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Joey Funkhouser, a trans man played by American trans male actor Chaz Bono, causes mishaps due to the size of his post-phalloplasty penis. Curb Your Enthusiasm (S10E10) Show 2020 United States of America Joey Funkhouser, a trans man played by American trans male actor Chaz Bono, causes mishaps due to the size of his post-phalloplasty penis. Available Summary: Larry runs into an unwelcome familiar face, seeks a second opinion on his knee injury and causes a rift between expectant parents. -IMDb. Jack's Summary: Given that Curb Your Enthusiasm is an irreverent comedy, I think that it walks the line pretty well, in terms of introducing a trans character whose comedy is based solely around aspects of his transition, while not dehumanising or demeaning him. However, my opinion is not universal, so others may understandably disagree. Initially introduced simply as a man seeking a new job at a coffee shop, Joey is soon after characterised as a trans man when his robe falls open, revealing his sizeable phallus to the protagonist, prompting the comment, "I mean, I support your transitioning, but you gave yourself quite a large penis there." In response, Joey explains that he wanted to "follow in the tradition" of his male family members having large penises. The protagonist, called Larry, questions whether he can "handle" a penis of that size, asking whether he has "tried it out on some dames". Joey says that he has, with no complaints. Larry then meets with his friends Leon and Jeff, relaying this encounter to them. When Jeff is confused, Leon explains to him, "Joey Funkhouser's daughter has transitioned into being a man." Leon then empathises with the difficulties of having a large penis, saying that he is a member of the "Big Johnson community", which meets monthly to discuss "the pitfalls of having a big-ass Johnson". Larry suggests that membership could benefit Joey, saying, "It's way too big, and he can't handle it. I foresee big problems with that penis. Big." We later find out that Leon does, in fact, invite Joey to join this club. When we next see Joey, he is working at Larry's coffee shop, guided by Leon, who is also an employee. Larry next encounters Joey in the same bathroom where the pair originally met. After Larry mistakenly leaves a friend's watch on the bathroom bench, Joey accidentally knocks it off the bench and onto the floor due to his penis size. Larry later tells a coffee shop customer about this incident, with the customer saying, "He's not used to moving around with it... You gotta break some eggs to make an omelette, right? Gotta break a couple watches to know how to handle a big cock." Larry, handing the watch back to his friend, explains the damage by saying, "The giant penis of a recent sex-change recipient knocked it off the counter," prompting confusion. The episode ends with Larry's coffee shop burning down, due to Joey accidentally knocking a self-heating mug (where the base of the mug is electronically warmed) off a table, and into a box of paperwork. The Hollywood Reporter published an article about this episode: With its potential to offend and for the way it wraps issues of race, class, gender and sexuality inside in intentionally awkward social settings, Curb couldn’t be more different from groundbreaking LGBTQ shows like Pose and Amazon’s Transparent that filter the trans experience through a dramatic and loving lens. But for Bono, starring opposite David offered him an opportunity to shed his activist armor for a change and instead flex a different set of acting muscles from ones he’s had on display in recent high-profile projects such as Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story. That doesn’t mean it was all jokes and games, however. Included in the article is an interview with Bono: Interviewer: People just aren’t talking about gender confirmation surgery in this way, for trans men. What are your thoughts on that and how well it’s been received? Bono: Honestly, it worked really well and wasn’t offensive. I mean, not any more than anything on that show. I thought it was really funny, but the whole time I was filming it, I was wondering how it would work. I can’t speak for all trans people, but you know, for myself, what’s in my pants is not a subject that I ever want to talk about. It’s one of those things that people can get fixated on and I find it to be maddening. I was in an uncomfortable space shooting it, though I really enjoyed the process because I loved working with those guys and it was really fun to do something that was completely different like improv. It was a weird experience. Interviewer: You tweeted that this role brought you way out of your comfort zone as an actor, not just because it was improv comedy. I assume you meant the trans storyline? Bono: Yeah, I meant having to talk about my dick for an entire episode, having it focused on that area, and I didn’t want to [reveal] that on Twitter and give anything away before the episode aired. It was uncomfortable but it was fulfilling and I was really glad to be doing it. Ultimately, the only scene which was particularly uncomfortable for me was the discussion of Joey's anatomy with a random coffee shop customer. Gossip about a trans man's genitals behind his back, in a public space, is a serious and recurrent issue which I have personally faced. If viewers have been through similar experiences, you may feel the same discomfort which I do. I don't believe that Curb Your Enthusiasm is necessarily encouraging such behaviour, however. Exposure of a trans character's genitals, as a way to out them, is a pervasive and repugnant trope in media, as seen in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls . The key difference, for me anyway, is that exposure of Joey's genitals is not focused on outing him, but rather, focused on the juvenile topic of penis size... which is a trope that the episode manages to explore without denigrating small penises (although one conversation could be interpreted that way). If Joey's robe had fallen open to reveal his pre/non-op anatomy, that would have landed very differently for me. As always, audiences should proceed with caution, taking into account your own experiences, sensitivities, and media preferences. If you don't like irreverent comedy, you won't like this episode. Entry last updated: 14 July 2026 Related Media Gender-Related Surgery Browse

