Parents say they face daily abuse from strangers for allowing their son to live as a girl.

Jody and Greg Rogers let daughter Jayden, 5, decide whether she wants to dress as a girl or a boy but have been accused of child abuse for doing so.

The Rogers are believed to be Britain’s first trans family as dad Greg, 27, was born a woman and admitted he would not choose this for his child.

Jayden, 5, with biological mum Jody and dad Greg, are believed to be Britain’s first trans family (Picture: Mirrorpix/Daily Record)

When Jayden first started asking to be dressed as a girl her biological mum Jody, 21, believed it was ‘just a phase’.


She told the Mail on Sunday: ‘I was naive. I didn’t think a child could be transgender and it isn’t until now, after speaking to other parents in our situation, that we realise it is more common than everyone thinks.



‘I had a son one moment and a daughter the next. It probably took me six months to start accepting that it was what Jayden really wanted.

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‘It’s been like a grieving process for me, though. I do miss having a son and, as a baby, Jayden looked so much like a boy.

‘I look back at photographs of him now, in his little suits, and it’s like a different person.’

Greg, who changed gender at the age of 16, said that ‘despite what people think’ the parents have not encouraged Jayden to transition.

‘We are hurt at the suggestion,’ he said.

‘She has no idea that I’m transgender. Having been through this myself, I have conflicting emotions about her deciding she doesn’t want to be a boy any more.

‘It’s not an easy life. People will always judge you and I don’t think there is a single transgender person on the planet who would push that on a child.’

The parents buy both boys’ and girls’ clothes for Jayden to give her options.

‘We have regular conversations with her underlining that if she wants to go back to being a boy, we will love her regardless,’ Greg said.

‘It is not something I would have chosen for myself and certainly not something I would choose for my child, but she is so much happier now.’

Jayden is given a choice of boys’ or girls’ clothing every morning but says she wants to live as a girl (Picture: Mirrorpix/Daily Record)

Jayden first stated she wanted to live as a girl almost a year ago, and Greg said that her teachers, friends and the majority of their neighbours in the small Scottish town of Shotts, North Lanarkshire, have been supportive.

But a resident recently made an anonymous complaint to social services after seeing Jayden playing outside the family home in girls’ clothing, accusing Greg and Jody of child abuse.

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North Lanarkshire Council social workers are understood to be monitoring the situation but have so far been happy for Jayden to remain with her family.

Greg said: ‘Social workers can see that Jayden is well looked after and have no concerns other than to suggest we consider moving home because of prejudice from some people in the area.



‘Some parents have even told their daughters not to play with Jayden because she’s really a boy.

‘But we’re refusing to move as the vast majority of our community have no issues with us and are supportive.’

The couple have spoken to health visitors, GPs and Jayden’s school and have been advised that Jayden should be allowed to choose who she wants to be.

Her teachers invited an LGBT expert in to meet with staff and speak to pupils about the wider issues of gender identity.

In the future, Jayden faces the prospect of taking hormone blockers if she wants to remain a girl.

The blockers are prescribed at 16, boys given oestrogen and girls testosterone, if they choose to change sex.

The effects are irreversible and can have ‘lifelong implications’ for users.

Jody and Greg had Jayden assessed by mental health services in Scotland who told them she did not have mental health issues, merely a gender issue.

Jayden is now on a waiting list for a specialist young people’s gender service but she is too young for medication or hormone treatment.

She will receive counselling over the next few years, her parents said.

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