FIRST PERSON: Alex Jones on being a transgender person in Newport

“I first realised I wasn’t a girl when I was four, but I didn’t have the words to explain it – so I didn’t come out until when I was 15.

“I didn’t fit in with the girls and I wasn’t associated with anything feminine. I’d rather roll down a hill in mud than play with a doll, it was a very weird feeling.

“When I was five, I really wanted to be called Max by people, not Kirsten. Looking back at it now, I realise it was one of the key points of my life. That was probably the first sign.

“Other signs were that, if my mum wanted me to wear a dress, I’d be against it.

“I was very strong-willed, I had my own mind, so they gave up in the end and I was told to do what I wanted.

“They kind of understood and didn’t want to force anything on me.

“I don’t really remember primary school, I just remember hanging out with one or two people and that was all the friendship group I had.

"I never used to associate with the boys or the girls, I wanted to be separate and isolated – because I couldn’t fit in either box.

“My early teens, when puberty happened, was another crucial moment. That was a nightmare from all points of directions, I didn’t know what was going as I had just recently moved back to Wales from Yorkshire.

“I shut myself off because my head was a mess - that’s when my mental health started to suffer. I had depression and self-harmed.

“From the age of 13 to the age of 15, that was a bad time. I didn’t know who I was and I didn’t know what was going to happen.

“I didn’t want to be there and I didn’t feel any connection with who I was mentally and on the outside.

“I was always masculine and I was the butch one at school, which led to bullying. When I came out, I was too feminine.

“School was hard.

“I had a counsellor and I explained to her the whole situation about how I felt. I said to her that I felt like a boy but I wasn’t a boy.

“She asked me if I knew what ‘transgender’ means because, three or four years ago, nobody knew.

“I took that away and I analysed it with more detail. That’s when the light bulb went.

“I was like this is who I am, I need to be honest with everybody around me.

“It took a good four months until I told my friends. I told them about how I felt and that I wanted to be called Alex. 25 per cent of my friends accepted me, the rest was hate.

“People didn’t really know what it meant, not even all my teachers understood.

“These days, there’s more education and more resources. So, if somebody, feels non-binary they can turn to Google and find many articles.

“Besides, I think people are getting used to the idea of a diverse community.

“It has been hard to grow up as a transgender person in Newport, I felt there was little support.

“Even though we’re one of the most diverse cities I know, I think there’s a need for more awareness and support for the transgender community in Newport.

“Newport is an LGBTQ friendly and diverse city, but I think we need more education. Slowly but surely, there’s more support and education coming.

“I believe this is one of the little things people miss out on.

“I can still walk down the street now and people will ask me whether I’m a boy or a girl or I’ll get someone shouting at me.

“Other than that, I could walk into a pub and feel ok. I don’t feel threatened 99 per cent of the time in Newport.

“In terms of assault, I’ve only been assaulted once. It was in Cwmbran last January, when a girl punched me on the face.

“The police didn’t have enough evidence, so the charges got dropped.

“I’m very active on Twitter but I very rarely get abused.

“I’ve had death threats on social media before though and I’ve had somebody ringing saying they’re going to get someone to come get me.

“You worry about yourself and the safety of those around you.

“However, the hardest part of my transition has been people’s lack of understanding - you come out two or three times a day.

“It’s a lot more than changing your clothes, it’s more emotional and mental.

“For me, being transgender is being born as a person but then, mentally and emotionally, feel like another person. You’ve to switch off one of them.

“It’s like trying to fit two jigsaw pieces together, but having to alter one so that they fit.

“It’s more than physical. It’s about coming to terms with what your family and friends will think, what you’re going to go through.

“The transition process takes about ten years, it’s a long journey to go on and you’ve to prepare for it.

“First, you need a diagnosis, to make sure there’s no mental illness. Once you get diagnosed with gender identity disorder, you can start taking hormones, which you’ll have to take for the rest of life.

“Surgery takes about ten years because you’ve to go through five different operations. There’s healing time and, if there are any complications, more operations.

“It’s a huge decision, but I’ve known from a very early age. I can’t imagine being any other person, this is who I was supposed to be.

“It was so hard, that’s why I have been campaigning for LGBT rights for young people for two years.

“I’m trying to help people so that it’s easier for them. If my little sister is LGBT, I wouldn’t want her to feel the way I did.

“Gender makes you who you are so my advice would be to be honest with yourself and do what’s right for you.

“You’re only here once so you may as well be who you feel like you are and be happy.

“I work with a charity called Fixers UK, which helps young people with a voice make a difference.

“My first project was a trans awareness poster, which is now in schools and colleges around South Wales.

“Last June, I was on ITV Wales and that’s when it all kicked off. Something so little, exploded into a big thing.

“I applied for Pride Cymru young person champion and got elected as one of the brand new champions.

“I work very closely with them and, for instance, we’ve a video coming out soon.

“However, being so upfront about being transgender is nerve-wrecking.

“I’m going to Swansea University to study public services. I’m very nervous as it’s my first year. It’s a new chapter that I don’t know where it’s going to lead, but I’m very excited.

“I want to be a paramedic, but I’ll see what lives throws at me.”