A bodybuilding father has transformed himself into a glamorous woman after struggling with his gender for years.
Transgender Chrisie Edkins, 31, had spent hours in the gym - bulking up to 16stone - in an attempt to convince himself he was a typical alpha male.
But in private, Chris, who is 6ft, had been dressing as a woman for years - and in 2003, bravely decided to go public with his new identity and become Chrisie.
A full-time carer to her daughter Chloe, nine, Chrisie has faced a backlash from outraged neighbours and even been physically assaulted after announcing she was going to live as a woman.
But Ms Edkins, from Southampton, is adamant that being a woman doesn't stop her from being a good father.
She said: 'My daughter is amazingly understanding of my new life as a woman.
She's only nine but she's so mature for her age - more so than most adults.
'I did worry what effect me being Chrisie would have on her, but I think that having a happy parent is more important that having a male parent.
'My sex doesn't determine how good a parent I am, and it's taught Chloe to be accepting and understanding of other people.
'She knows not to judge people by what they look like.
'She has been teased a bit at school - but she can take it all in her stride. She just turns round to the bullies and tells them, 'My dad wants to be a girl", and they don't have a clue what to say back to her.'
When Chloe was born, Chrisie was Chris the mechanic. He also worked as an electrician and once ran a limousine business - where he was inundated with attention from women on hen nights.
But after years of being unhappy with her identity, Chrisie decided to make the leap.
Now a svelte 10.5stone, she has had make-up tattooed onto her face, hair extensions, as well as having laser hair treatment and hormone therapy - followed by a boob job giving her a 34D chest.
But despite her feminine looks, Chrisie insists that Chloe still calls her dad, rather than mum.
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Transgender bodybuilding father transforms himself into glamorous 6ft woman | Mail Online