A 26-year-old from Leeds has launched a campaign in a bid to raise thousands of pounds to undergo a double mastectomy.
Ingi Hughes, who lives in Harehills, says they have struggled with their gender identity 'for as long as I can remember' and they knew 'there was something not girl about me' when they were growing up.
They have made the bold decision to undergo the major operation, which will see their breasts surgically removed, after years of struggling to come to terms with their identity.
"I have struggled with my gender identity for as long as I can remember and even as a child I knew there was something not 'girl' about me," Ingi told LeedsLive.
"It hurt that my body betrayed me and worse that there was nothing anyone could do to help me.
"I suffered in silence for many years, opening up to very few friends and therapists, eventually landing myself in cycles of depression, anxiety, body shame and self harm.
"I left home at 16, but couldn't fully process my transition until I left university. It really brought my focus back to my experience as an uncomfortable, black, female-assigned human and it made me upset and angry and since then I have been looking for a way to improve my life."
'I really hope I can be free of these feelings'
Ingi has thought long and hard about the operation and has had a number of consultations with medical professionals who have explained the severity of the procedure.
However, after a series of in-depth conversations, they have been given the green light to have a double mastectomy.
Ingi said: "Top surgery would give me a new freedom to express myself. A chance to live comfortably in my body without pain or worry.
"This is maybe one of the hardest things I've ever done as it regards a part of my body that I have been so uncomfortable with and angry about.
"I really hope this works and I can be free of these feelings. I can be accepted and safe in my community and within myself."
To find out more about Ingi's fundraising campaign, visit their GoFundMe page.
For more of today's top stories, click here.
LeedsLive has launched a WhatsApp group to keep you up to date with the latest news! Click here to join and follow the instructions on your phone. Your number won't be shared with anyone else in the group.