Sam and Evan, two young English trans men in a relationship, move in together and are interviewed alongside their families. Sam and Evan: From Girls to Men Documentary 2011 England Sam and Evan, two young English trans men in a relationship, move in together and are interviewed alongside their families. Watch. Available Summary: 17-year-old Sam and 20-year-old Evan describe themselves as a gay male couple – but underneath their clothes, they have female bodies. What makes this story so exceptional is that they are both in the process of changing their genders from female to male, at the same time. This film follows their gender-changing journey and the prejudice they encounter along the way – including the humiliation and fear they suffer of having eggs thrown at them as they walk to the bus stop. This is the story of how Sam and Evan met, fell in love, and embarked on a remarkable transgender journey together to transform their bodies from girls to men. -YouTube. Entry last updated: 22 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Relationships Browse

Ronnie "Z-man" Barzell, a trans man played by American cis male actor John LaZar, is a bigoted stereotype of trans men and gay men, who sexually harasses and assaults a cishet man before killing him. He also violently murders two lesbians. He comes out by exposing and stroking his pre/non-op chest. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls Film 1970 United States of America Ronnie "Z-man" Barzell, a trans man played by American cis male actor John LaZar, is a bigoted stereotype of trans men and gay men, who sexually harasses and assaults a cishet man before killing him. He also violently murders two lesbians. He comes out by exposing and stroking his pre/non-op chest. Available Summary: An all-girl rock band moves to Hollywood in the hopes of achieving success, only to be lured by an eccentric music producer and his entourage into a whirlpool of wickedness and decadence. -IMDb. Jack's Summary: Before I even discuss this film's awful depiction of a trans man, let's get one thing straight... This is a bloody awful movie. It's badly written, badly acted, and badly directed. It's absolutely shit. It's apparently intended to be satire, but its ideas amount to little more than chucking spaghetti at the wall to see what, if anything, sticks. Very little does but, thankfully for the filmmakers, even the worst films can be immortalised as cult classics. In this Roger Ebert Film Festival article , retrieved using the Wayback Machine, film co-writer Roger Ebert discusses the movie and admits that director and co-writer Ross Meyer "wanted everything in the screenplay except the kitchen sink," intending the movie to "simultaneously be a satire, a serious melodrama, a rock musical, a comedy, a violent exploitation picture, a skin flick, and a moralistic exposé". This indulgent, overly ambitious goal confused the actors, who asked Ebert for clarification on whether their dialogue was supposed to be humorous or serious, but would not "risk offending" Meyer by daring to ask the film's director such a question. "The movie's story was made up as we went along," Ebert revealed, explaining that the movie's demonising, fetishised depiction of a trans man was also a "spur of the moment" choice, made without consideration of the harms such a character may cause. Barzell at the height of his madness. Ronnie Barzell, nicknamed Z-Man, is established as the catalyst for the ruination of everyone else's lives. Think Rocky Horror Picture Show , but crap. The protagonists (three female rockstars and their manager) attend his party and find that the course of their lives are changed. Though initially eloquent and eccentric, a source of entertainment rather than a threat, Barzell is eventually revealed to be the ultimate evil in the film, seemingly turned into the villain because the filmmakers were not organised enough to develop better ideas. He is perverted. He is obscene. He repeatedly sexually assaults, harasses, and ultimately kills a heterosexual man who refuses his advances. His sexual aggression and physical violence is inextricably tied to his gender non-conformity, and all of his crimes are committed while he is suddenly determined to force everybody to call him Superwoman at a party... As though, in the filmmakers' minds, the eleventh hour brought upon him a feverish need to be seen as a female, despite his complete comfort being socially known as a male throughout the rest of the film. Oh, the horror. His coming out scene, if you want to call it that, embodies the classic trope of a perverted trans character undressing (partly or completely), shocking other characters with the knowledge that they've been deceived by a horrid, freakish imposter. He exposes and strokes his breasts, prompting his victim to laugh and scream, "You've been a broad all along, right Barzell? A goddamn broad! A goddamn ugly broad, Barzell! An ugly broad!" Ebert, happily revealing that anti-FTM transphobia was baked into the very foundations of this movie, describes Barzell as an antagonist who "seems to be a gay man for most of the movie, but is finally revealed to be a woman in drag". Everyone in Barzell's life