Life for children who feel they are trapped in the wrong body can be a nightmare of shame and isolation

For Riley's parents, one of the first giveaways was the tea towel. At three years of age, Riley would shape it onto her head like a pair of pigtails and flick it from side to side. "She got into trouble with the person who ran her pre-school," says Riley's mother, Carol. "They said, 'This boy has got to stop playing with the girls and getting the girls to dress him up and wear tea towels on his head.'"

Life for children who feel they are trapped in the wrong body can be a nightmare of shame and isolation Coverstorywide620x349

Riley, 15, from Sydney's north shore, is biologically male – but says being born a boy simply never made any sense. The high school student is one of an increasing number of teenagers who identify as transsexuals – those who feel they are trapped in the wrong body. Some are so sure that nature got it wrong that they are taking the bold step of "transitioning" – presenting themselves outwardly as the sex that they feel they are – during their teenage years or even earlier.

For Riley, 2012 has been a watershed year. After going to school with bras secreted under her school shirt and with minimal make-up, she started wearing the girls’ school uniform. She is also doing some schooling of her own, teaching the teachers in the correct use of transgender pronouns. "They were having a lot of trouble with calling me 'she', but they are getting better," she says.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/just-a-girl-in-the-world-20120904-25c80.html#ixzz25vm2mA94

Life for children who feel they are trapped in the wrong body can be a nightmare of shame and isolation

Life for children who feel they are trapped in the wrong body can be a nightmare of shame and isolation

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