Identical twins Kasey and Shea Opilla have always done everythig together - literally.
The 20-year-olds, who both say they were tomboys growing up, have now transitioned from female to male just months apart.
And even though they did not openly discuss how they were feeling about being born in the wrong bodies when they hit puberty they say their 'twin telepathy' meant they knew the other was battling the same demons.
The twins were just 11 and in a sex education class when they realised they weer dreading going through puberty.
Neither wanted to grow breasts or start their periods - but they had no clue they were transgender.
Both Kasey and Shea, from San Jose, California, came out as lesbians in 2013, and were supported by their family.
Kasey, who works in a restaurant but will be going to university in the autumn to study psychology, said: “Something in me, in the way I felt about who I was, was off.
“Socially, things were difficult. I didn’t feel like I quite belonged with the other girls, so I would gravitate towards boys, but didn’t fit in there either.
“Back then, I didn’t know about the concept of being transgender, or even the word, but I knew I was different.”
Despite coming out the twins were still struggling with emotional turmoil and had therapy.
Both discussed their gender issues and had no idea the other twin was going through the same thing.
Eventually, after having counselling and watching YouTube videos and TV documentaries about people going through transitions, both twins realised they were transgender.
And they told each other first before anyone else.
Kasey was the first to come out in 2015.
He said: “Deep down, I knew who I was, but had no idea how to get there and knew I was trans, but had no idea how to say it out loud.
"Plus, where the differences between the two genders amplify with age, I was struggling more and more, socially.
“I needed to talk to somebody that wasn’t in my direct circle about what I was going through, and so I decided to have counselling - a fact I kept to myself.
“In the end, I came out in 2015. Shea was the first person I told, and I had an idea that he would one day come out as trans too, but wasn’t ready then.”
Shea's support was integral to every step of Kasey's transition.
He said: "Throughout our journey, we have made sure we’re both there for all those big moments, like coming out to the rest of the family.
“That’s when you need comfort the most, and to have your whole self with you.
“As a twin, you’re never alone throughout your entire life – and we certainly weren’t going to let each other take on the hardest times alone.”
In 2016, a year after coming out, Kasey - who has not changed his name - began his physical transition from female to male.
He started taking hormones and then had urgery to remove his breasts.
Kasey said: “That was a real adjustment. Everybody is different, so you are never too sure how the hormones will affect you.
“You desperately want to see changes and want to see them tomorrow - but know they will take time, so there were times when it all seemed too far away for me to be happy.
“When I first started taking hormones, I was still getting misgendered a lot and referred to as a female, which was very frustrating.
"At the time, as Shea wasn’t out, I didn’t know anybody else who was trans, so I did feel like I was going through it alone.
“My one regret is not reaching out to more people in the community then, as that would’ve helped – to talk to people who understood.”
As the hormones took effect, Kasey’s voice deepened and his body changed to a more masculine shape.
This stopped him from being misgendered and often meant that when he met new people he no longer needed to explain his past – which helped boost his confidence.
In the meantime, Shea, who is studying kinesiology – the science of movement – at university, was moving towards coming out as transgender, too.
He confided his desire to transition to Kasey.
Shae said: “He'd been so depressed for so long, I was really happy he was finally out and able to be himself.
“I thought he was incredibly brave and wanted to support him but knew I also had some thinking to do about how I was going to come out."
Over the next two years - especially when Kasey began to change physically - there was a lot of for Shea also to acclimatise to, not least the fact they were non-identical for the first time.
He said: "Because we’d always identified as ‘the twins,’ in the two years that Kasey was out as transgender and I wasn’t, it felt almost strange that we weren’t identical anymore.
“When he came out, I remember thinking how incredibly brave he was – but there was also that hint of jealousy that he could be his true self, whereas I wasn’t quite ready.”
And Shea remembers the intense discomfort he felt when the twins were learning about sex education in the fifth grade - the US equivalent of Year 6.
