Teenager Hannah Whetton and her mum Carol look like any loving mother and daughter, bonding over shopping trips together and sharing make-up tips. But theirs is no ordinary mother-daughter relationship – as just over a year ago Hannah was Carol’s son.
When we heard Hannah’s incredible story, we knew the newspapers and women’s magazines would be clamouring to feature it.
Hannah – who changed her name from Arron by deed poll six months ago – says she always felt trapped in the wrong body. She finally began living as a woman in February last year and is now taking female hormones while she awaits a sex change operation.
It’s something many mothers would struggle to come to terms with, but Carol, 45, insists she is a hundred per cent behind her daughter as she makes this life-changing decision at just 17. She says: ‘Although I’ve lost my son, I’ve gained a wonderful daughter who means the world to me.’
Hannah, meanwhile, says changing sex has had an unexpected consequence – as she now gets on better with her mum than ever before. She says: ‘We used to argue all the time but we get along really well now, probably because I’m so much happier. It’s almost like I’ve been reborn.’
Last week Hannah and her mum appeared in The Sun, where they talked about how much their lives have changed over the past year. The Sun paid for the pair to travel to London, where they did their hair and make-up and styled them for a professional photo shoot that appeared in the paper.
Hannah says: ‘My mum and I had so much fun at the shoot, and they even let me keep the clothes! I was nervous about selling my story but Katie really put me at ease and it’s been such a fun experience.’
After Hannah and her mum appeared in the Sun, we were contacted by several magazines, and since secured them deals with Take a Break and Star magazine.
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