James Robert Batek is in a state of indecision since September of 2012 over gender identity. Born a male, Mr. Batek began hormone therapy at that time for transgendering himself to the female, but has experienced a change of heart a few times and has decided that until he is able to maintain one or the other gender identity, evident in part by the appropriate respective form of dress, for at least a year, he will not be taking feminizing hormones or changing his name. In the event he lasts in the male identity for one year he will remove the female gender marker from his Illinois state identification cards. In the event he lasts in the female identity for one year he will recommence feminizing hormone treatment and change his name to Ise Alexandra Batek. A record of Mr. Batek's current state of gender identity choice can be found at his transgender website, isebatek.com. If certain problems with maintaining the female identity, which have made the decision of gender identity difficult, mainly in the form of public ridicule at crossdressing, are solved, then it is possible that one year may not be necessary to reach the decision to recommence hormone therapy and six months might perhaps be an acceptable trial period. There is some evidence that such a solution has been reached.

The decision to have sex reassignment surgery would take place after recommencing hormone therapy, but the cost of that, if a benefactor is not found, would pose a major obstacle if Mr. Batek's filnances do not change substantially.

Mr. Batek's interest in being a professional artist has reached an impasse. Other pursuits now seem more rewarding. See isebatek.com for details.