He said: “They separated the class into boys and girls, so we could each learn about our own bodies. Sitting there, hearing it all, didn’t feel right.
“I realised I didn’t want all the changes that come with puberty, like periods and breasts. It felt like it shouldn’t be happening to me.”
Shea came out as transgender in 2017.
He said: “The first person I told was Kasey. We were driving along and I just came out with it, then told him I was going to tell our parents.
“There are no words to describe how amazing it has been to go through this with the person closest to me in the world.
“He made sure I picked a day where he’d be there too, for support. We are a really tight-knit family and everybody was supportive, but they did naturally have questions and fears.
“Aside from Kasey, I have two other brothers, so back then, I felt like the last remaining daughter.
"I think parents can have these pre-conceived ideas of what their child’s life will be like depending on their gender – dads want to walk their daughters down the aisle, mums want to see them pregnant.
“I was scared I was taking that away from them but had been told by my therapist to expect them to go through a period of grieving.
"After all, they were losing a daughter – but gaining a son.”
Like his brother Shea began taking hormones, before also having surgery 18 months ago.
In stark contrast to Kasey’s solitary experience Shea had a number of friends who were also transitioning so was surrounded by others who knew exactly what he was going through.
He said: “Kasey had gone through a real unknown, whereas I knew what was coming. I always feel bad that he went ahead and paved the way.
“There must have been times when he felt really alone, while having him made my own transition smoother.
“Of course, I was there for him, but as I wasn’t out myself then - I didn’t know how he felt.
"When I went through it I had a number of trans friends that I could talk to and even make jokes with about how much puberty sucks the second time around.
“In the period where Kasey was transitioning and I wasn’t it had been strange to not be identical anymore. For the first time, we looked and sounded different.
“But as my hormones began to take effect we would joke all the time about how we were going to be the same again.”
Now, the remarkable brothers, who say their bond has been massively strengthened by going through their transition together, are speaking out to help normalise conversations about being transgender.
Both feeling mentally stronger than they have for years, they are filled with pride when they look back at the courage it took to come out.
By sharing their story they want to encourage others in their situation to find a network of trans people they can safely speak to.
They also want the families of those transitioning to educate themselves and not to shy away from asking questions.
Kasey said: “There are so many misconceptions about gender issues that are making the community feel unsafe and misunderstood.
“It’s a combination of a lack of conversation and a lack of effort to understand, but if we talk more, we can normalise it and help people to open up.
“This has been a real journey for my mental health. There were times when the isolation I felt reminded me of being that little kid who didn’t belong all over again, but since Shea came out I couldn’t be happier.
“I never imagined this life for myself, and if I knew how it would all turn out I would go back and tell my younger self that it will all be okay.”
Shea, who has been with his girlfriend Savannah for a year, also stressed how important having his family on board had been during his transition.
He said: “A really essential part of healing for me was making sure my family understood exactly how I’d been feeling. Talking openly and honestly really lifted a burden.
“So, if anybody out there is struggling with a family who don’t understand, I would say to be patient and try to lead by example and answer questions.
"They can be frustrating, but they can also really help somebody understand what you have been going through.
“With transitioning, there always seems to be some hoop to jump through, so this has taught me so much about patience and resilience.
"But now, with a future I really want for myself ahead of me, I can look back at the hardship and anxiety of the past and safely say it has all been worth it.”
Praising Savannah for her support, he continued: "She is truly amazing and understanding, especially on days where dysphoria creeps back and I feel uncomfortable in my body.
"She is always willing to help me through those times, and I think getting to that level of support and unconditional love has strengthened our relationship over this past year.
"For anyone out there who may be transgender and questioning whether it is possible to get that unconditional love from friends and family, and also for themselves, I want to say that it absolutely is."
The twins' mum Shannon, 49, added: "As their mum, I am extremely proud of both Kasey and Shea for being true to themselves.
"They are amazing people. Both are smart, fun to be with, and most importantly, they are kind and caring."
