Vicki Estrada Finally Feels Like a Natural Woman

KPBS | By KPBS Public Broadcasting

Published September 23, 2008 at 11:08 AM PDT

This story was published more than 15 years ago.

Vicki Estrada used to be Steve Estrada, who came on These Days in July 2005 to announce that he intended to become a woman. He had gender reassignment surgery a year later, and since then she's lived

Originally aired on December 17, 2007.

Tom Fudge: Back in 2005, Steve Estrada appeared on this show, These Days in San Diego, to tell the world he intended to become a woman. It was a dramatic moment in the life of a man who was deeply involved in the politics and civic life of San Diego. An urban planner and landscape architect, Estrada had been involved in many major projects, including the Balboa Park master plan.

Become a KPBS sponsor

Over the past three years, Steve Estrada has become Vicki Estrada both physically and psychologically. She had her sex change, called gender reassignment surgery, in 2006. The change has been a challenge for Vicki, and for many of the people she is close to, including her Mother, Father and two children.

Yet, Vicki says these past couple years have been the best of her life. Vicki Estrada is the president of Estrada Land Planning. I spoke with her late last year to talk about a part of her life that's been an adventure, to put it mildly. Here's that interview.

Guest

Vicki Estrada, landscape architect, urban designer and president of Estrada Land Planning . Vicki lived most of her life as Steve Estrada, and underwent a sex change operation a year and a half ago.