Health: Girl Trapped In Boy's Body Gets Transformation With The Help Of Local Doctor
By Stephanie Stahl
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A sex change operation has been completed in the Philadelphia area on one of the youngest patients ever. A growing number of transgender adolescents are being diagnosed. 3 On Your Side Health Reporter Stephanie Stahl has more on the new trend.
Like any teenage girl, Aly Bradley likes makeup and tries different hairstyles and outfits. She says she's always been drawn to girly stuff, even though Aly was once a boy named Luke.
"I felt trapped in the wrong body because I had a girl's brain, but a boy's body," said Aly.
"It became apparent pretty quick that Luke was different," said Bob Bradley, Aly's father. He says Luke always talked about being a princess as a child. And then refused to go to school, unless he could dress like a girl. Middle school was tough.
"People would just say like rude comments, just mean spirited things," said Aly.
"I thought maybe the easy explanation was that Luke was gay, but as things went along you realize there's more to this," said Bob.
After extensive therapy that started when Luke was nine, he was diagnosed with gender identity disorder. After years of dressing like a girl, Luke and his family agreed he would become Aly.
At 13, Aly was given a medication that kept puberty from starting by suppressing testosterone.
"It makes the transition of the patient easier because they don't develop male characteristics," said Dr. Sherman Leis, with the Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery. He completed Aly's transition last month.
"We use most of the tissues of male genitalia and convert them to female genitalia," said Dr. Leis.
"It only made sense for me to be one hundred percent girl," said Aly.
The female hormone estrogen that Aly now takes helps with other female characteristics, like breasts.
"More and more people are coming for treatment and the question can be asked are more people becoming transgender? No, people are coming out of the closet," said Dr. Leis.
Studies have shown adolescents diagnosed with gender identity disorder have higher rates of psychiatric problems and suicides. Those rates decrease following transitions.
So is anyone opposed to changing a child's gender hormonally and surgically? Experts say as long as the child is psychologically cleared, and isn't too young, there's no scientific evidence that it's dangerous.
Aly is now starting 11th grade, and while she struggled with depression in the past, especially after her mom died, she's happier than she's ever been. She has big plans for the future.
"I envision definitely getting married probably, and I do want to adopt children," said Aly.
"She's my hero. She has more courage and bravery than anybody I know," said Bob.
Now that she's 17-years-old, Aly says she's finally the person she was always meant to be.
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Transgender Resource Guide- http://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Health-Care-for-Underserved-Women/Transgender-Health-Resource-Guide