A lesbian woman whose partner came out as a transgender man after eight months of their relationship says they are “happier than ever” together.
Sierra Kai and Mitch James, both 19, met on TikTok in October 2021 while Mitch presented himself as a lesbian.
After hitting it off, the couple moved in together in Roswell, New Mexico in March 2022.
Four months later, in July 2022, Mitch joined Sierra as a transgender man and the couple have only gone from strength to strength since.
Sierra Kai (left) and Mitch James (right), both 19, from New Mexico, met on TikTok in October 2021
He came out after Sierra urged him to think about his gender identity because he had “never thought about it before.”
Mitch, a retail worker from Roswell, New Mexico, said, “I was still trying to find myself and Sierra has always been so supportive.
“One day we were in bed and I just felt like I had to tell her.
“I told her I think I’m a guy and that was it.
“I wasn’t really scared, I was just nervous. I never thought she wouldn’t support me, I just wanted to make sure I was making the right choice.”
The couple met while Mitch presented himself as a lesbian before coming out as a transgender man
The couple has gone from strength to strength and say they will always support each other
Sierra, a model, said: “When it came out, it took me a little while to get the pronouns right, but I just exaggerated ‘him’ and ‘his’ in my sentences and got used to it quickly enough.
“I think for the most part our relationship is the same,” said Sierra, who identifies as gendered and is bisexual.
“Nothing really changed – it almost bonded us more because he had the guts to tell me and come out. He’s more himself now too and we never fight.’
TikTok influencer Sierra is bisexual and identifies as gendered with any pronoun
Despite nasty comments online, the couple remain focused on the “positive” comments and rely on each other’s support
The young couple have been besotted since they first met via FaceTime in October 2021 – after following each other on TikTok.
In November 2021, Sierra drove nine hours from their home in Show Low, Arizona to visit Mitch as his home in Roswell, New Mexico.
The couple immediately made their relationship official and have been inseparable ever since, recently celebrating their one-year anniversary.
Since then, they’ve amassed a massive following, with Sierra sharing TikToks with 4.8 million fans, while Mitch has an impressive 161,000 followers.
The young couple moved in together in Roswell, New Mexico, USA in March 2022
The young couple have been besotted since they first met via FaceTime in October 2021 – after following each other on TikTok
Some of their followers were confused when Mitch began the transition, but the couple set about explaining the situation and educating people on how the transition is working
Ever since Mitch began the transition, Sierra has supported him wherever she could — telling him he looks good and affirming his gender identity when he was feeling “low.”
She said, “Before Mitch came to me, I asked him questions like, ‘Do you know who you are?’ and “Have you ever thought about gender?”
“It was interesting because when I first met his family, they told me that Mitch would always cut his hair and dress like a boy, but Mitch wasn’t ready to make the switch.
“He told me he’s never really thought about gender because he’s just always been told he’s a girl.”
Ever since Mitch began the transition, Sierra has supported him wherever she can — telling him he’s handsome and affirming his gender identity when he’s feeling “low.”
Sierra is a model and has a large following on TikTok. Mitch works in retail and also has many social media followers
Although the couple is completely secure and happy in their relationship, they receive a ton of transphobic comments online.
Sierra said these people are “trying to get their 10 second confirmation online,” and she takes care to protect Mitch from hateful comments.
Some of their followers were confused when Mitch began the transition, but the couple set about explaining the situation and educating people on how the transition is working.
Despite some nasty comments online, the couple are focused on the “positive” remarks and rely on each other’s support.
Mitch said, “Sierra’s support means everything to me. When I’m having a bad day, she knows my love language is physical touch, so she holds me or hugs me to help.
“She reminds me of good things about myself and that I’m good looking – it makes me love her ten times more.”