AFAB teen 'thankful to God' for being counted among boys at Nowshera school

NOWSHERA: Hassan Shah and his family are over the moon after the teenager followed experts' advice and transitioned into the male gender, becoming eligible to join an all-boys school.

Assigned female at birth, or AFAB, the 19-year-old college student with an intersex condition was formerly known as Hira Usman. Known as sequential hermaphroditism in science, his condition is a protogynous one — or female-to-male sex change.

A promising student, Hassan Shah would now be given admission at a boys' college.

Speaking to Geo News, Shah said he had been experiencing changes in his biological sex since the past four months, with the growth of facial hair and some mental health issues.

He then chose to consult medical experts and consequently underwent a sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

"I'm thankful to God for this miracle, whatever God chose for me, I'm happy about it," Shah said.

The youngest among 10 siblings, Shah has two more brothers and seven sisters. One of his brothers told Geo News that their family was "rejoicing over this" development.

"God has given us a new brother in the shape of Hassan Shah," the brother said.

Dr Noor Alam, a surgeon at the Nowshera District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, said a female-to-male or male-to-female change "is definitely possible".

"This is their true identity and this is very common in the medical field," Dr Alam added.

Rozina Rehman, the principal of Shah's alma mater, said the teenager was a first-semester student of Bachelors of Science (BS) at the political science department of the Government Girls Degree College Nowshera. He "is an amazing student", she said.

"It is all with the blessings and will of God. Following [the required] documentary changes, Shah will probably be migrating to the boys college," the principal added.

Hassan requires trust and support not only from his family but the society as well and he is sure he will successfully continue with his life.