As a part of CBBC‘s anti-bullying week, the broadcaster will air a ‘My Life’ feature about Leo, a 13 year-old who is transitioning from female to male.

The segment, called I Am Leo and targeted at 6 to 12 year olds, will air next Monday November 17 as a part of the acclaimed My Life series. It is the first time that a programme of this nature has aired on the children’s channel.

The short film documents Leo’s daily life living as a young trans teen, and explores his life since he started living as a boy at five years-old. Leo also meets 20 year-old Natalie, who was born male but lives as a young woman, and Stephen Whittle OBE, who was also born female but has lived most of his adult life as a man. Stephen helped set up Press For Change, a support group for transgender people.

Head of My Life, Kez Margrie, told the BBC magazine, Ariel, “I had wanted to do a story on a transgender child for a while, because I know there are kids out there having a tough time. But up to now, we hadn’t found the right story to tell, and we trusted Nine Lives Media[the production company] to tell this one sensitively.

“It feels very much like his journey and story, as told by him ‘It’s not about the science or the medicine, it is fundamentally about identity and passion – about a boy taking a stand, saying ‘This is who I am’.

“He has an identity that others find tricky to accept. That’s a pretty universal story.”

Cat Lewis, from Nine Lives Media added, “The great thing about making documentaries like this for children is that they’re not born with prejudices. There is a risk that the BBC will be criticised for commissioning this film, but it’s important that CBBC has been so supportive of it.”