https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=504nFq_qBkg
Arin Andrews and Katie Hill look like your average teenage couple in the throes of summer love, but their journey has been anything but average. Arin, 17, and Katie, 19, have both undergone transgender reassignment surgeries and for the first time in their lives, say the’ve never been more comfortable together.
The couple met two years ago at a support group for transgender teenagers, and quickly grew inseparable. They were profiled by The Sun this week following Arin’s surgery to remove his breasts:
“I hated my breasts. I always felt like they didn’t belong. Now I finally feel comfortable in my own body. Now when I’m out in a public pool or lifting weights, no one raises an eyebrow. They just think I’m a guy. I can wear a tank top, which I couldn’t before, and I can go swimming shirtless. I can just be a regular guy. And I’m so lucky to have my family and Katie to rely on.”
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Originally from Tulsa, OK, the teens say despite being bullied and having to change schools, their parents have been nothing but supportive. Their families, in turn, are grateful for Arin and Katie’s relationship, saying it has helped both with transitioning.
“To me, Arin’s just my Arin,” said Katie. “He’s always looked manly to me. But now he’s had the surgery he’s much more confident and comfortable with himself. Being transgender myself, I understand Arin better than anybody else — how good he feels and how complete he feels.”
The couple says they plan to undergo more surgeries to complete their respective transitions, but for now, are content being the cutest sun-baked couple on the lake.
yaoming
M2F + F2M – I guess it’s the new heterosexuality.
Glad they’re getting the help and support they need.
Triple S
Wow, the transformation is bloody flawless. I wonder if the genitalia part worked out…
Jackhoffsky
cutest. couple. ever.
i love love love this story.
Red Meat
This is a heterosexual relationship which ever way you see it…
Charlie in Charge
Adorable is right, very happy for them.
andy_d
Congratulations, first, or finding each other. My you be together and happy for a long time. As regards the reassignment surgery, may your transitions continue without hindrance of ANY kind. Mazel Tov!
Mr. E. Jones
I gotta say, when Is saw that pic I thought they were a biological born male and female couple. Then I read the story, and I’m like, damn!
Tackle
Their doctors did an amazing job. That is one beautiful couple. Their faces are glowing. Someone asked if their genitalia part worked out. I don’t think the doctors got to that yet. Usually when words like more surgeries to “complete ” the transition, taking care of the genital part is what their referring to..And in many cases, that’s the last part to go for the complete transformation.
Will L
They really do make a cute couple.
p-candotorg
So and how does USA deal with their passports and later possible adoption etc?
deepfriedpeas
I question this story. Being familiar with Oklahoma and it’s extreme views and laws this is a court case waiting to happen. IF this is a true story (and it does appear that Katie is equipped as a male) then the laws in Oklahoma would throw her into prison in a heartbeat for having sex with an underage minor, regardless of gender, gender reassignment. Oklahoma is very harsh on this sort of thing. IF this is true than this couple is putting themselves in extreme danger.
Kangol
Great for them!
inktgrl
@deepfriedpeas: First off, if I’m reading it correctly, they are “originally” from Oklahoma not currently from there. (Thank God!) Second, why do you assume they are having sex? Because they are transgender so everything must be about sex for them? I know plenty of couples their age who wait years to be intimate. Never assume you know the details. I’m sure that they and their families are VERY knowledgeable about the dangers they face. They would have to be just to survive in this bigoted, small-minded world.
EdWoody
Lovely story, and they are indeed the cutest couple ever. I’d totally be hitting on Arin if he wasn’t already taken, and, you know, half my age.
vklortho
@p-candotorg: IIRC you can get temporary passports in your new gender until you are able to get a permanent one in your new gender. I still have my old male passport that I eventually have to update. I don’t know how adoption works out, but it’s probably a huge grey area.
Brendan
@Red Meat: It’s not a heterosexual relationship at all, in fact during each transitiion the type of relationship would change and they’ve maintained their attraction. Arin is genitally still a girl but he identifies as a boy, while Katie is the opposite. So for them to be still attracted to each other at every step of the way during this process, they would both be bisexual or more likely pansexual since Katie liked Arin before and after his breasts were removed and each have genitals that are opposite of their assumed gender roles, so it’s a straight, gay and lesbian relationship all at the same time. It’s so complicated and really would only work if each felt the same way and truly understood what the other was going through, so it’s remarkable that they found each, a perfect match and soul mate for the other. 🙂
GeriHew
@deepfriedpeas: The age of consent in Oklahoma is 16.
Deepdow
Aw.
B Damion
As long as they are both happy then I am happy for them. Life doesn’t smile down on everybody. Atleast they took the steps they needed to take to make them feel happy and complete.
