Relationships4 min(s) read
The husband of a woman born without limbs has opened up about one of the questions he is asked most frequently, explaining how he feels about his wife's transition.
Briel Adams-Wheatley, who has built a huge online following by documenting her everyday life, has around five million followers on TikTok and another million on Instagram.
Born in Brazil, Briel has a rare condition known as Hanhart syndrome. Only around 30 cases are believed to have been recorded worldwide, with the condition thought to be linked to vascular disruption during fetal development.
She was adopted as a child by a family in Utah, where she grew up, and has since become known for showing people exactly how she navigates life without limbs.
Among her many talents is makeup. Briel regularly shares videos showing herself applying cosmetics and even putting on false eyelashes, demonstrating the independence she has developed over the years.
Briel began creating content during lockdown after finding herself with plenty of time on her hands.
The 26-year-old told People: “I was like, ‘Let’s film a makeup video.’ So I filmed one just from the chest up, and it did really well. But all the comments were like, ‘Why aren’t you using your hands? Why aren’t you using your hands?’”
Initially, she had not intended to explain why she did not use her hands. But after repeatedly seeing the same questions, she decided to reveal more of herself.
Showing her full body online helped Briel become increasingly comfortable with her appearance, despite also receiving cruel comments from internet trolls.
She has previously credited her adoptive mother with helping her develop confidence and independence from an early age.
That encouragement also helped Briel discover a passion for dance. She eventually auditioned for her school's talent show and realised that performing could help challenge other people's perceptions of her.
“I realized I needed to show people at school that I wasn’t just the kid in the wheelchair,” she said.
“Before that, I wasn’t getting invited to parties or asked to hang out. But once people saw what I could do, everything changed.”
By the time she reached high school, Briel had joined her school's dance company and was creating her own routines as another form of self-expression.
Briel has not always been known by her current name. She came out as a transgender woman in 2023, having met her husband Adam on Tinder three years earlier.
According to Briel, Adam was supportive from the beginning and even built her a custom desk at a height that worked for her, helping to make everyday tasks easier.
Before they married, Briel had already spoken to Adam about her feelings surrounding her gender identity.
“Yeah, I had also told him a little bit before we got married, too that I was having feelings about it, but I just wasn’t sure if it was something I was comfortable with, actually fully going into and just keeping suppressed,” she explained.
“And if he was comfortable with it and everything.
“But Adam was the first person to know before everyone. And I waited a few months before I did it publicly as well. I already started a few things behind the scenes.”
Since Briel came out publicly, one question has repeatedly been directed towards Adam: how does he feel about his wife's transition?
Adam addressed the subject directly, making clear that her happiness was what mattered most to him.
“I really couldn’t care less about her transitioning,” he said. “I mean, like, I’m very happy that she found who she is. And I’ve seen a big difference in her happiness and confidence and everything.”
“But I mean, I fell in love with her and not what she was, just who she was.”
Adam explained that one of the trickiest parts of the transition was adjusting to Briel's new pronouns, particularly because he knew about her plans before she had told everyone else.
“It was hard going from like pronouns for more than one reason. One, because I knew before everybody else. So I had to use he/him in front of people, and I couldn’t remember who she had told yet or not,” he said.
“And so it was really confusing to use one thing at home and another [outside their home].”
Then, just as he had become accustomed to using the correct pronouns, Briel changed her name and began wearing wigs.
“And then as soon as I got the pronouns under control, she changed her name and then started wearing wigs,” Adam said.
“It was just a lot of learning, learning, learning, learning, learning. But it was a good journey. She was patient with me.”
