Contact.
If you can suggest any movies, television shows, documentaries, or video games, I'd love to hear from you! Any media recommendations must include trans men, transmasc people, AFAB non-binary individuals, or depictions of chest binding. The main mission of this site is to push back against trans male invisibility. Before you send any emails, check to see if your question is answered in the FAQs.
FAQs.
Q: Why did you make this site?
A: I got tired of reviews which claimed to recommend great trans movies, but inevitably just amounted to a bunch of trans female movies and Boys Don't Cry (1999). I got tired of trans men consistently taking a backseat, whenever trans media was discussed, and knew that I needed to carve out a space where trans male media was actually prioritised. I was even more motivated in this mission when I watched Disclosure (2020) and found it profoundly lacking in terms of FTM media and chest binding depictions. Trans men have always suffered from invisibility, erasure, and isolation. In the interview titled Then and Now, you can listen to two older trans men talk about their experiences. Dale, one of the men, describes trying to transition back when trans men simply weren't believed to exist. The local medical opinion, at that time, was that trans women were the only trans people. That's one root of trans male invisibility, echoed worldwide through the erasure of trans men and the damaging hypervisibility of trans women (a double-edged sword for all involved). Things are changing and trans men are getting more visibility, which is good. Nonetheless, this is a little corner of the internet where trans male media can actually take centre stage.
Q: Why include AFAB non-binary people and transmasculine people?
A: I have always felt a kinship with all female-born trans people (especially masculine folks), even though my journey has coalesced into a binary female-to-male transsexual experience. An important part of my journey, earlier on, was engaging with media like Break Free (2014) and Tomboy (2011), which are also deeply significant for many AFAB non-binary people and butches. I adore the solidarity I found in those early years, and I also recognise that non-binary people and certain butches were negatively impacted by those films (due to the traumatising scenes in Tomboy and Ruby Rose's unsafe chest binding), as I was too. Trans men come first, on this site, but this is also a space for all female-born trans and gender-diverse people. Our journeys are unique, but we are united in so many ways, including being impacted by irresponsible media.
Q: If this is a site for all AFAB gender-diverse people, how come it's called Trans Male Resources?
A: Because I am a trans man, and my primary aim is to support my trans male brothers. Trans men come first on this site.
Q: Why is criticising chest binding so important? Are you against chest binding?
A: No, I'm not against chest binding. I'm against unsafe binding and media which puts my community at risk. That's why I'm always on the lookout for media which shows people binding with bandages or duct tape, for example. See the binding page for more details. I am aware that binding is never completely safe, and is not a natural way for the body to be compressed. I have also experienced body dysphoria firsthand and greatly benefitted from risk-aware binding prior to surgery. Ultimately, we need more objective, science-based, well-conducted studies on the risks associated with binding, because we shouldn't solely rely on community knowledge... which, while valuable, is subjective anecdotal evidence.
Q: Isn't the term "transsexual" offensive?
A: Nope. See the terminology page and learn your history. My identity as a transsexual man simply means that I am altering my sex characteristics to align with the majority of men. Not all transsexuals transition to the same extent, and the concept of transsexualism isn't one that necessarily mandates a certain standard of transitioning. Just because I use the word transsexual doesn't mean that you have to. I would never wish to be called non-binary or addressed with they/them pronouns, because that would make me deeply dysphoric and would be disrespectful towards my identity, but that doesn't mean that being non-binary is bad. I would never call someone a transsexual without knowing they identified that way beforehand, but I personally use the term with pride, just like others ought to feel pride when they use their label. Lou Sullivan was a self-described "female-to-gay male transsexual", though he's often just celebrated as a "transgender" man, these days, without any reference to the transsexualism he actively identified with. Transsexual history matters, and so do modern transsexual experiences. Calling myself a transsexual man validates my experience of being diagnosed with years-long gender dysphoria, and going on a journey to align my sex characteristics with the majority of men. I accept, and even celebrate, the fact that I was born female. My body will never be a cis man's body. I am a female-to-male transsexual man and I am proud of my differences. Nothing offensive about that.
Q: Will you add novels and written media to this site?
A: For now, I'm simply dedicating this site to films, shows, documentaries, and games.
Q: What are your thoughts on [insert divisive topic here]?
A: This is a website for media reviews. I'm not a medical professional, I'm not a child psychologist, I'm not a politician, I'm not a journalist. I'm just a bloke offering his opinion on media depictions of female-born gender diversity and non-conformity. Questions about hotly-debated trans topics won't be answered, partly because I often don't know the answer, but mainly because I'm not qualified to offer an opinion of any substance. One of the worst things on the internet is when laypeople claim expertise beyond their lived experience, and I do not intend to do that!
Q: Can you tell me what my gender identity is?
A: No. I'm a stranger on the internet. I can't tell you anything about your life. I can't tell you if a transition would be right for you, your friend, your partner, or your family member. I can't tell you if you're a gender non-conforming woman, a non-binary person, or a trans man. I can't tell you how you should label yourself, or what you should do with your body. Those are serious questions which require years of consideration. This is not the place for those discussions. I wish you happiness, and I hope you find your most authentic self, whether you're trans or not. Instead of asking me questions, please browse the media compiled on this site and see if you can find representation that helps you figure out your own answers. I encourage questioning people to seek out a therapist, especially if you're considering a medical transition. Beyond that, I have nothing else to say. There are local resources and support organisations which are more appropriate places to seek engagement.
Q: Why haven't you included a particular film, show, documentary, or game?
A: In all likelihood, I just haven't heard about it yet. Give us a bell! I work two jobs and have a pretty crowded schedule, but every recommendation sent my way is added to a list that I'm slowly working through.
Q: Do you make money off this site?
A: Nope. Not a dime. This is a labour of love, and a productive outlet for my frustration related to the erasure of trans men.
Q: Will you promote my business?
A: No!