news.aol.com - An Omaha child born a boy will start the next school year with a new name and a new identity -- as Katie, a girl.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, the parents of the 8-year-old say the child they first named Ben exhibited girlish tendencies as young as 2, when he would create long hair using scarves. A year later, he donned a tiara and dressed as a princess for Halloween.
The child's mother told a CNN affiliate that she's come forward to tell her family's story so people will understand. The Omaha newspaper reported that it is difficult to accurately estimate the number of people in Western countries who are transgendered, meaning they see themselves as a different gender, according to the American Psychological Association.

"If the child is truly transgender, it's not going to go away," said counselor Megan Smith, whom the family consulted.
Ben's family looked at his school drawings that expressed his frustration with feeling like a girl, but looking like a boy. They asked him what he liked about being a boy, and he always answered, "nothing."
Finally, they decided to let Ben be what he wants -- Katie.
"This really isn't our journey," his mother told the newspaper. "We're kind of observers on this path."

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