• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content

Home> News

Updated 15:41 11 May 2023 GMT+1Published 15:15 11 May 2023 GMT+1

Conjoined twin admits he hid his true gender from his sister for most of his life

Lori and George Schappell were once the oldest living conjoined twins in the world

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle

A conjoined twin has admitted he hid his true gender identity from his sister for most of his life.

Lori and George Schappell were once the oldest living conjoined twins in the world and George's gender transition made him and his sister the first same-sex conjoined twins to identify as different genders.

George revealed he kept the truth from Lori for the majority of their lives until the ripe old age of 46.

Advert

A conjoined twin has admitted he hid his true gender identity from his sister for most of his life.
Steve Meddle/Shutterstock

The twins, who are joined at the head, were born on 18 September 1961, and stunned doctors by making it past double their life expectancy when they reached 61 years old.

Lori revealed via The Sun: "When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong."

However, considering Lori went on to become a champion ten-pin bowler and George performing as a country singer - it's clear nothing has held them back from 'living life to the full'.

Advert

George added: "Most people don’t believe us but we do have very normal lives.

"We travel, tidy our flat and Lori has even had a boyfriend. Nothing stops us doing what we want."

The twins, who hail from Pennsylvania, US, share around 30 percent of their frontal lobe brain tissue and critical blood vessels, which means they cannot be separated.

After turning 21, George and Lori decided to move out after being 'finally allowed to be independent'.

Advert

Speaking back in 2010, Lori explained: "Now we have a two-bedroom flat and alternate the nights we sleep in each other’s rooms.

"My room is much more girly and reflects my personality, while George’s has all his music posters."

"I kept my desire to change sex hidden - even from Lori - for many years."
Steve Meddle/Shutterstock

While the pair both had to adjust to life with their birth defect together, George had been alone in harbouring a secret after sitting on it for decades.

Advert

George revealed: "I have known from a very young age that I should have been a boy.

"I loved playing with trains and hated girly outfits. I kept my desire to change sex hidden - even from Lori - for many years."

After coming out as a trans man in 2007, he changed his name from Dori and began to finally live in the gender identity he had been all along.

"It was so tough, but I was getting older and I simply didn’t want to live a lie. I knew I had to live my life the way I wanted," he stated.

Advert

While Lori admitted it was an initial 'shock' when George first broke the news to her, she has since said she is 'so proud' of him.

"It was a huge decision but we have overcome so much in our lives and together we are such a strong team. Nothing can break that," she added.

In 2022, George and Lori were dubbed the oldest living conjoined twins in the world by Guinness World Records and currently reside in their apartment in Pennsylvania.

Featured Image Credit: Steve Meddle/Shutterstock

Topics: US News, Health

Rhiannon Ingle
Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Senior Journalist at Tyla, specialising in TV, film, travel, and culture. A graduate of the University of Manchester with a degree in English Literature, she honed her editorial skills as the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the UK’s largest student newspaper. With a keen eye for storytelling, Rhiannon brings fresh perspectives to her writing, blending critical insight with an engaging style. Her work captures the intersection of entertainment and real-world experiences.

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

a day ago
  • a day ago

    Prince William’s major decision on Archie and Lilibet could 'negatively' impact multiple Royal Family members

    The future King's reported decision could affect several other members of the royal family

    News
  • a day ago

    Which countries would be safest to be in if World War III broke out

    Iran and Israel's war is tense, leading people in the UK to be scared of WWIII and nuclear weapons

    News
  • a day ago

    Japan issues brutal statement after Trump compares Iran strikes to Hiroshima atomic bombing

    Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors hit out at the US president's Japan comparison

    News
  • a day ago

    US Supreme Court makes major ruling on Trump’s birthright citizenship plan that could affect millions of people

    The Supreme Court ruling this Friday (27 June) hands what Trump has called a 'giant win' for the government

    News
  • Conjoined twins open up about how one of them met her boyfriend
  • Harry Potter actor Rupert Grint admits he named his daughter after character from Netflix show
  • Mum who used life savings to pay for daughter's cancer treatment wins £1.6m lottery
  • Claudia Winkleman admits to lying to her son for the first 12 years of his life