Sam Cutbush, 21, from Essex, has always faced brutal judgment on his gender identity. Sam discusses with Claudia Montague the relentless harassment he faced, causing lifelong damage to his mental health.

Sam, aged eight, happily walked back from his friend’s fancy dress party with his mum, excitably dancing along the road in his pink and black cat outfit. He pranced and twirled down the road, grasping something tightly in his little hand…