Currently she is being supported by a civic group called Egal, which fights for equal treatment for transsexuals in Serbian society. When approached by Newsweek, Helena, 41, [not her real name] agreed to tell her story on the one condition that the names of her four children, as well as her ex-wife and closest relatives, would not be made public.
With her above-the-knee skirts, high-heeled boots and ample cleavage, Helena looks like a woman but still speaks in a low, rough voice.
"I know my voice is a problem but I am taking hormones to help make the transition from male to female so it all will be settled very soon. People don't pay attention to me at all, and it's only when they hear me speaking that they become surprised," she says.
Finally, it was agreed that Helena would receive 60% of her basic pay over the lifetime of her retirement.
"This allowed me to live my life to the fullest as a woman, finally in peace with myself around the clock, all day and all night. It was, and still is, an immeasurable joy. I didn't want to hide my desire to be a woman any more. I just didn't.
"But after we made the deal I received a paper from the Ministry of Defence saying that I was fully capable of serving in the Army as a professional officer – even though we had agreed that I was retired."
Helena now gets on well with her ex-wife. They spend a lot of time together, relying on one another, talking to one another.
"My ex-wife and I now see each other almost every day and I am glad to declare that she is my best friend. No one knows her better than I do and she knows me better than anyone else does. What we have is a new type of family; we have lovely children; we have formed a strong, great friendship that we cherish and we keep taking good care of each other."
"I tried to talk oldest son out of it, telling him I would not be wearing men's clothes any more. But he just said: 'Hey, man, what's wrong with you? You can look whatever you feel like, you can look like hell, I don't care, you are – and you always will be – my dad."
