'I was suicidal at age seven': Transgender teen on her painful transition into adulthood and how she still finds physical intimacy difficult

Katie Hill , 19, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was previously called Luke and underwent sex-change surgery last year



The pretty brunette has found comfort in Arin Andrews, 17, a transgender boy who also encountered prejudice growing up

Arin has had cross-sex hormone therapy and is considering genital surgery



A transgender teenager has told how she suicidal thoughts at the age of seven, as she grappled to come to terms with the fact she a femle trapped indie a male body.



Katie Hill, 19, form Tulsa, Oklahoma, explained in a trailer for today’s edition of Trisha , that when she hit puberty the emotional pain increased as she encountered ‘verbal exclusion’ and ‘physical abuse’ from peers.



But now the pretty brunette, who had gender reassignment surgery last year, has found comfort in a transgender boy who went through a similar experience growing up.

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Emotional journey: Katie Hill, 19, said she had suicidal thoughts at the age of seven, as she grappled to come to terms with the fact she a female trapped indie a male body

Arin Andrews, 17, was born a girl called Emerald, who excelled at ballet dancing and won beauty contests.



He and Katie met almost two years ago at a support group for transgendered teenagers and bonded through their shared stories.

While Katie has fully transitioned, thanks to a $35,000 donation form an anonymous donor who read her story in a local newspaper, Arin is still awaiting sex-change surgery.



Asked by Trisha if they are physically intimate with each other, Katie replied: ‘It’s a little bit harder, [there’s] no matching gear. The intimacy’s not there really.’



Shared stories: Now the pretty brunette, who had gender reassignment surgery last year, has found comfort in Arin, 17, who went through a similar experience growing up

Changed lives: Luke Hill (left), before he became Katie, aged seven and Emerald Andrews, before she became Arin, at the age of five in Tulsa, Oklahoma (right)

Before the transgender treatment: Luke Hill pictured (right) at the age of five before he became Katie and

Emerald Andrews, (left) at the age of four at dance recital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, before she became Arin



‘But is was never about that with us. It’s about the connection and the love that we have,’ Arin added.



Indeed, a photograph on his Facebook page, shows him and Katie laughing together, with a banner reading: ‘Love is about hearts not parts.’



To date, Arin, who is still at school, has had cross-sex hormone therapy and undergone an operation to remove both of his breasts - which he said he ‘hated’. This means he can now go swimming or go to the gym without getting funny looks.



In the future Arin might consider having genital surgery, but this can be expensive and complicated – for now he’s happy with his body.



'It's about hearts not parts': The transgender couple say that their relationship is about having a good connection and it's never been about intimacy

There for each other: Both the couple's families are supportive of their relationship and say the way the way the teenagers have supported each other has helped in their transition

‘It’s hard to believe that you were ever a girl,’ Trisha told him, astounded at his masculine appearance.



Both the couple's families are supportive of their relationship and say the way the way the teenagers have supported each other has helped in their transition.

Arin's mother, Denise Andrews said: 'Seeing Katie go through her surgery was helpful to Arin.



'It was being around it and seeing her getting to transform. And being a couple at the time was I think just the cherry on the cake.



'Every transgender person would love to have the transformation physically because it just completes them as a person.'



Katie's mother, Jazzlyn Hill recalled the moment she knew something was not right with her son.



‘Katie started telling me that he wanted his parts off,’ she told Trisha.



The last two years have been very difficult for the teenagers.



Katie was bullied at school, and Arin had to change to a different high school when he revealed he was transgender, and has lost friends in the process.



Young and in love: Transgender teens Arin Andrews, 17, seen posing for a picture with sweetheart Katie Hill, 19, at the Oologah Lake in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Living life to the fullest: The teenage couple have been bullied and lost friends but have been able to support each other through their gender treatment

'I lost one of my best friends through the transition,' said Arin. 'We used to go on vacations together and were like sisters.



'But I got the chance to open her eyes and show her I'm still a good person. I'm still the person I was, I just look different.



'She was gone for a while but then she came back.



'It taught me that the people who really love you need some time, but they'll always come back around.'



After he began dressing as a boy, Arin also lost a new male friend who learned about his past as a girl.

'He said: ''I pictured you as a girl, and I can't do it anymore,''' said Arin, adding: 'You can't just force people to be your friends.'



Defining themselves: Last year Katie had a $35,000 sex change surgery to turn her into a woman - and now Arin has followed his dream to have a flat, male chest following an operation

Young romance: The couple have been together for two years

Katie started her degree course at an Oklahoma university last autumn but has struggled to make new friends because of prejudices against transgender people in the traditional Southern State.

She said: 'I had quite a lot of friends in college that were really close to me and then all of a sudden they just stopped talking to me.

'I think what happened is they found out I was trans through a story or word of mouth and they decided that was too much for them.'

The last two years have also been difficult for the teenager's families as they've come to terms with losing their son and daughter, and also some of their own friends.



Arin's mum Denise said: 'There are still a group of people we don't interact with any more. I know that they questioned me as a parent, they're not comfortable with it.'



Graduating grin: Katie, pictured with her mother Jazzlyn, is the first openly transgender teen to graduate from a high school in Oklahoma

But she added: 'A lot of people worry about losing the gender of their child. But as you look through albums and realise your babies are growing up, we also watched them grow up and turn into somebody different.



'Whether they stay the same gender or not, they become independent.'



Now their outward transformation is complete, the teenagers hope people will accept them as their new genders, and their difficulties will become a thing of the past.



'More needs to be done to let people know about transgender issues,' Katie in a previous interview.

