Things are about to change big time for Bradley Cooper, a 16-year-old British boy from Hull, East Yorkshire. Hold your horses – it’s definitely not the Bradley Cooper that has made it big in Hollywood. This Bradley Cooper actually calls himself Ria, and he has been dressing (and behaving) like a girl since he was 12 years old.
Recently, he was informed that he can undergo a sex change operation costing £10,000. Even better news for the teenager is that the local NHS trust will be paying for the whole thing. The operation will take place anytime in the next year and a half, and this will make Bradley (Ria) they youngest patient in Britain to undergo the procedure. Prior to him, the youngest case was Angel Paris-Jordan, who was almost 18 when she had the procedure done.
Naturally, this decision by the NHS has given rise to a lot of controversy. For one, the issue of sex change has never been widely accepted. There are still a lot of camps who are thoroughly opposed to the idea of homosexuality, much more sex change. Another reason that this story has ruffled a lot of feathers is that the government will be paying for the operation. It is not surprising to hear opinions such as that NHS money can be put to better use.
And what does Ria have to say about that? “I know people might say horrible things like the money could be better spent on other things. But this is my life, and it won’t be worth living unless I have that operation.”