Reflections: Transgender at 7, Out at 84

Imagine having two personas, two distinctly different lives, for nearly 77 years. That was the reality for Eve Burchert. Since the age of seven, Eve knew that the reflection she saw in a mirror wasn't quite right, but it wasn't until many years later that she understood these feelings: she was transgender. Reflections is a deeply personal story that follows the trials and tribulations of Eve's life. Born Eberhard Burchert in pre-World War II Germany, Eve knew for a majority of her life that she was meant to live as a woman. She was haunted by these emotions, yet denied them during her every day life as she focused on surviving the harsh end of World War II and immigrating to America with nothing but $64 and two suitcases. While she wasn't out to her family and friends, Eve was an active member of the transgender community, breaking barriers and teaching many about what it meant to be trans, while reveling in the chance to be herself, if only for a weekend. After 77 years, Eve is no longer relegated to the weekends, her feminine attire pushed to the back of her closet. Now her reflection is one she recognizes.