'National moral model' completes gender change surgery

28-year-old Liu Ting undergoes gender change surgery to become a woman. [Photo / Beijing Times]

For many Chinese, gender change surgery is still something unusual, and for the 28-year-old Liu Ting, the decision to undergo gender change surgery was even more difficult to make.

Liu, born in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, is known to the public for looking after her (formerly his) uremia-stricken mother since she was 13. Her father had abandoned the impoverished family and left Liu to care for her mother alone.

When she became a college student in 2005, Liu brought her mother to live in a rented room near the campus so that she could continue to care for her.

Liu's story made headlines shortly thereafter, and in 2007 she received the title of "national moral model," a title conferred by the Chinese government to people who have shown outstanding moral character.

Liu came under the spotlight again in August 2014 when she announced that she would undergo gender change surgery to become a woman, something she had always dreamed of doing.

"I used to feel really depressed, as if part of me was not here. I now feel complete after the surgery," Liu said after completing the six-month set of surgeries recently.

Her mother, Lu Yongmin, who was initially against Liu's wish to undergo the surgery, told reporters that she now fully understands Liu's decision and hopes her daughter will be accepted by society.

Liu revealed that some directors have contacted her about making a film based on her story. She has also penned a book, which will be published soon.