A former gun-toting U.S. Marine who weighed 240lbs and drove a muscle car has revealed how she had a sex change to become a woman after admitting she had been running from her real identity.

Sona Avedian, 33, said she had been suppressing her true self by seizing on dangerous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as a way of 'overcompensating'.

Ms Avedian, previously Matthew, even married and fathered a child before coming to terms with her identity in 2012 and undergoing a huge transformation.

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Transformation: Sonia Avedian told how she went from a hulking U.S. Marine named Matthew, left, to her slim, post-transition self (right) after realizing she was stuck in the wrong identity

She lost almost 100lbs of her body weight, shaved and lasered away her facial hair and had breast surgery, in the process became almost unrecognizable.

Despite having achieved what she calls 'The American Dream' - a well-paid job, a Trans Am sports car, a pick-up truck, a wife and an adorable child - Ms Avedian said her former life made her 'depressed' and couldn't fill a 'void' created by her longing to be a woman.

Looking back, she says her six tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, as a Marine and then a military contractors, as well as a stint in Japan, were only ways of hiding from her troubled identity in Detroit, Michigan.

Switch: Ms Avedian had hair removal treatment, hormone therapy and breast augmentation to look more feminine

'American Dream': Ms Avedian said she achieved what most would consider success - but that it didn't make her happy

In 2012 she decided to reveal to friends and family that she wanted to pursue life as a woman - stunning her wife Lucy, from whom she is now amicably divorced.

As part of her transformation she had hormone therapy as well as surgery to remove hair and give her 34D breasts.

Ms Avedian, who now lives in Austin, Texas, said: 'Since I came out I have tried to live a normal life - it's like anyone, there are good and bad times.

'There are certain things I miss, I lost a lot of friends but I've also made a lot of new friends.

'I was following the American dream - I don't even know who I'm looking at in the before pictures, it was so depressing.

'Depressing': Ms Avedian said her outwardly macho persona, left, was a way of suppressing her urges to be feminine

'Personally I'm much happier, I don't have any conflicts with who I am. I am definitely a tomboy and that's okay. Before I couldn't stand myself and I couldn't interact with people.'

Although Ms Avedian admits her relationship with her ex-wife was difficult at times, she said she has always had a strong bond with her five-year-old daughter.

'My daughter and I are awesome, she adores being around me. She only remembers me as a woman and I love how we interact, we are so much alike.

Ms Avedian is pictured above just after starting her transition in 2012 - before most of her surgery and treatments had taken place

'Even though she's five, she has really intelligent conversations, especially if you push her to talk. I can talk to her like an adult. Most of our dialogue is cute little banter and I love it.'

Ms Avedian has now put her military past behind her, and works as a driver for ride-sharing services Lyft and Uber in Austin.

She runs a Facebook page and YouTube channel documenting her life post-transition - one video she made has amassed over 1.6million views.