Ep. 490 Sophie Ottaway: Engineered at Birth to Be a Girl

Photo: ©Sophie Ottaway via Canva.com

Shows Main Idea – Rick Thomas interviews Sophie Ottaway, born as a boy but engineered to be a girl when he was two. Sophie had a physical abnormality but did not find out until he was twenty-two. Sophie is thirty-seven years old today. Sophie tells the story of what the doctors did, why the parents went along with it, the secrets kept, how he found out, and why Sophie chooses to live as a girl today. Sophie’s story is incredible, honest, sad, and inspiring.

Show Notes

• Follow Sophie on X
• Sophie Ottaway’s Website
• Webinar: Transgenderism—I Think; Therefore, I Am

Sophie’s Story

Sophie Ottaway, from England, has a unique and compelling life story. Born a boy in 1986, he was diagnosed with a rare birth defect called cloacal bladder exstrophy, a condition affecting the bladder and genitals. Due to this condition, his bladder was in two halves, and on the outside of his body, along with part of his intestines, there was a tiny split penis.

Doctors advised Sophie’s parents to change his gender to female, with the reasoning that it would lead to a better outcome, including fewer infections and hospitalizations. Believing it was in the best interest of their child, his parents agreed to the surgery, which was performed when Sophie was just two days old. The doctors subscribed to the theory that gender is learned, not innate, and advised his parents to raise him as a girl without telling anyone about the change, including Sophie himself.

Sophie grew up unaware of his birth gender. He knew he had medical complications and that his ovaries were damaged and removed, requiring him to take hormones from the age of 11. However, the whole truth came out when he was 22 during a routine medical appointment for tonsillitis. A doctor inadvertently revealed his medical history, showing that he was born a boy. This revelation led to years of struggle for Sophie, including denial, excessive drinking, and drug use. Despite these challenges, he has reconciled with his past and family and is now open about his experience.

Sophie’s life experience raises questions about medical ethics, gender ideology, and the current crisis among our youth. He desires to share his story, hoping that a few will not go down the road of gender reassignment.

1. Need More Help?

   1. If you want to learn more from us, you may search this site for thousands of resources—articles, podcasts, videos, graphics, and more. Please spend time studying the ones that interest you. They are free.
   2. If you want to talk to us, we have private forums for those who support this ministry financially. Please consider supporting us here if you would like to help us keep our resources free.

   

Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).