BJ McFrisky
@Red Meat: Agreed. I’ve always wondered why the gay community includes transsexuals among us, when transsexuals will be the first to clarify that they are not gay, that they are heterosexuals trapped in the wrong body, and that they’re totally attracted to the opposite sex. And yet somehow it’s becomes a gay issue.
Mary
Deepfriedpeas, this most assuredly is true, and Katie and Arin are still from the Tulsa metro area. Tulsa World reporter Cary Aspinwall did an incredibly good series on “Becoming Katie” a couple of years ago and then followed up as Katie was transitioning. Katie and Arin have both had gender-reassignment surgery. http://www.tulsaworld.com/specialprojects/becomingkatie/
Mary
And they are indeed the cutest couple ever!
Jake
@BJ McFrisky: You do realize the site you are commenting on is called “Queerty”and not “Gay Man/Lesbian Ty”? I have not quite understood the vehemence of some trans-excluders on these various blogs. While it is true that some trans folks have tried to distance themselves from the gay community as part of their transition and identity-building, many do not. And it is hard to see how these two young folks (not much older than my son!) will be anything but “queer”after such a public disclosure. Generosity and open mindedness are always a better rule.
vklortho
@BJ McFrisky: Except for there are A LOT of gay trans people. I am a straight trans woman, but so many of my trans women friends are lesbians and plenty of my trans men friends are gay.
BrinConvenient
@Brendan: There’s nothing non-hetero about this. She’s a (young) woman, he’s a (young) man. Their genitals are really none of your business and don’t change the fact that SHE’S A WOMAN and HE’S A MAN. This was true before they were able to transition and at every stage of their medical and social transitions. Just because they couldn’t always present the truth of their gender and/or their bodies have not always strictly aligned with society’s expectations of physical sex aligning with a particular gender doesn’t mean they weren’t already that gender.
If you have to be closeted at work, because you fear you’d be fired if you were openly gay, would that make you actually not gay? No, you’re gay regardless of other people’s assumptions or assignments of your sexuality. Same with gender. They don’t suddenly become a man or a woman at the moment any particular surgery is concluded. They were a man or a woman before hand. The surgery just helps ease their dysphoria about the body mismatch.
BrinConvenient
@BJ McFrisky: Because plenty of trans people ARE gay and lesbian. In addition, much of the anti-gay sentiment comes from the transgression of expected GENDER roles (i.e., being unmanly, effeminate – or unladylike or masculine lesbians). Femme lesbians and butch and straight-acting gay men get much more of a pass from straight society and are at less risk of violence, generally speaking.
Thus, fighting for freedom of gender expression is the fight for gay liberation.
For the record, I am a pansexual trans woman. We do, actually, exist. 😛
Jen
@deepfriedpeas: Did they say they were having sex? Is that really any of your business? Why can’t you just look at them as a couple who is lucky to have each other and be happy for them without having to throw something negative into the mix? I’m from Florida and the laws here don’t matter unless the parents of the minor press charges..
BJ McFrisky
@Jake:
@BrinConvenient:
It just seems to me that the gay community is constantly inviting anyone with a sexual anomaly into our fold. How many more letters do we have to keep adding to LGBTQ etc etc? I fear one day there will be a P and an SL thrown in there for pedophiles and sheep lovers.
Sterling Ericsson
Um, you all? I’m pretty sure that this story is fake. As the article says, it was first reported by The Sun, which is about as credible as The National Enquirer or any other tabloid journalism like that.
Not to mention that if the supposed FTM boy in the picture used to be a girl, he certainly has a very, very prominent adam’s apple, doesn’t he? I didn’t realize they surgically engorged those now. Oh, wait, because they don’t.
Megaloli19
I love this!!! You cant tell they were ever the opposite sex!!
Savanah
@deepfriedpeas: Honey, the age of consent in OK is 16.
DaniL
@BJ McFrisky …. “How many more letters do we have to keep adding”? How about until there aren’t any more letters and we all are just seen as humans? You make it sound like you are special and have the right to be in some special club where others can’t. Whether you like it or not we are all shunned by society to some extent and we need to stay together. It’s not about how we identify, it’s about how we love and how we are hated for it. And how are you helping your own cause by likening trans people to pedophiles and sheep lovers? That’s the same stupid leaps the conservatives make about gay marriage….
Spread love not hate…
Dixie Rect
If they are a couple, then aren’t they heterosexual? Why is this ‘news’ published on this website?
Alexandra
@Sterling Ericsson:
Ive a video about this couple on Youtube, it’s real!
