'I just want people to accept me for who I am'

The kids at school call Milla Brown "gay-girl" and "weirdo" - but in an astonishing video inspiring millions around the world the young Kiwi says he only wants people to accept him for who he is.

Milla, 9, was born a girl but identifies with the male gender.

The heartbreaking video documents the journey and explains his struggles and distress at the idea of becoming a woman. It reveals how he insisted on wearing boys' clothes from two years old and later demanded all his blonde hair be cut off.

Despite constant bullying, Milla insists he is staying with the decision and the video is a plea for understanding and support.

"Nobody wants to be my friend," Milla says. "I just want people to accept me for who I am."

By last night the video had been viewed five million times and shared by more than 100,000 people.

Milla's mother Renee Fabish, who is from New Plymouth but now lives with her family in Brisbane, posted the video online two weeks ago.

She told the Herald on Sunday that the response had been overwhelming.

"It was only ever intended to be for my friends and family to make them aware of the change Milla was going through," she said.

"They know, but it was just putting it out there publicly so no one had any questions.

"It has definitely taken me by surprise and I'm very overwhelmed at the response that it's got."

Fabish, who is back in New Zealand visiting her sister, writes in the video that she doesn't want her son to be part of the large percentage of transgender community that suffer mental illness.

"We are not willing to let our child become one of those statistics," she wrote.

An image from Milla Brown's video.

Milla was supported "whole-heartedly" by his family, and is "extremely happy" living as a boy.

The video shows the journey since Fabish found out she was pregnant with her second daughter in 2004, to today.

The slideshow of photos and messages written by Fabish includes the difficult times she had gone through when Milla came to her in tears asking if there was medicine that could turn her into a boy.

"I have gender dysphoria," Milla says.

"I feel like I am in the wrong body. I am having a really hard time at school at the moment, kids tease me all the time."