A 20-year-old transgender man has boasted how his sex life with his 22-year-girlfriend is "better than most straight peoples."

Born a girl called Magda, Max Damrath, said he knew from an early age that he had been born into the wrong body.

At school, cruel bullies pushed Max around and taunted him.

He said: "I was bullied almost constantly at school. Children weren't keen on me. They knew I was different and took advantage of it."

Now Max, from Reading, Berkshire, is hoping the kindness of strangers will help him raise the £500 needed to begin his female to male transition.

He needs money to access private healthcare, a process he has already started.

Max said he was aware he was different to other girls from an early age, although he was only diagnosed with gender dysphoria by a doctor in mid November this year.

Now he will start taking hormones – something he hopes to begin in the New Year.

He said: "Growing up, I never wanted to wear dresses or play with dolls.

"I just wanted to play with the boys and toy cars. I knew in my heart I was a little boy.

"The hardest thing about my childhood was being encouraged to wear dresses when it didn't feel right. I hated dresses."

Now Max said he is living "fully as a man" and said: "I have completely dissociated with Magda.

"When I look at pictures of her I don't recognise myself."

After officially coming out as transgender aged 18, Max said he finally feels comfortable in his own skin, but can still experience anxiety attacks when people insist on "gendering him."

Adding: "Sometimes at the bar I work at, a customer will say 'excuse me madam' and it totally spins me into anxiety.

"Sometimes I am too anxious to go into university.

"But on the other hand, there have been some positives. I used to play hockey for my women's team, but I've just been asked to play for the men's team instead, which was a great feeling."

Now, Keele University student Max has found a solid group of friends, and is happy in his relationship with Kelsey Welch who he has been with for nine months.

The pair met at university where Max is studying criminology and psychology.

He said: "We met during the first year of uni. She was absolutely fine with me being transgender.

"We're very happy together. Our sex life is better than most straight people."

It was Kelsey who encouraged Max to look into hormone therapy and he has since set up a GoFundMe page called 'Transition Funds' to help raise the £500 he needs to continue the therapy.

On the page, he writes: "I'm Max and I'm trans. I've been having a tough time coming to terms with accepting myself and I've finally found a way to be happy."

Currently, Max is only looking to undergo testosterone treatment, and is not considering a phalloplasty, surgery on the penis.

He has also worked with the LGBT charity Stonewall and as Magda went into schools and discussed LGBT issues.

He said: "It was hard going into schools as Maggie but I wanted to promote awareness.

"Now I am willing to go back into schools and show people that there is always hope. I've got a girlfriend, I'm at uni, I'm happy – I'm just living as Max.

"It's the life I always should've had."