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Stereophonics' Kelly Jones "proud" of how family have coped with son Colby's transition
24 November 2020, 10:57 | Updated: 24 November 2020, 11:51
The Stereophonics frontman has opened up about his transgender 15 year old, who was born a girl and named Lolita Bootsy.
Kelly Jones has opened up about his trans son Colby and how supportive everyone has been in his family.
The Stereophonics frontman's 15 year old child was born a girl and named Lolita Bootsy, but has been transitioning into male.
The Welsh rocker told the Daily Star: "As a family, it’s all our job to help him realise he’ll eventually get to where he wants to be, and I’m proud of how we’ve coped."
On how Colby's school mates reacted, he continued: “I’m flabbergasted that, through all this, not one person has bullied Colby or made any sarcastic comments to him.
“He looks like a cool little guy, too, with a messy haircut and Dr Martens - he’s found his own little style."
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However, it wasn't always smooth sailing, and the Mr. Writer singer admitted that he found it difficult at first.
"It’s very hard to put into words, but it was difficult to come to terms with it at the start," he revealed. "I almost found myself going through a sort of grieving process, as though I’d lost a daughter and hadn’t had a chance to say goodbye properly
“But then you realise they’re the same person, the same soul, and suddenly it hits you: ‘Right, I need to get my head around this.’
“I mean, how tough must it be to feel you were born inside the wrong body? I can’t even begin to imagine."
The Welsh rock band's 2019 track Fly Like An Eagle and its accompanying music video was inspired by what he thought was his child's gay coming out story.
However, Kelly Jones and is family soon realised that it was more about his son's gender than his sexuality and becoming that Colby has made him feel more whole.
Speaking on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place earlier this year he said: "Now I don’t feel like I’ve lost anybody at all… Colby’s in the house, his sister Misty made him a painting for Christmas with the word ‘Colby’ on it. All these little sweet things...
"On Christmas Eve, we had about 20 people round the house. He’s always been really nervous about doing songs in school… but he walked downstairs and started singing some song he heard off YouTube in front of everybody. It’s almost like you take off one jacket and feel much more confident about who you are as yourself."
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If you have been affected by the themes in this story, please seek advice from the helplines below:
Trans Helpline
0300 330 0630
Transgender Support
Mermaids
Lesbian, Gay, Bi & Trans advice at Support U
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