The defiant parents of a transgender girl who has been transitioning 'since she was two' have told how they feared for her mental health after living as a boy left her deeply unhappy.

Jamie Bruesehoff, from New Jersey, and her now-daughter Rebekah, now 10, have made it their mission to spread awareness of transgender issues after their own experience.

Since her transition began, the brave youngster has been campaigning, attending marches and speaking at rallies to stand up for transgender rights.

Jamie and her pastor husband Christopher say they have supported Rebekah - born Ben - in her transition since she was two.

Rebekah Bruesehoff - who was born a little boy called Ben - and her family have made it their mission to spread awareness of transgender people after their own experience

The youngster with dad Christopher, a pastor. He said: 'I'm always worried about reactions with Rebekah, both in the community, the church and the world. I'm very worried about how the world is going to treat her because I see a lot of ugliness in the world'

Jamie said: 'Rebekah has always been gender non-conforming. As young as two or three she gravitated to typically feminine things.'

As the years went on, her gender non-conformity intensified and she began to search for her identity and the words to describe it. Consequently, her parents realised happiness was declining.

Jamie explained: 'By the time she was seven, all of this hit a crisis point - her anxiety was crippling and her depression was becoming life threatening.

'We were faced with a seven-year old kid who wanted to die. One time she punched out the screen of her second storey window and tried to jump out.'

Rebekah as a one-year-old, then named Ben. Her mother said: 'Rebekah has always been gender non-conforming. As young as two or three she gravitated to typically feminine things'

The couple gradually realised their daughter (pictured as a toddler) wasn't a boy who liked pink - she was a girl. With the help of a gender specialist, Rebekah was able to 'peel back the layers'

Rebekah - then Ben - playing with dolls aged four. Later, following the advice of their family doctor and counsellor, the Bruesehoff family were able to help their eldest son

Rebekah aged seven. Her mother recalls: 'We were faced with a seven-year old kid who wanted to die. One time she punched out the screen of her second storey window and tried to jump'

Following the advice of their family doctor and counsellor, the Bruesehoff family were able to help their eldest son.

With the help of a gender specialist, Rebekah was able to peel back the layers, and that's when her family were able to discover that she wasn't a boy who liked pink - she was a girl.

Rebekah said:'I want to make a difference in the world by speaking out and spreading hopeful messages.'

'I want to send the message of "You are not alone and you are safe" to other transgender kids.'

Mother-of-three Jamie writes a blog called I Am Totally That Mom which has recently become focused on their journey with a transgender child.

Family time: Rebekah with (L-R): eight-year-old brother Elijah, mother Jamie, three-year-old brother Oliver and father Christopher at their home in New Jersey this year

Brave: 'I want to send the message of "You are not alone and you are safe" to other transgender kids,' says ten-year-old Rebekah, who loves dyeing her hair different colours

Oliver, Christopher, Elijah, Rebekah and Jamie at home. Jamie was recently flooded with supportive messages and comments, praising her daughter's braveness, after posting a photo of Rebekah online

Mother-of-three Jamie (pictured with husband Christopher, Rebekah - then living as Ben - and son Elijah) writes a blog called I Am Totally That Mom which has recently become focused on their journey with a transgender child

And in February, Jamie posted a picture of Rebekah holding a sign with the slogan: 'I'm the scary transgender person the media warned you about,' which went viral overnight.

Jamie was soon flooded with supportive messages and comments, praising her daughter's braveness.

The proud mother said: 'The picture went pretty crazy viral. It started out with some really wonderful comments and lots of affirmation, but if I keep scrolling a comment says, "This whole transgender issue is a mental illness but because it's 'cool' you have parents forcing their kids into it".

'We haven't had anyone in our community or families say that we are pushing this on to her but we have had that through social media and my blog, that go as far to say that it is child abuse and we should have our children taken away.'

