her implants, RENEE RAMSEY was glad she could no longer fit into many of her military uniforms, because she was tired of dressing like a man.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jun 23, 2013 - Wallington, New Jersey, U.S. - Before she moved to South Carolina, RENEE RAMSEY had grown more and more lonely in her New Jersey home.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jul 13, 2013 - Wallington, New Jersey, U.S. - MIRANDA RIGHTS helps RENEE RAMSEY pack up her belongings in Ramsey's NJ home, The portrait of Ramsey on the wall at right is left behind, because it reminds her of who she was forced to be.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jul 13, 2013 - Wallington, New Jersey, U.S. - MIRANDA RIGHTS and RENEE RAMSEY move Ramsey's belongings to South Carolina from Ramsey's home.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Jul 13, 2013 - Wallington, New Jersey, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY packs a car with her possessions as she prepares to move from her Wallington, NJ home to South Carolina.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Nov 2, 2013 - Summerville, South Carolina, U.S. - At their South Carolina apartment, MIRANDA RIGHTS is moved by RENEE RAMSEY's devotion to her.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Nov 3, 2013 - Summerville, South Carolina, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY shakes hands with KATIE FRINK-JOHNSON at a South Carolina supermarket; she says she is always 'treated like a lady.'
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
Oct 4, 2011 - Summerville, South Carolina, U.S. - RENEE RAMSEY and MIRANDA RIGHTS on the balcony of their apartment in a small town outside Charleston, South Carolina. 'I was never happy until a year ago,' says Ramsey.
© April Saul/zReportage.com/ZUMA Press
