Izaak Theo Adu - the son of British music icon Sade - has taken to social media to proudly show off his gender confirmation surgery scars.
Taking part in the 'Body Stories' photo series by photographer Stella Malfilatre, Izaak can be seen posing shirtless with his top surgery scars proudly on display.
Sharing the photos with his 50,000+ followers, Izaak captioned the post:
"My scars are here. They set me free. To be who I was born to be. At times it was hard to find the light. Didn’t know if I’d make it to the other side. But here I am. I wear my scars with pride."
The images also show a scar on Izaak's left arm, which Yahoo News reports if from undergoing a phalloplasty procedure.
Malfilatre also shared the images to her personal Instagram feed, captioning her post: "[Izaak] and I first met when he was on the cover of @accent_magazine.
"He has since then been through so much with his body and mind! Izaak - I’m so grateful that you have shared your words you are a powerhouse."
Izaak was born on July 21, 1996, and was named Mickailia Ila Adu by his mother. He later In came out as a transgender man on National Coming Out Day (October 11) in 2016.
In a personal essay to accompany the images, Izaak reflected on the struggles he has faced with his own body. He wrote:
"I went through an extended period where I couldn’t look at my body in the mirror; I was so pained by the reflection that would stare back at me, it was so far from the image I saw through closed eyes. It wasn’t mine; it didn’t align with who I was."
But now, despite Izaak admitting that people inquiring about his scars used to make him feel uncomfortable, he now says he is "proud" of his body.
"Those questions used to make me feel uncomfortable," he writes. "I realize now, that was because I hadn't learned to embrace them yet. It has taken me a long time to get to a place of peace in my shell, but now, I am proud of the body I walk in."
Back in September last year, Izaak thanked mom Sade in an emotional Instagram post, writing: "It’s been a long hard road but We did it!! We are coming home!!!!
"Thank you for staying by my side these past 6 months Mumma. Thank you for fighting with me to complete the man I am. Thank you for your encouragement when things are hard, for the love you give me. The purest heart. I love you so much. Queen of queens."