HELENA - Karen Loos of Missoula has feared for her daughter's physical safety.
She has watched her child suffer from job discrimination, prejudice and personal torment.

And she thinks President Bush's proposed constitutional amendment seeking to ban gay marriage in the United States would escalate the prejudice her transsexual daughter and other gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual people face on a daily basis.



A Gulfport woman who this year had a sex change operation is part of a 48 Hours report on transgender people.

WASHINGTON (CNN) --
OLDSMAR - She lost nearly everything trying to find out who she was.

Her employers fired her. Her spouse kicked her out of their house. She sold her motorcycle because she needed money. Even her brother disowned her.

But in the end, she would have done it the same way.

Jennifer Edwards' transition from her former self, Edward Kozlowski, is part of 48 Hours Investigates: Trapped, airing tonight on CBS. The show looks at transgender people, who believe they were born the wrong sex.

Edwards made news in June 2003 when she made her first public appearance as a woman heading the Oldsmar code enforcement board meeting.