Dear Abby: You advised a pre-op transsexual to use the women's restroom, and I'll bet you caught heck for it.

Abby, people who object to transsexuals using the restroom for the gender they are about to become may not be aware of the following: Male-to-female pre-op transsexuals are required to live as a woman for one year prior to the surgery. They should not continue to use the men's restroom.

These individuals are doing everything they can to deal with their new identity. A male-to-female pre-op transsexual has made a permanent commitment and deserves support in this decision - Watched My Ex-Boyfriend Go Through the Whole Process

Dear Watched: I received a slew of mail from women who were outraged at the thought of a male using the women's restroom for any reason. So I contacted Dr. John Bancroft, director of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction. He said:

"I advise my transsexual or transgendered patients that when they present themselves as women they should use the women's restroom and vice versa. Women should feel no concern about the occasional transgendered person doing this. What such people want more than anything else is to be seen and accepted as a normal female. I provide my gender reassignment patients with a formal "To Whom It May Concern" letter to carry at all times, explaining that they are in this process of transitioning - and if there are any questions, to contact me."