Boy meets girl. They become friends. Then lovers. Boy wants to be a girl. Girl doesn’t blink an eye. And their love continues.

Couple #4: Bobbie, 52, consultant; Alan, 46, factory worker
LoveStage: Living Together

If you’re searching for proof that love transcends the physical, look no further. Alan and Bobbie have been friends for 30 years, lovers for 15. This, in itself, while admirable, isn’t particularly rare. What is extraordinary about their relationship is that Alan feels like a woman, wants to be a woman—and Bobbie is completely supportive. “Alan/Alana wants a nose job, face lift, and breast implants,” says Bobbie. “But I love every wrinkle on his rugged face as well as his crooked nose. For me, it’s not Alan/Alana’s body, but the spirit, the energy, the love that flows from within that’s absolutely beautiful.”

Trait She Loves Best About Him
Bobbie: “I love Alan’s upbeat, jovial personality, because he has this way of not only making me smile but everyone else he meets as well. I love Alana’s quiet, shy personality because her timidness is so sweet.”

Secret to an Enduring Relationship
Bobbie: “Communication. We don’t always agree on every subject, but we each give the other the right to disagree and don’t try to convince the other that one is right and one is wrong.”

Something She Hates About Herself But He Loves
Alan/Alana: “Bobbie has lost in excess of 100 pounds, so she has loose skin on her body that she hates. I’ve known her through her being both obese and slimmer. I’ve cared about her no matter what the outside looks like, because it’s her inside that’s always beautiful.”

Best Gift She’s Ever Given Him
Alan/Alana: “Love. And my motorcycle.”

Best Gift He’s Ever Given Her
Bobbie: “Alan/Alana writes some of the most beautiful songs for me.”

Best Compliment They’ve Heard About Their Relationship
Bobbie: “A friend of mine once told me, ‘It’s obvious you were made for each other. Only you are open-minded enough to accept Alan/Alana for what he/she is. And it takes a special man to be your partner, because some humdrum regular guy just wouldn’t be interesting enough for you.’”

Why They Should Be Couple of the Year
Bobbie: “If you’re looking for a couple who are truly in love, thoroughly enjoy life together, we’re your couple. If you’re looking for what ‘normal society’—whatever that is—would label as an unusual couple, we’re that as well.”