The Heartwarming Story of a 72-Year-Old Transgender Beijinger

After decades of dreaming about it, Xin Yue has finally transitioned into womanhood. Better still: 69-year-old Leng Rui, Xin's wife of over 40 years and their daughter are both supportive of the lifelong Beijinger's brave decision.

For much of Xin's life, such acceptance seemed bitterly out of reach. Growing up as a girl that had been born in a boy's body (per the trans-friendly terminology in GLAAD's glossary), Xin – who went by the male name that her parents had given her at the time – would tie her hair in ponytails, help her mother sew, and mostly avoided playing with the boys in her neighborhood. Xin was so fearful of contentious encounters with her male classmates that she never went to the toilet at her school.

Xin's partner of over 40 years is supportive today. But this story did not have such a happy beginning

Xin said, in an article published on February 17 by Chinese media outlet Dongjiang Shibao Wo Yao Baoliao 东江时报我要爆料, "I'd wear flowery, colorful dresses as a kid. Other people didn't know I was a boy, and I never told the other boys and didn't play boys games."

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Photos: dongying.dzwww.com, BGHEI

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