Transgender actress is fundraising for life changing jaw surgery after she admits her jaw is holding her back

A transgender actress is fundraising for “feminisation” jaw surgery after believing her jaw is holding her back from getting lead roles.

Amelia Hindle, 23, who has gender dysphoria, says she needs £15,000 for surgery to make her jawline more feminine.

The procedure is not covered by the NHS.

“I understand for a lot of trans people the genital surgery for them is most important, but people see my face every day - not many people see what's in my pants.” The actress, who works as a ghoul at Blackpool Tower Dungeon, admitted.

“I'm uncomfortable having male genitalia but I'm far more uncomfortable with my stronger nose and my masculine jawline.”

Read more: Gabrielle Union’s daughter comes out as transgender

Hindle didn’t come out until 2017, so her earlier theatre roles were male parts.

She has been on the NHS waiting list to undergo lower surgery for three years, but it’s not expected to take place for another one to two years.

In 2017, she was diagnosed with gender dysphoria - when a person experiences discomfort or distress because there is a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity.

She can trace her struggle back to being 12-years-old when she started to have her first inclinations that she was born in the wrong body.

“It has slowed me down and I feel if I wasn't trans I'd have got into drama school. I'm also often type-casted in transgender roles.

“In some ways it can be good as it makes you more memorable and people are interested in you but it can also impede you.

“That's one of the reasons why the facial surgery is so important to me.

“My face is my tool and if it passed more as typically feminine then I could fly under the radar and land female roles.”

Read more: Transgender woman forced to remove make-up for driving license photo

It wasn’t until Hindle was 15 that she began researching gender dysphoria. The time in between had a huge impact on her emotions - as well as her ability to socialise.

“I was permanently acting to cover it up. I was burnt out a lot and felt inferior and embarrassed.” She admitted.

At 20, she found the courage to come out as transgender and take steps towards getting the help she needed.

This involves a long wait for genital surgery, but in the meantime Hindle has been able to see a private specialist to speed up the process with hormones.

Facial surgery is not covered by the NHS, though.

“These professionals know what gender dysphoria is but I don't blame the NHS because they are woefully underfunded, and it is more expensive to have the facial surgery.

“So as frustrating as it is I can see why they do that.

“However, I think there needs to be more education in schools, the media and medical world, as even some GPs don't know how to treat the condition.

“There are some misconceptions and trans people just need to be normalised.

“We've sometimes been treated as a joke by people.”

She’s currently funding the treatment herself.