Proud mother Jamie said: 'We feel confident that we have the best resources we can and we are supporting her the best way that we can'

Jamie worries about the online reaction to her daughter, saying: 'We haven't had anyone in our community or families say that we are pushing this on to her but we have had that through social media and my blog, that go as far to say that it is child abuse and we should have our children taken away'

She added: 'Luckily, every medical professional we've seen says otherwise, so we feel confident that we have the best resources we can and we are supporting her the best way that we can.'

The word 'transgender' was first explained to Rebekah when it came up on the internet as she and her mum were searching for gender non-conforming swimsuits.

Jamie said: 'The term popped up and I took it as an opportunity and told her what it meant and it was very much an "aha!" moment. "Wow, it makes so much sense. This may be who I am.'''

Rebekah added: 'The hardest part of all this was when I wasn't transitioned and I was not happy and it didn't feel right.

'Before I became a girl, I felt unhappy. This is definitely me. I am a girl. I am a girl in my head, in my heart.'

Describing the moment her daughter officially changed her name, Jamie said: It was like a cloud had lifted. She was just more of herself. She was vibrant and she was excited and she was happy and her personality kind of just exploded all over the place'

Once Rebekah really understood who she was, she was able to socially transition and in July 2016 they went to court and legally changed her name from Ben to Rebekah (pictured)

Although her parents are relieved Rebekah (pictured aged eight) is happy and finally comfortable in her own skin, they fear for her future as a transgender woman

Jamie said of her daughter (pictured here aged seven: 'We honestly fear for her safety. I know there is a lot of violence and discrimination against trans people'

Once Rebekah really understood who she was, she was able to socially transition and in July 2016 they went to court and legally changed her name from Ben to Rebekah.

'We saw the difference in her,' said Jamie. 'She was just a different kid. It was like a cloud had lifted. She was just more of herself. She was vibrant and she was excited and she was happy and her personality kind of just exploded all over the place.'

After transitioning to Rebekah, she created a 'Ben Box' with all her 'Ben memories.' Although she doesn't ignore her past, she is over the moon to now be known as Rebekah and seen for who she really is.

She said: 'When I see pictures of Ben, I just think of it as part of my past now I am Rebekah.'

Although her parents are relieved Rebekah is happy and finally comfortable in her own skin, they fear for her future as a transgender woman.

Jamie said: 'We honestly fear for her safety. I know there is a lot of violence and discrimination against trans people.'

Protective: Mother-of-three Jamie writes a blog called I Am Totally That Mom which has recently become focused on their journey with a transgender child

Rebekah at a recent march with her parents. Jamie said: 'Rebekah really doesn't like thinking about the medical side of this. She doesn't want to develop into a man'

Rebekah (pictured at a recent March with mum Jamie) added: 'The hardest part of all this was when I wasn't transitioned and I was not happy and it didn't feel right'

The word 'transgender' was first explained to Rebekah when it came up on the internet as she and her mum were searching for gender non-conforming swimsuits

For now, Rebekah is happy to be treated and recognised as a young girl, but her parents are already researching the medical side of transitioning

Since her transition began, the brave youngster has been campaigning, attending marches and speaking at rallies to stand up for transgender rights

Her dad Christopher said: 'I'm always worried about reactions with Rebekah, both in the community, the church and the world. I'm very worried about how the world is going to treat her because I see a lot of ugliness in the world.'

For now, Rebekah is happy to be treated and recognised as a young girl, but her parents are already researching the medical side of transitioning.

Jamie said: 'Rebekah really doesn't like thinking about the medical side of this. She doesn't want to develop into a man.'

'Medically transitioning involves a lot of different stuff and every transgender person chooses their own adventure.

'For Rebekah, the first steps will be puberty blockers, which will prevent her from going through male puberty and stop her from developing male characteristics - like facial hair, a deeper voice and an Adam's apple - that are irreversible.

'As far as surgery, she hasn't indicated a desire for that. That is a decision she gets to make down the road. That's not something she'd do before she's 18.'