A transgender man has taken the decision to 'de-transition' back to living as a female after realising she was 'happier before'.
Alia Ismail, 27, grew up as female but decided to transition to become a man in May 2015.
She started taking testosterone and even underwent breast removal surgery in 2016.
Alia quickly grew a beard and went by the name of Issa.
But after six years of identifying as male, Alia realised she would be 'far happier' living as a woman again and in January 2021 she decided to de-transition.
She has since started dressing in feminine clothing again and has stopped taking testosterone.
The 27-year-old has also undergone laser hair removal on her face and body to remove traces of her 'masculine' appearance.
Despite some criticism from the transgender community, Alia says she just wants to raise awareness and use her voice to help others who might be struggling with their identity.
Alia, a student barber, from Detroit, Michigan, US, said: ''I did not think I was going to be this feminine person again.
''I was always a very fluid child. I was a tomboy and then a hyper-feminine girl until aged 18.
''After that, I was really masculine from 19 to 27, when I was living as a trans male.
''I'd actually gotten depressed after the fourth year and was really confused on why since I was very happy at the beginning of my transition.
''It wasn't until my six-year mark, of living as a man, that I knew I could de-transition.
''The thought suddenly came to me out of the blue, and I was met with relief.
''I knew I needed to listen to myself.''
Alia - who described herself as a 'tomboy' growing up - socialised with and dressed like other boys her age until the age of 12.
She came out as transgender socially to friends and family at age 18 - and began her medical transition at the age of 21.
She took testosterone for six years, until she was 27, and had breast removal, known as 'top surgery.
The hormones drastically changed her appearance, helping to create more masculine features, such as a deeper voice, muscle, and hair growth, while also redistributing fat away from her hips and breasts.
She explained: ''I looked male, there was no question.
''Testosterone is such a powerful hormone.''
After living happily as a man for three years, she became unhappy and suffered from long bouts of depression.
She had an 'epiphany' at the end of 2020 after realising she didn't have to take hormones for the rest of her life.
In February of 2021, after her revelation, Alia decided to de-transition back to living as a female.
She explained: ''It's interesting thinking about my life and the fluidity of gender in these different stages.
''I feel I'm in the right place for myself now, at this moment in time.
''The biggest advice that I can give is truly listening to yourself, following your intuition, and what’s right for you.
''That should give you all the signs that you need.
''I want to help trans people to feel comfortable in their identity and be ok with questioning their identity.
''But just because hormones weren't the lifelong path for me doesn't mean they won't be for someone else.
''I want to help people on all sides of the conversation because I've been there.''
Alia Ismail, 27, grew up as female but decided to transition to become a man in May 2015.
She started taking testosterone and even underwent breast removal surgery in 2016.
Alia quickly grew a beard and went by the name of Issa.
But after six years of identifying as male, Alia realised she would be 'far happier' living as a woman again and in January 2021 she decided to de-transition.
She has since started dressing in feminine clothing again and has stopped taking testosterone.
The 27-year-old has also undergone laser hair removal on her face and body to remove traces of her 'masculine' appearance.
Despite some criticism from the transgender community, Alia says she just wants to raise awareness and use her voice to help others who might be struggling with their identity.
Alia, a student barber, from Detroit, Michigan, US, said: ''I did not think I was going to be this feminine person again.
''I was always a very fluid child. I was a tomboy and then a hyper-feminine girl until aged 18.
''After that, I was really masculine from 19 to 27, when I was living as a trans male.
''I'd actually gotten depressed after the fourth year and was really confused on why since I was very happy at the beginning of my transition.
''It wasn't until my six-year mark, of living as a man, that I knew I could de-transition.
''The thought suddenly came to me out of the blue, and I was met with relief.
''I knew I needed to listen to myself.''
Alia - who described herself as a 'tomboy' growing up - socialised with and dressed like other boys her age until the age of 12.
She came out as transgender socially to friends and family at age 18 - and began her medical transition at the age of 21.
She took testosterone for six years, until she was 27, and had breast removal, known as 'top surgery.
The hormones drastically changed her appearance, helping to create more masculine features, such as a deeper voice, muscle, and hair growth, while also redistributing fat away from her hips and breasts.
She explained: ''I looked male, there was no question.
''Testosterone is such a powerful hormone.''
After living happily as a man for three years, she became unhappy and suffered from long bouts of depression.
She had an 'epiphany' at the end of 2020 after realising she didn't have to take hormones for the rest of her life.
In February of 2021, after her revelation, Alia decided to de-transition back to living as a female.
She explained: ''It's interesting thinking about my life and the fluidity of gender in these different stages.
''I feel I'm in the right place for myself now, at this moment in time.
''The biggest advice that I can give is truly listening to yourself, following your intuition, and what’s right for you.
''That should give you all the signs that you need.
''I want to help trans people to feel comfortable in their identity and be ok with questioning their identity.
''But just because hormones weren't the lifelong path for me doesn't mean they won't be for someone else.
''I want to help people on all sides of the conversation because I've been there.''
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