Being Me True North

I was born in 1996 in County Down.

I suppose I looked like every other girl. But I wasn't. And I'm not.

I'm 19 now. My name is Oliver and I'm transgender.

I was born in a female body but I'm living my life as a male.

I'm not one to make a big deal about it but, for me,

it's about being who I really am.

OK, everybody, this is Trans Pride.

Today I'm in Brighton for Trans Pride.

I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone march just like a community.

Being in a group of people like this, I do feel more accepted

and I feel a lot more comfortable.

One of my earliest memories is my first Holy Communion.

When I look back at the footage, I don't recognise myself at all.

I wore a big white dress which I ripped up afterwards.

But I can never relate to girls in the same way I can relate to guys.

I always felt a lot happier whenever I was out playing football

or playing the Xbox,

rather than inside doing make-up or anything like that.

Ollie, wait till you see what I found.

Oh, God! Whenever you do look back on it all,

was I any different than other...

Not in the younger years, no.

Apart from the fact that you didn't like the ringlets in your hair

and never would wear a dress.

That stage was something that we just thought you were a tomboy.

I was depressed for many years and I couldn't understand why.

I wasn't sleeping at night.

I didn't go out and see my friends, I just stayed in my room.

As a family, it was very hard because you weren't sure how to help

or how you could make the situation any better.

My chest felt numb and I felt really isolated and trapped.

My mum would often come into my room and just make sure I was still there.

I would say I did experience a grieving process

whenever Oliver told me that he was transgender.

I'd given birth to a baby girl.

That's quite hard then to think of.

You're almost nearly losing part of a child.

I didn't want to go anywhere. I didn't want to be anywhere.

I didn't really want to exist.

There was an awful lot of issues there to deal with.

But we've dealt with them day by day.

At 17, I changed my name to Oliver.

And I started the new school year as a boy.

I remember walking in in trousers.

There was one girl stood up and screamed like, "Good on you!"

And that was just really encouraging.

I'm very proud of Oliver.

It was a very, very brave thing to do at such a young age.

It's a much happier child that we have now.

Life seems to be falling into place now.

Oliver is definitely living the life that he should have been living.

Very, very happy. Very outgoing and the difference in that

and a few years ago is brilliant. Great to see.

I've changed and my life has changed. I'm definitely happier now.

I'm just about to start university in England

and I'm excited for the year ahead, just being me.