At 14 years old, Nathan Blake begged the hairdresser to give him a short back and sides while his mum popped out to the shop.
It was an act of defiance as he took the first tiny transition step knowing he was different to his peers.
"I first came out as a lesbian in Year 8 but I still knew something wasn't right. I was suffering inside.
"I didn't even know that transgender was a thing. I was a bit of a loner and I met most of my friends online. Suddenly it all started to make sense.
"When I look back, it was always there. I hated my hair and my body, especially when my top half changed." www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/desperate-transgender-mans-agony-being-4940582