A political candidate in Australia, Janet Rice, has told of her husband’s decision to become a woman. Ms Rice last night confirmed her partner’s male-to-female gender transition after 17 years of marriage.

Ms Rice told the Herald Sun her husband, Peter Whetton, became Penelope four years ago.

“It was certainly challenging because we were happily married, but we are still happily married,” she said.

“It’s certainly been a big thing for us to go through but we got through it.

“Yes, we’re still happily married, yes, we still love each other.”

A blog maintained by notorious Labor Party member Andrew Landeryou first published references to the situation several weeks ago when Ms Rice was endorsed as a candidate.

Ms Rice, a former Maribyrnong mayor, accepts that her run at Spring St has generated interest in her private life.

Dr Penelope Whetton is a climate change researcher with the CSIRO. She has led its climate impact and risk research team since 2005.

Covergirl posted this chat conversation on her blog at SexyAds. She changed the man’s name but the chat is exactly how it went. She was having him for a laugh but I don’t think he caught on at all.

23:31 [covergirl] hello

23:31 [verticalfun] Hi

23:31 [verticalfun] sexy minx you

23:31 [covergirl] meowwwww

23:31 [covergirl] no wait. vroooooooooooom

23:31 [verticalfun] mmmmm

23:32 [verticalfun] you got msn or yahoo babe?

23:33 [covergirl] that sounds contageous

23:33 [covergirl] I hope u are wearin protection

23:33 [verticalfun] it is addictive

23:33 [verticalfun] Of course

23:34 [verticalfun] You feeling adventurous?

23:35 [covergirl] sure !!! U can be tha pirate, I’ll be tha parrot.

23:35 [covergirl] Deal ?

23:35 [verticalfun] Deal

23:35 [covergirl] Oooooooooooh baby…

23:35 [covergirl] where we goin ?

23:35 [verticalfun] all the way

23:36 [verticalfun] to paradise

23:36 [covergirl] awsum. I should really pack then

23:36 [covergirl] or mebbe u could pack me

23:36 [verticalfun] I’d pack you till you were full

23:36 [covergirl] …….. suitcase silly !!!!

23:37 [verticalfun] lol

23:37 [verticalfun] fancy some cam fun?

23:38 [covergirl] cam - is that like tha past tense of ‘to cum’ and ‘cumming now’ ???

23:38 [verticalfun] sort of lol

23:38 * CoVeRgIrL preens herself

23:38 [covergirl] Like my feathers, baby ??

23:39 [covergirl] dont they get u hot ?

23:39 [verticalfun] fancy some camcum fun then

23:39 [covergirl] as in cancun ?

23:39 [verticalfun] They do get me hot

23:39 [verticalfun] yes

23:39 [covergirl] thats like sum really cool holiday destination Ive heard

23:39 [verticalfun] Mexico

23:39 [covergirl] Oooooooooh listen buddy

23:40 [covergirl] Hold tha tequila

23:40 [covergirl] last time YOU were pissed as a parrot, n I had to remind u that was NOT an eyepatch

23:40 [covergirl] it was the cleaner’s thong !

23:40 [verticalfun] You are chilli hot?

23:40 [verticalfun] lol

23:41 [verticalfun] wanna watch me stroking the naked parrot?

23:41 [covergirl] when did u pluck me..?

23:42 [verticalfun] Just now

23:42 [verticalfun] out of my pants

23:42 [covergirl] thats so fuckin hot… but tell u wot REALLY gets me goin ??

23:42 [verticalfun] What?

23:42 [covergirl] is when u grab a bunch of them pretty feathers there, and poke them in my arse.

23:44 [covergirl] I *always* wanted to fart a rainbow !!!!!

23:44 [verticalfun] How does having a tongue flicking over your tight little bumhole sound?

23:44 [covergirl] tell me thats not getting u hard.

23:44 [covergirl] baby ???

23:44 * CoVeRgIrL squaaaaaaaaaawks with delight

23:44 [verticalfun] like a rock

23:45 [verticalfun] Want to see what follows what you saw in the shower?

23:45 [covergirl] sure

23:46 [verticalfun] you got your cam ready?

23:47 [covergirl] wait - Im waiting for the rock, baby.

23:47 [covergirl] Im so hot rite now.

23:47 [verticalfun] me too

23:47 [verticalfun] I’d love to cum over your boobs

23:48 [covergirl] I dont have boobs. Im a parrot.

23:48 [covergirl] A plucked one.

23:48 [verticalfun] oh yes i forgot

23:49 [verticalfun] do you want to play on cam babe?

23:50 [covergirl] last time I was on the cam I crapped on it and my master wouldnt feed me for a week. Damn, Im so horny

23:51 [verticalfun] Horny How horny?