Alexandra
@Dixie Rect:
LGBT…T as in Trans….Geezzz
eiram
@Sterling Ericsson: The story is legit. The couple has been featured in several other articles in a variety of national and local news publications. Back in February, they were featured in an episode of 20/20, entitled “Crazy Stupid Love”
This article in the Huffington Post includes more info, as well as several other photos of both Arin and Katie: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/23/transgender-teenage-couple-arin-andrews-katie-hill_n_3639220.html
As for the “adam’s apple”, that means nothing. I’m a cis-woman who happens to have a fairly pronounced voicebox…and I’m not the only one! It’s actually pretty common for women to have visible “apples”, especially if they’re of a slender build. Since testosterone can cause a thickening of the cartilage surrounding the larynx and may change the definition of muscle in the neck, it’s absolutely possible for a trans-man to develop an “adam’s apple” without it being “surgically engorged”.
Cutietier
@eiram: Nothing in this article has implied that they’ve had sex.
Cutietier
@eiram: that last comment was not meant for you very sorry
Cutietier
@deepfriedpeas: Nothing in this article has implied they have had sex.
GeriHew
@BJ McFrisky: RE:
“Agreed. I’ve always wondered why the gay community includes transsexuals among us, when transsexuals will be the first to clarify that they are not gay, that they are heterosexuals trapped in the wrong body, and that they’re totally attracted to the opposite sex. And yet somehow it’s becomes a gay issue.”
The gay community are not the LGBT community; the gay community is part of the LGBT community. And gender identity and sexuality are not the same thing.
Most of the trans people I’ve met and talked to about sexuality are basically bisexual &/or pansexual identified. I’ve also met lesbian identified transwomen and I know there are gay identified transmen.
However, even trans people who are only attracted to the opposite gender and ID as heterosexual are still subjected to homophobia by people who don’t accept and respect their gender identity.
Aaronpoohbear9
I think they are cutie-pa-tooties. I think it’s great that they’re families are supportive.And they have each other. Great love story.
jimkat
@Brendan: Nah. Anatomy doesn’t define gender. Women can have penises, men can have vaginas. And I don’t think it’s anyone’s place to put labels on a relationship that they’re not a part of.
Kate LBT
@DaniL: I am amazed by the amount of trans hate expressed by some gays and lesbians. There are some people who literally think that acknowledging that trans people are actually the gender we say we are is a violation of their sexual orientation, and yes sadly I am serious.
Vermin Jerky
Why do I always spot the thing that makes me sad in a happy story?
“I can wear a tank top, which I couldn’t before, and I can go swimming shirtless. I can just be a regular guy.”
Am I the only one thinking it would be nice to be a “regular gal” and go swimming shirtless? We so often talk about becoming “colorblind” as a society; will we ever even aspire to being “genderblind”?
Then young people like them won’t even be an issue. And neither will swimwear.
ZeCarioca
@BrinConvenient: Well said!
ZeCarioca
@BJ McFrisky: You’re in a “fold” all by yourself, dear.
gregm
Very cute couple and I wish them all the best. Not to be snarky, but Katie looks a bit like Quagmire from Family Guy with a wig.
Rin_Akanare
Things that follow phrases like ‘Not to be snarky’: Snarky comments.
Why exactly would you take it upon yourself to try to make such a lowlife asinine comment?
Quagmire is a fictional character, a creep. Why would you say that?
I’m sure you’re God’s gift to the world, too, huh?
Not that I believe that a person’s merits should ever be based on their looks, but to insult them in such a way is ridiculous.
I hope they truly continue to be close, because I’m positively happy about this.
Kate LBT
Gregm, why would ANYBODY say such a thing??? That’s a horrible thing to say, especially about a woman. Gay men really can be the worst misogynists in the world because people let them get away with making those kinds of comments.
Chiara
@BJ McFrisky: A lot of trans* people are not straight. Though even those of us who are straight still go through the same kind of issues and some to more to an extreme. I am a straight transwoman and I identify as queer. We are part of your community and excluding us makes you hypercritical on your quest for equality.
gregm
Eh, just an observation. On a second look…still think she does, but I’m happy about their relationship too.
Beenthere123
Although I believe the story is true, I believe the picture was taken prior to any transitioning and that they are actually male and female as they appear in the picture. I base this on the following. The female’s mouth is much bigger than the male’s mouth. She has a female mouth and he has a male mouth. The same is true for other features of their faces. (male facial characteristics VS female facial characteristics) Nothing was said in the story about either having Facial Feminization or Masculinization Surgery and it would have been necessary for them to appear so perfectly appearing in the picture shown in the article. If they had such surgery, but it was not reported, it would have taken a Looong time for their faces to heal and become normal again, longer than the article implies they have been in transition. Also the male has “man hands” and the female has “girl hands”. Hormones do not change bone structure. I think someone just picked a photograph that was available of the two and that was great looking for the article, even though it was not representative of what they actually were. How many times have you seen pictures of celebrities that have been reversed (for example) to show their “good side”. Frank Sinatra’s pictures, for example, were notorious for that. I still think it is a great story and very encouraging for all who are Trans and are in transition or want or need to be.
