Miami Herald – Roberto Santiago
Mark Cummings’ personality hasn’t changed in the last three years — even though his gender has.
The same people who saw him as a tough ”butch” Latina lesbian when he was known as Maritza Perdomo now see him as a ”sensitive” heterosexual Cuban man.
”Too tough as a woman, too gentle as a man — society is crazy,” mused Cummings, 41, who underwent a painful sex change operation in 2003.
He went from female to male — having his breasts and internal reproductive organs removed — and was able to legally marry Violet, his long-time girlfriend.
Cummings also runs a thriving fitness gym/beauty salon in Hollywood, called, ironically, Bodies Under Construction.
But it was only recently that Cummings decided to come out as a transgendered person.
”I thought I would lose my business, my clients, my friends and expose myself and my wife to violence,” said Cummings. “The opposite has happened. I have been embraced by everyone. No one has turned their back on me.”