Zay was trapped in a boy's body, see what set her free

Anne Saker | Cincinnati.com

Show Caption Hide Caption Zay was trapped in a boy's body, see what set her free Zay Crawford felt trapped in a boy's body at a young age. This is the story of one family's journey to acceptance and understanding of their 12 year-old daughter. Video produced by Meg Vogel for CINCINNATI.com.

Jason Crawford is a pilot, his wife Chasilee, a nurse. In 2002, they had a second child, a boy they called Isaiah, to join older brother Jeffrey. A relative nicknamed the baby Zay, and it stuck. Life went on.

One day when Zay was about 2, the Crawfords watched a movie made from the Dr. Seuss classic "The Cat in The Hat." Not long after, Jason and Chasilee overheard the kids playing scenes from the movie in which Jeffrey was the little boy . . . and Zay was the little girl.

"I remember thinking, 'What's going on here?' " Jason said. "That was something that was different to us. I didn't know what to think about it. Then, I don't know how, but Zay got a princess dress. It was blue. Zay wore holes in it."

Every time the family went to Toys R Us, Jeffrey aimed for the Legos, Zay for the dolls. Jeffrey said, "There was a lot of stuff like: 'I'm not like Dad. I'm like Mom.' "

One searing moment snapped Jason out of his just-a-phase explanation. Zay needed to go to an urgent-care office for treatment of an ear infection. Jason filled out paperwork for his boy Isaiah, and they waited in an exam room. The doctor came in. He looked at the clipboard, at the child in a dress, at the clipboard, at the child. Perhaps the paperwork is wrong, said the doctor. Jason replied, no, Zay is just a boy who likes girl things.

On the ride home, Jason, weary of always having to explain Zay, wondered how to spare his child such embarrassment again. He chose his words carefully: Isaiah, when we go do things like this, where there are going to be forms, do you think it would be easier to just throw on a ball cap and a pair of shorts? Would that be easier?

Without hesitation, Zay said, "Wouldn't be easier for me."

The words struck Jason like a knife. Zay wasn't the one who was embarrassed about Zay.

"Right then it hit me: OK, this is not a phase," Jason said.

Watch the video above to see Zay and her family's journey as she grew older. And click below for the full story by Anne Saker of CINCINATTI.com.