A former beauty queen has revealed why giving up the chance of becoming Miss America helped realise his dreams of becoming a man.

Ashton Colby, 23, from Columbus, Ohio, who was once a blonde bombshell, now lives as a man with his straight girlfriend - and loves working on his muscles.

As a teenager, Ashton's killer figure and stunning looks were the envy of his friends but the gorgeous then-teenager - who started competing in pageants aged 17 - secretly dreamed of life as a man.

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As a teenager, Ashton Colby, from Columbus, Ohio (pictured left competing in a pageant in 2011), was a beauty queen but now lives as man (right). He has a straight girlfriend - and loves working on his muscles

Ashton, pictured showing the scars from his a double mastectomy, competed in Miss Ohio in November 2011 which could have led to Miss America but instead came out as transgender, which shocked friends and family

Being constantly told he was 'pretty', however, made it all the the more difficult for Ashton to make the transition.

University student, Ashton, who prefers not to reveal his original female name, explains: 'When I came out as transgender, people didn't understand that I wanted to be a man when I was such a pretty girl.

'But being this beautiful blonde girl wasn't really who I was inside. I'm much happier as a man and I don't miss the dresses and make up - I love having stubble and biceps! This is my true self.'

After starting on testosterone in 2012, Ashton, underwent an $8,000 (£5,500) double mastectomy in 2013, paid for by his father, and is currently deciding whether to have sexual re-assignment surgery.

Before: Ashton's long blonde hair and killer figure was the envy of friends (left); Right: Now, as a man (right)

Ashton began taking testosterone in 2012 and is now a muscly guy who has a straight girlfriend

Ashton first started feeling unhappy with his gender as a toddler but says being complimented for being 'a pretty girl' made it difficult to come out.

He says: 'My mum wanted me to do ballet and wear dresses, but I was a tomboy and into baseball.

'Deep down inside from an early age, I knew that I would be happier if I was a man. But everyone kept telling what a pretty girl I was, so I ignored my feeling and tried to fit in.'

When Ashton came out as a lesbian at the age of 13, she felt the pressure to be feminine even more.

Ashton created this 'before and after' imageof his body in 2012 at the beginning of his testostorone treatment and in 2015 after his $8,000 (£5,500) double mastectomy, which was paid for by his father

Ashton, explains: 'I was attracted to girls but I still didn't feel I was being myself.

'I tried to be a girly lesbian and put a lot of effort into trying to convince people that I was happy.

'My friends and family encouraged me to be girlie so I went to the gym a lot and I did my hair and make-up every day. Lots of the girls at school were jealous of my looks.'

Ashton's stunning looks caught the attention of local pageant coaches and at the age of 17, she started competing in beauty contests.

Over the next two years, Ashton took part in over six pageants - winning multiple trophies and becoming the runner-up in Miss Teen Columbus.

Left: Ashton Colby when he was still living as a female; Left: His manly body now, without his breasts

Ashton recalls: 'I excelled in those beauty contests and my family were so proud of me when I did them. I knew I could make a good career from doing pageants but showing off my body in figure-hugging dresses didn't feel right.

'I thought if I kept showing people that I was the prettiest girl out there at these competitions, then I wouldn't have these feelings of being a man inside.

'I didn't know anything about being transgender either so it was very confusing.'

But by November 2011, Ashton - who was a US size 4 (UK size 6) - started finding it difficult to suppress his desires and took part in his final pageant, Miss Ohio.

'My last pageant was Miss Ohio, which could have led to Miss America.

Transgender Ashton Colby, 23, with his girlfriend, in December 2015. For Ashton, who was a bombshell catwalk queen, being constantly told he was pretty made it all the more difficult to come out as man

Ashton, pictured with his girlfriend, came out as transgender and began living as a man. His friends and family were stunned by his confession and didn't understand why he would want to give up life as a gorgeous woman

'But when I was competing for Miss Ohio, I felt so uncomfortable and anxious on stage. I hated it.

'I couldn't keep up the act, messed up and broke down in tears after the show.

'After Miss Ohio, I started watched YouTube videos about trans men who were same age as me. The videos gave me the confidence I needed to realize who I was and accept myself.

'There was hope for me to get the sex-change surgery I so badly wanted.'

In February 2012, Ashton came out as transgender and began living as a man. His friends and family were stunned by his confession and didn't understand why he would want to give up life as a gorgeous woman.

Ashton, right, when he was still living as a female. He says: 'I had grown up getting a lot of validation for my pretty looks so when I came out as transgender, lots of people were shocked and confused'

Ashton, who studies public affairs, explains: 'I had grown up getting a lot of validation for my pretty looks so when I came out as transgender, lots of people were shocked and confused.

'It had only been about six months since my last pageant and people couldn't understand why I would want to throw my beauty queen future and beautiful looks away. Everyone said I would regret my decision.

'My mum was devastated that I was throwing away all the effort and success that I had in pageants. She thought I could have an easy life staying as this pretty girl and was worried I would be ugly after transitioning. For a few months, my mum didn't speak to me.

'But my father was very accepting and eventually my mum came around too. My friends supported me as well, lots of my girl friends were pleased that they got to have my old pageant clothes!'

Ashton started taking testosterone injections in June 2012 when he was 20. In May 2013, Ashton underwent a double mastectomy.

Ashton, pictured in April 2015, explains: 'After a few months [of having a mastectomy], I started seeing changes and feeling a lot happier. It was amazing being seen as a boy by everyone finally'

Ashton explains: 'After a few months, I started seeing changes and feeling a lot happier. It was amazing being seen as a boy by everyone finally.

'After a few years on testosterone and my chest surgery, I started developing into the man I wanted to be. My voice got deeper and my chest was hairier.

'I love going to the gym now and lifting weights. I want to have masculine muscles and be really strong physically.'

Ashton is happily in a relationship with his girlfriend of a year. He is still deciding whether he wants to have sexual re-assignment surgery.

'I have a girlfriend who loves me for who I am and I am happier than ever. I'm still figuring out whether I want the gender-reassignment surgery and one day we hope to adopt kids.'

Ashton runs a YouTube channel and hopes to become an advocate for transgender people.

'YouTube really helped me through my transition and I wanted to give something back. I've had a beautiful outpouring of support from my viewers and I want to keep raising awareness.