GeriHew
@Beenthere123: Instead of stereotyping trans people and coming up with a crackpot theory based on a photograph and your know-it-all prejudices why don’t you just watch some videos of Arin Andrews and Katie Hill?
I mean they’re on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g35kGQGwwM8
Beenthere123
@GeriHew: I believe you have done me an injustice in accusing me of being prejudiced. (I assume you mean I am prejudiced against them) If I am prejudiced at all, which I don’t believe I am, it would be IN their favor and FOR them. Why do you think my username is ‘Beenthere”? I have seen the videos and yes they are cute and adorable and believable. But, the videos are current, that is they show them as they are NOW. I believe the picture in the story was taken before they transitioned. It certainly is a great picture and that is what newspapers and news stories want – Great Pictures. I gave you some examples of how publicity photos are altered to present the person in the best way.
And yes, I do know about facial features and such. If you would like to do some research on the subject, I recommend the book “Facial Feminization Surgery” by Dr. C. Osterhout, who has been an originator and a foremost surgeon in the field of plastic surgery for many years. I never said I did not think their story was true, but perhaps you missed that. BTW, in what way did you think I stereotyped them? I actually did not stereotype them.
BTW I understood that the rules say to avoid personal attacks on brother or sister bloggers. I think that your comment on “crackpot theory” and “know-it-all prejudice” would qualify as an attack. But,I hold no grudge and only seek to impart some knowledge to you that you may not have been aware of.
AND FINALLY, YES, I ADMIRE ARIN AND KATIE FOR THEIR COURAGE.
Beenthere123
Just for the record, my original comment was to counter all those who implied the story was not true, based on the picture in the original article. I know the story is true and that picture should not be used by persons who wish to discredit the story, based on that picture.
Beenthere123
Last comment (today): I re-read my original comment and I think it is actually very PRO Trans people. I don’t understand how @GeriHew came to the conclusion that it was negative of the couple. Some people just like to rant, I guess.
Jessie R
@Beenthere123:
They’re young enough that hormones can still change all of those traits a lot more readily than in someone who has already gone through a complete puberty matching their sex. Hormones **do** change bone structure and other ‘permanent’ traits if started before or early enough into first puberty. That’s why it’s imperative that trans children be allowed to go through the puberty matching their gender, because if they do, they’ll look just like any other member of that gender, and the only thing they’ll have to change is their genitals if they so desire.
GeriHew
NB: The picture of the couple that was on this page has disappeared fro some reason, however it can be seen via a link fro the article: “The couple says they plan to undergo more surgeries to complete their respective transitions, but for now, are content being the cutest sun-baked couple on the lake.”
pic is here:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/5026652/Meet-the-teenage-couple-who-swapped-genders.html#ooid=A3eTBnZDpe7Tipqyw2wal6my2kDHbnz9
You said in your first post: “I believe the picture was taken prior to any transitioning and that they are actually male and female as they appear in the picture. I base this on the following. The female’s mouth is much bigger than the male’s mouth. She has a female mouth and he has a male mouth. The same is true for other features of their faces.” etc,
And your meaning is clear – i.e. that the guy in the picture is really the m2f and the girl is really the f2m. This is what they looked like before they transitioned.
Well that is not the case. And you need to acknowledge that what you said was wrong.
I believe that you were basically stereotyping trans people by implying that you can always tell from certain “tell tale” physical characteristics which cannot be changed.
I am not trans. I do know and have known quite a few trans people and I can say from personal experience that some “pass” totally and other do not.
Beenthere123
To No. 58 · GeriHew. Our discussion or “argument” is silly since we both BELIEVE the story is true. (I (and you)would only KNOW it to be true if we met them in person) We are arguing over a minor point. However, I AM trans and there were more characteristics that indicated who was who in the original picture than I listed and they are both old enough to have developed characteristics (too many to ignore) of their born gender. I do not believe I was wrong and I have substantial knowledge and pictorial evidence to back me up, whereas you have only your admitted lack of knowledge and experience and your opinion to back you up. However, I will admit I may be wrong when they (Katie and Arin) and the photographer, who took the picture, tell us. My opinion on the original picture was and is my opinion. You can stick with yours but the conflict is a tempest in a teapot. We should be speaking out against those who are discriminating against TRANS persons and not waste our energy on pointless arguments. (Unless, of course, that is what YOU want to do.)
GeriHew
@Beenthere123: Huh?
As I already told you, you can see the happy couple on YouTube in several videos.
You can watch this can’t you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRKQJCC_RSM
And listen to what Arin and Katie say can’t you?
If you can, then I repeat you need to acknowledge that what you said was wrong.
Beenthere123
No. 60 · GeriHew: et al: It has been pointed out to me by someone I know (and trust) that I was wrong in my previous assertion.
GeriHew
Thank you Beenthere123.
No hard feelings 🙂