CHELSEA: People say you choose to be transgender. You don't choose to be transgender, you
choose to become yourself and choose to be happy.
COMM: Chelsea J Conroy was born male, but transitioned to female in her twenties.
Then she met the man of her dreams, Craig. But now Craig has revealed his own
secret - he too wants to become a woman.
CHELSEA: The important thing in a relationship is
love, trust and caring for a person. And it doesn't matter if she was Craig before, she's going
to be a woman now. But the people say love conquers all and maybe it does.
COMM: Chelsea grew up as a boy called Jonathan, but couldn't hide her femininity.
CHELSEA: From a very young age I always felt like I was a woman. And I hung around with girls
and I played with girls toys and I dressed in girls clothes.
COMM: She came out as gay at
the age of 13, but still struggled with her identity.
CHELSEA: I always suffered with depression. During school I did try to commit suicide a few times.
COMM: Then Chelsea stumbled across a video about transgender children online and finally
realized what was wrong.
CHELSEA: I ended up watching video after video after video
and watching people's transitions and then I talked to myself. Oh my god!
All these years I felt so down on myself, so confused and the whole time
this was the answer. I remember going and meeting up with my mum and I said I was
going to the doctors and she said "what are you going to the doctors for?" and I said I'm
becoming a woman. And at the time she said "Whatever makes you happy son."
COMM: Finally at the age of 26, she started transitioning to female.
CHELSEA: The first thing I noticed which is, it might sound strange to people, was my eyes look
different. One day I got up and I looked in the mirror and it was like somebody
else looking back at me in a way. And my eyes sparkled, you know, and they say
about happiness coming from within, well I guess maybe that's what it was.
COMM: Just a year after becoming a woman, Chelsea met Carla - then known as Craig -
online and the pair hit it off instantly.
CHELSEA: When I first saw the photograph of Craig
I thought he was really hot and then we decided to meet up for a drink for a
night out in Dublin and everything just felt natural you know? And it felt like
I'd known this person for ages.
COMM: But just a few months into their relationship,
Chelsea was in for a shock when her prince charming revealed his own secret.
CARLA: Chelsea actually discovered a couple of pictures of me online dressed as a woman.
CHELSEA: He started to wear women's clothes and dress up more and more and I was
kind of wondering maybe could he be transgender?
COMM: Chelsea's instincts were right. Finally, Craig told her that he too was transgender.
CARLA: The first feelings came at around the age of eight. Obviously there were
the likes of girl's clothes. Over the years I learned to bury them almost. I
would have done things in secret like paint toenails. I did say it was
something I kept that very private to myself.
So initially I told her I wasn't, because it was in fear of losing her. But however
after a couple of weeks I had to be honest and open up and admit to her that I was.
COMM: Carla thought Chelsea was going to desert her, but she has vowed to stick by
her during the difficult transition.
CARLA: Things that I wear now are all the sort
of women's clothes. Some are almost like unisex almost so whatever it happens
to be, I will become sort of more comfortable in it.
CHELSEA: If I hadn't had met Carla as Craig I wouldn't have fallen in love with her. That's why I'm still here and
that's why I am supporting her and that's why we're staying together
because I love her as a person, regardless of her gender.
COMM: To celebrate their new lives together, the couple are going for a glamorous photoshoot
and Carla will be making her public debut. And their relationship has never been stronger.
CARLA: Chelsea's been amazing to me, she's been my rock. I can't
honestly say I've ever loved anyone as much. She's helped me with everything since I started
transition, I can't thank her enough. The future's looking bright and hopefully we
will get married and have lovely children.