Jay, who was Jodie,
CUDDLING up together for a photo, Donna Cummins and her boyfriend look like any other loved-up couple.
But incredibly her partner Jay Proffitt was born a girl.
And now he is about to complete a sex change so that the pair – who have never seen themselves as lesbians – can live the rest of their lives as a STRAIGHT couple.
Madly- in- love Donna, 24, and 20-year-old Jay hope to marry and become a mum and dad.
But only after Jay, who has already started taking male hormones, has completed his sex change.
Yet while Jay worried she might be shocked by the revelation he was transgender, Donna, who has never fancied women, told of her relief over his confession.
She explained: “When I fell for Jay he was still living as Jodie. And I was so confused as I knew I wasn’t gay – I’d had boyfriends – and I’d never f ancied a woman before.
“So I wasn’t shocked at all when Jay told me he was transitioning into a man. To me he had always been really masculine a nd suddenly everything made sense.”
And Jay – who from a toddler felt he had been wrongly born as a female – added: “I also knew I wasn’t gay. I always fancied Donna as a man would do.
“Donna has been so accepting and supportive. She’s amazing.”
Jay first noticed Donna when he was 12 years old. He recalled: “I was sat in a café when I caught Donna’s eye. But she seemed much older and I was too shy to talk to her then.”
However, a few years later she came up as a suggested friend on Facebook and the pair struck up an online friendship.
Donna said: “We had a lot in common as both of us were in care at the time. My mum had learning difficulties and when I was aged three she gave me up because she couldn’t look after me properly.
“Meanwhile, Jay, who was still Jodie, had fallen out with his mum and was living with a foster family.
“We were both going through difficult times and it was great to have someone to confide in.
“We’d spend hours talking online. I felt lucky to have a friend I could talk to about anything.”
Two years later – when Jay was 17 – the pair decided to meet up.
But while they both thought they would simply be meeting as two friends, their meeting in a coffee shop didn’t go as planned.
Jay said: “I was bowled over by how beautiful Donna was. As soon as I saw her I fancied her.
“Although she wasn’t in a relationship she chatted away about boyfriends and I felt quite jealous.
“However we were supposed to be meeting up as two friends. So I didn’t dare say anything as that would have been too awkward.”
Donna was also confused. She said: “I’d seen photos of Jay as Jodie and knew he had short hair. But I had no idea just how much of a bloke he was until he turned up that day.
“It was strange as I’d never fancied a girl in my life before and yet I found myself so attracted to Jay.”
The pair began meeting more regularly after that first time.
Jay recalled: “I’d had girlfriends in the past but I knew Donna wasn’t a lesbian. However there was a great sense of attraction between us and I felt she fancied me as well.
“Yet although I was so close to Donna I didn’t dare tell her how mixed up I felt inside.”
Two months later, however, they exchanged a kiss and began dating.
Donna says: “I couldn’t resist Jay, but I didn’t understand why I was so attracted to Jay as even the thought of being with a woman didn’t turn me on. But one day it struck me the reason was Jay was s o masculine. That’s when I said being with him was like being with a guy.”
Jay added: “Donna’s remark got me thinking. At the time I was working in a restaurant and confided in a colleague. She suggested that maybe I should speak with a counsellor about my feelings.
“I had just one session and a as I spoke about it more I realised th that I was a bloke wh who had been born into a girl’s body.” For years before that bombshell moment, Jay had always struggled with his gender. He explained: “From a young age I preferred action figures to dolls and I was always happiest helping my dad with DIY.
“Sadly my refusal to do all girly things caused lots of arguments.
“Once mum and I had a big row because I refused to wear a dress as a bridesmaid. Eventually I agreed but I just hated wearing frocks.”
Breasts
As Jay hit puberty the teenager’s confusing feelings escalated.
He said: “I hated seeing my breasts develop. I used to look at the boys and long to have a deep voice and facial hair. At the same time I didn’t feel I fitted in with boys or girls.”
Jay’s inner turmoil led him to lash out at his mum. He said: “She had split from my dad and was a single mum. One day after a particularly violent row, she turned round and said she was sorry but I couldn’t live with her any more.
“I know sending me into care was the hardest thing she’d ever done but I was desperately unhappy and didn’t understand why.”
Aged 16 Jay got his own flat and by 17 he had met Donna and the pair began dating.
Relieved the counselling had revealed the reasons for his unhappiness, Jay worried how Donna would react. He said: “To my relief, when I sat down and told Donna she said she wasn’t surprised. She’d always seen me as a bloke.
“She’d never felt our relationship was one of two women, and definitely not as lesbians, but a traditional man and woman.”
It was the start of a new life for Jay, who immediately told friends and family he no longer wanted to be called Jodie.
Even Jay’s mum, whom he still occasionally sees, began calling him her son. And Donna and Jay, from