Several studies have found that men and women differ in how they recount events and experiences. However, they may also differ in the actual experiences of events. A sample of 37 individuals with various stigmatized identities was asked to describe how their lives changed in a positive way. The narratives revealed that women and men experience role transformation differently. Men refer to status-related factors (SRF) while women refer to relationship-related factors (RRF) as integral parts of their narratives. Dominant reentry paradigms rely on a male model of change, but if women transform differently, revised female-specific reentry strategies are necessary for women. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure, and 4 notes.)