The UK's first transgender prom queen from Ceredigion is "glad" she didn't take puberty blockers as a teenager and says it's "cool" to be tall and have a deep voice as a woman.

Lori Darling, 23, from Cardigan, says she knew she was a girl from the age of three and, after doing her research, told her mum, Sarah Young, 44, she was transgender aged 13.

She struggled through puberty but began growing her hair long and wearing girls' clothes.

Lori made history as the first transgender prom queen when she was voted by her classmates at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi seven years ago.

Transgender student Lori Beynon steps out on her prom night where she was crowned Prom queen. See SWNS story SWQUEEN; A teenager has told of the "best moment of her life" when she was crowned as the UK's first ever transgender school prom queen. Inspirational Lori Beynon, 16, was born Luis but started transitioning two years ago after confessing her true identity to her mum in a text message. The bubbly fashion lover now wears a skirt to secondary school and is set to start hormone treatment in the coming months. But the glamorous teen was astonished when her classmates at Cardigan Secondary School voted her to be this year's Prom Queen at their end of
Lori says she is glad she didn't take puberty blockers before she was 18 ( SWNS.com)

Now Lori has been taking puberty blockers and hormones for five years - after getting prescribed aged 18 - but is "glad" she was only able to start them as an adult.

NHS in Wales and England decided puberty blockers would no longer be routinely available for children with gender dysphoria in March 2024.

Lori, a screenwriter, said: "I’ve been on blockers and hormones for about five years now and the effects are amazing, but I’m glad I got them as an adult.

"I don’t want to be infertile - which is another benefit to not medically transitioning as a child.

Lori Darling, 23. Release date August 27 2024. The UK's first transgender prom queen is "glad" she didn't take puberty blockers as a teenager and says it's "cool" to be tall and have a deep voice as a woman. Lori Darling, 23, says she knew she was a girl from the age of three and, after doing her research, told her mum, Sarah Young, 44, she was transgender aged 13. She struggled through puberty but began growing her hair long and wearing girls' clothes.Lori made history as the first transgender prom queen when she was voted by her classmates at Cardigan Secondary School, in Cardigan, Wales seven years ago.
Lori still lives in Cardigan and is a screenwriter (Lori Darling / SWNS)

"They were telling kids they need blockers to survive, then they took them away, and those are the kids I'm worried about.

"I believe the only way forward now is to teach these kids they’re beautiful just how they are, and growing up trans looking is beautiful.

"Having a deep voice as a woman is cool. Being tall is awesome. You shouldn’t have to look cis to be accepted by the world."

Lori was born male but loved wearing her big sister 25-year-old Chloe's clothes and playing with dolls.

She started researching online aged 10 to put a name to her feelings.

Lori said: "I've always wanted to dress like a girl and present myself as a girl.

Transgender student Lori Beynon's Prom queen certificate. See SWNS story SWQUEEN; A teenager has told of the "best moment of her life" when she was crowned as the UK's first ever transgender school prom queen. Inspirational Lori Beynon, 16, was born Luis but started transitioning two years ago after confessing her true identity to her mum in a text message. The bubbly fashion lover now wears a skirt to secondary school and is set to start hormone treatment in the coming months. But the glamorous teen was astonished when her classmates at Cardigan Secondary School voted her to be this year's Prom Queen at their end of
Lori was named prom queen in 2017 ( SWNS.com)

"Being called 'him' and 'he' never really felt real to me. It always felt wrong. It was weird.

"I used to put my sister skirt on my head to pretend it was long hair.

"I knew I was a girl. I didn't think or know I was any different. It was only when I got older that I started to realise that the outside didn't match the inside."

She revealed to her supportive mum, Sarah, she wanted to have gender reassignment treatment aged 13 but didn't start puberty blockers until she was 18 - due to waiting lists.

Lori said: "I was told how perfect blockers were. I was told that was the end goal for me.

"That's what I wanted at the time.

"We were sold this idea they are these perfect things.

"If I didn't go through male puberty - I wouldn't have gone through things I've grown to love.

"I'm glad I grew up into who I am now.

"There is this idea that you have to look not trans to be beautiful."

She started counselling and changed her name to Lori Beynon in June 2015 but has now changed her last name back to her birth name - Darling.

Lori said: "Darling was too special to let go forever.

"I used to wear darker colours so I didn’t stand out, I think that’s also why I changed my last name from something like Darling, but now I love to stand out."

In July 2017 she was crowned prom queen - her only regret looking back is not wearing a pink dress.

She said: "I got so much hate I started to believe it, it affected my psyche.

"I believed I didn’t deserve to be prom queen. I believed I was ugly. It really affected me.

"But now I look back with so much pride for my 16-year-old self.

Lori Darling, 23. Release date August 27 2024. The UK's first transgender prom queen is "glad" she didn't take puberty blockers as a teenager and says it's "cool" to be tall and have a deep voice as a woman. Lori Darling, 23, says she knew she was a girl from the age of three and, after doing her research, told her mum, Sarah Young, 44, she was transgender aged 13. She struggled through puberty but began growing her hair long and wearing girls' clothes.Lori made history as the first transgender prom queen when she was voted by her classmates at Cardigan Secondary School, in Cardigan, Wales seven years ago.
Lori Darling (Lori Darling / SWNS)

"I wish I wore a pink dress instead of a black one but 16-year-old me made history.

"I recently got a little black crown tattoo on my finger to honour that."

Lori has now been transitioning for five years but has decided against bottom surgery.

She said: "I’m not getting bottom surgery.

"I used to wonder if I was gender fluid or something because I don’t subscribe to this idea you need all these surgeries to be a woman.

"I used to think getting blockers as a child would be life-saving and I needed them to be happy, I was wrong.

"I understand the risks of blockers, I’m just really worried about the kids who were promised them and told they need them to be happy."

Despite being "glad" that she didn't take puberty blockers as a teenager, Lori said that every case is unique and she wants to "give hope" to trans kids.

She said: “I don’t want this to be an anti-puberty blockers piece, I know every case is unique and I’m not a doctor, I’m just a trans woman with a tiara who wants to give hope to trans kids and their families who have had this taken away.

"There are surgeries and lasers that can undo the effects of puberty you don’t like, but in ten years when you’re thinking about starting a family you could see this as a good thing.”