23:52 [covergirl] horny enough to wanna run my claws along ur shexxay shaft and rub my naked prickly plucked self on ur carpet of fur MMMmmmm

23:52 [verticalfun] You playing with yourself?

23:52 [covergirl] I am.

23:52 [verticalfun] can I see?

23:52 [verticalfun] I am stroking my big cock for you?

23:53 [covergirl] Only with one eye, the other has a patch on it… Arrrrrrgh

23:53 [verticalfun] lol

23:53 * CoVeRgIrL squaaaawks again

23:53 [verticalfun] How wet are you?

23:54 [covergirl] Im so wet rite now, cant u see it glistening off my bare naked prickly parrot pink skin ??

23:54 [covergirl] (I ducked under the hose for a sec)

23:55 [verticalfun] Want to see my cock on cam to get you even hornier?

23:55 * CoVeRgIrL considers the last time she saw a rooster on cam

23:55 [covergirl] Ohh my, with feathers n all ??

23:56 [verticalfun] This is an Atomic rooster

23:56 [covergirl] that sounds so sexxay

23:56 [verticalfun] you on IRC right now?

23:57 [covergirl] YESH !!! the Incredible RABBIT CAGE !!!!

23:57 [covergirl] (how did you know) ??

23:58 [verticalfun] NO cam then shame

23:58 [covergirl] Im rubbing my clit on it

23:58 [verticalfun] mmm

23:58 [covergirl] the wire hurts a little

23:58 [covergirl] but it still feels good

23:59 [verticalfun] mmm

23:59 [verticalfun] would you like to watch me cum?

23:59 [covergirl] shhhh Im……… almost there

00:00 [verticalfun] Me too I’m rubbing mt cock hard thinking of how I’d fuck you from behind

00:00 * CoVeRgIrL squaaaawks again

00:01 [covergirl] I like my new look…..

00:01 [covergirl] Freshly plucked and all.

00:01 [covergirl] Did I tell you…

00:01 [covergirl] Pink is my favourite colour ?

00:01 [covergirl] Baby u get me so hot

00:01 [verticalfun] holding your wrists by your side pulling you back impaling you on my cock

00:01 [verticalfun] I like pink too

00:01 [covergirl] I dont have wrists. Im a parrot.

00:01 [covergirl] But grab holda them claws, baby

00:03 [covergirl] I LUV bondage MMmmmm

00:03 [verticalfun] Me too

00:04 [covergirl] take my beshrivelled little claws and drive that thick juicy fuckstick into me

00:04 [verticalfun] Do you like being tied up and having your mouth fucked?

00:04 [covergirl] I WOULD………

00:04 [covergirl] IF I had a mouth !!!

00:04 [covergirl] But baby…

00:05 [covergirl] dont u think my beak is sexxay ?

00:05 [verticalfun] I want you to watch me wank sexy

00:05 [verticalfun] want to sign in to SA proper?

00:06 [covergirl] as opposed to….. improper ???

00:06 [covergirl] BUT I LIKE it improper

00:06 [covergirl] proper is soooooo boring

00:06 [verticalfun] lol me too

00:06 [verticalfun] My big hard cock is waiting

00:07 [covergirl] Ohhhhh lemme perch rite up there on that stick of urs

00:07 [verticalfun] You can perch there anytime

00:07 [covergirl] *Squaaaaawk* ty

00:08 [covergirl] Can I call u Polly ??

00:08 [verticalfun] sure

00:08 [covergirl] I just luv sayin that

00:08 [covergirl] Polly wanna cracka ?

00:08 [verticalfun] You are a cracker

00:08 [verticalfun] So yes

00:09 * CoVeRgIrL has her claws bound tightly to ur thick hard luv-gun and is waiting to be ‘impaled’

00:12 [covergirl] ahem… baby ?

00:12 [verticalfun] Hello

00:12 [covergirl] this is startin to get a lil uncomfortable

00:13 [covergirl] wanna fuck me now pls ?

00:13 [verticalfun] I’d love to impale you on my thick cock

00:13 [covergirl] u havent yet ?

00:13 [verticalfun] you need to beg

00:14 [verticalfun] Is your cunt ready for a big cock?

00:14 [covergirl] Dude - u have a plucked parakeet tied to ur cock, and its ME who has to beg ?

00:14 [verticalfun] lol

00:16 [verticalfun] Is your clit hard babe?

00:16 [covergirl] has been all along

00:17 [verticalfun] Is that a common situation?

00:17 [covergirl] Not for guys.

00:18 [verticalfun] Oooo I’m priveledged

00:18 [verticalfun] You thinking about me in the shower?

