It took several years for Lea Olsson to pinpoint what was wrong before she was confirmed – she had gender dyphoria. The condition means that one's gender identity does not match the biological sex that one was born with and therefore entails suffering.
"It was really tough when I realized that. I wondered why God had given me this challenge but realized that it was just to take it on, says Lea Olsson.
Telling loved ones was hard and telling the rest of the world took years. Not least, it was nerve-wracking to tell the church.
The church gave a warm reception
"There were only positive reactions. They said that I had done the right thing and that this was me. It felt fantastic," says Lea Olsson.
Now she wants to help other young people.
– I have experience and knowledge of what it is like to have gender dysphoria and what it is like to get through it. Now I can help others in the group who are on similar journeys, says Lea Olsson.
See more in the video from Lea's journey.