00:18 [covergirl] Oh baby I was

00:20 [verticalfun] Did you like watching me play?

00:20 [verticalfun] I am stroking it now

00:20 [verticalfun] That turn you on?

00:21 [covergirl] it does. but erm, my claws have gone from a scaley grey to a rather bright purple

00:22 [covergirl] baby ???

00:22 [covergirl] have u cum yet ???

00:23 [verticalfun] Why?

00:24 [covergirl] cos my claws hurt

00:25 [verticalfun] No still at it takes me ages to cum

00:25 [verticalfun] But the end result is a huge amount of spunk

00:25 [verticalfun] Why do your claws hurt?

00:26 [covergirl] erm, u tied them quite sum time ago now

00:27 [verticalfun] lol

00:27 [verticalfun] I’ll untie them if you let me come in your mouth

00:27 * verticalfun turns his cam ON

00:28 [covergirl] BEAK !!! I have a BEAK !!

00:28 [verticalfun] OK beak

00:30 [verticalfun] I untie your claws

00:31 [covergirl] thank you!!

00:32 [verticalfun] I’m gonna cum where do you want it?

00:33 [covergirl] between my balding prickly punk featherless wings baby

00:34 [verticalfun] Fucking hell that was a lot of spunk

00:34 * CoVeRgIrL squaaaawks Polly wanna go again ?

00:35 [verticalfun] Yes

00:35 [covergirl] Hell - u’re keen !

00:36 [verticalfun]I can fuck all day and night

00:37 [covergirl] This parrot’s a lil tired now - plus I gotta spend tha next 4 hrs re-featherin meself.

00:37 [verticalfun] ok

00:38 [verticalfun] I’ll find another bird

00:38 [verticalfun] for round 2

00:40 [verticalfun] How many times did you come?

my fave = I missed the fucking plane!!

For most of us the answer is a simple and emphatic NO, but is that reality? Let’s say you and your husband or wife are having a few problems. Money is tight, tempers flare, you’re not agreeing on how to raise the children, her parents are interfering, the bill collectors call, you never compliment each other and frankly while you still love each other, you don’t like each other at all at the moment. (Phew!) You’ve lost all desire for sex with this person. How do you feel now about cheating? Still no?

Let’s say then that all of the above situation is still true and a new person comes to work where you do and you start taking a coffee break at the same time every day. You like this person because he or she is kind, respectful, interesting, and is a bit of a flirt. You haven’t had anyone treat you like this for a long, long time. You haven’t forgotten you’re married but this attention feels SO good, you continue to meet for breaks. Then one day you’re invited along for a sandwich at a cafe and you go. On the way back to work this person leans over and kisses your cheek - just a soft little peck on the cheek. Nothing serious, just a peck to say I really enjoyed this time together.

Moving down the timeline two weeks and now you’re regularly meeting for lunch, sharing intimate bits of your lives and still getting that peck on the cheek, only today you turn your face in anticipation of the peck and you kiss for the first time. It’s passionate and you both know you want more. You set a date and meet for your first sexual encounter.

That’s how it happens for many people. They don’t set out to have an affair. It’s a combination of a lot of little increments of familiarity and then whoosh - you’re in a situation where you have already been emotionally unfaithful and the physical infidelity is just a step away.

So what do you do now? Do you say, “well I’ve done the deed once, I might as well continue, nobody else wants me.” Maybe that’s true and maybe it’s not.

You have a lot of options. It’s probably not too late to save your relationship if you end the affair now. For most women it’s not the sexual act that’s the most insulting — it’s the emotional infidelity. If you’re a man, sharing your secrets with another woman is often more hurtful, so any hope for the relationship means you’ll have to break all ties to the new woman. If you’re a woman, it’s that you were naked with another man in places on your body only your husband should have gone.

Think back about life with your spouse, not just recently but from the time you got together.

• Overall have they been happy times?
• Have you felt valued and respected for what you bring to the relationships (apart from now because your spouse doesn’t like you much as you remember)?
• Do you still find your spouse sexually attractive?
• When you have sex do you feel physically satisfied?

If you can, try to imagine living apart from this person. Can you imagine that you’d be happy - alone. Not with the new person but can you imagine life without your spouse in the picture?

Answering these questions for yourself will help you to decide what is right for you. Honestly, you can only judge what’s right for you as your spouse must decide for him or herself what’s right for them.

I know I’ll get slammed for not saying that when you got married you made a commitment and even if you are miserably unhappy you should stay there, but I’m not going to say it. I don’t think we win any prizes in the hereafter for wearing a badge of martyrdom. We came into the world alone and we’re going to go out alone and while it’s wonderful to find someone to share our lives with, ultimately decisions about our happiness are our own to make.