knows him as a man, talks about him as a man, and considers him a fixture in the entertainment industry. By all accounts, Barzell was completely socially transitioned and very successful, and evidently medically transitioned as well. The end of the film, and his monstrous transformation, makes zero sense. He is not, as Ebert posits, just a "woman in drag". He was a fleshed-out male character before they decided to turn him into a harmful stereotype, and that is not a baseless assumption; Ebert explains that, when asked about "the meaning of Z-Man's earlier scenes, in light of what is later discovered about the character," all he is able to say is that, "those earlier scenes were written before either Meyer or I knew Z-Man was a transvestite: that plot development came on the spur of the moment." Evidently, Ebert thought socially transitioned men who live as their true selves are just unhinged women playing dress-up. That's the logic underpinning Barzell's characterisation. The filmmakers did not care how trans male viewers would be affected by a trans flasher character, evidently because their view of trans men was fundamentally bigoted. From the very beginning of my transition, a primary accusation by transphobic and unsupportive people was that I was becoming ugly. People couldn't conceive of the idea that I would want to look and sound like a typical bloke. Even now, having been medically transitioned for years, one reason to avoid coming out as FTM is because a potential reaction is to denounce me as being nothing more than an ugly woman. Many trans men come up against this specific, horrible mentality, which is echoed by the labelling of Barzell as an "ugly broad". The comedy and horror of Barzell is solely focussed on the extent to which he has moved away from his assigned sex, cruelly mirroring what real trans men go through. And, let's be clear, even before the film decides to be transphobic, it's blatantly homophobic. Lance, a cis straight man, isn't just the victim of a trans freak, he's also the victim of frequent gay advances. Barzell isn't just a trans bogeyman. He's a gay predator. A transphobic, homophobic nightmare made manifest. After decapitating Lance because he didn't consent to sex, Barzell hunts down and kills two lesbians by shooting them in the head. Roxanne, one of the women, is simply waiting to be killed in a manner so staged and fetishistic that it undoes all of her prior character development. Any effort to establish a meaningful lesbian relationship is literally blown away by the manner of her death. It's a nasty, yucky, undignified visual. Casey, the other lesbian woman, has already been raped and now loses her life. Casey, moments before being murdered. What we end up with, ultimately, is a classic LGBT+ double whammy; Bury Your Gays plus the spooky threat of a trans pervert stalking and killing poor, helpless, feminine cis women. And the trans pervert, of course, is murdered. The cishet characters are left to enjoy their happy endings without any of the queerness which corrupted their storylines. The last shot of Barzell. As Barzell lays dead, the horrified female protagonist stares at his body and bare, bloodied breasts. To the poor cishet characters, he is a freak and an abomination in death, defined by his trans body when he previously lived non-disclosing as a man. This is another classic trans trope, which mirrors the posthumous misgendering and othering of real people, including Billy Tipton and many forgotten trans men . This trope alone betrays the ignorance and carelessness of the filmmakers. A trans man being played by a man (John LaZar) doesn't make this film any less awful. The message that this movie sends is that "women in drag" can deceive anybody by appearing flawlessly male. And, when the truth is discovered, such deceivers will become aggressive and unhinged, justifying any violence that cis people might preemptively dole out when they discover such a lie. This movie just... sucks. A film having violence, confronting themes, or an aggressive trans character doesn’t automatically make it bad. What matters is how the film is written, what background the trans character has, and what their motivations are. As an example, consider Strange Circus (2005) . It depicts almost every upsetting thing you can think of, but every scene is planned and clever, and any plot complexity or narrative confusion is deliberate. The trans man in that film is not the embodiment of an anti-trans trope. He is a strong, determined, furious survivor of sexual abuse, whose motivations are deeply explored before he is shown as a chainsaw-wielding killer. Strange Circus knows exactly what it is, and exactly who its characters are. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls has no idea what it is. "You will drink the black sperm of my vengeance," snarls Barzell, before he hogties and kills his victim. Am I supposed to laugh? Really? How does a viewer even react to that weirdness? It's not scary, it's not funny, it's not clever, it's not compelling. It's nothing. Even given the grotesque violence, horrific themes, and obscene nudity in Strange Circus , it comes out victorious when compared to Ebert and Meyer's garbage. Needless to say, I wouldn't recommend watching this one... unless you like trash. Which you might. In that case, go for it. (I know many people will disagree with my review of this supposed classic.) Regardless, definitely don't watch it for any kind of FTM representation. It's strange that Psycho (1960) is commonly accepted as having transphobic tropes, yet I rarely hear people admitting the same of this film, despite the fact that Barzell is canonically a perverse, violent, manipulative "broad" whose homicidal actions are directly tied to his increasingly unpredictable gender non-conformity and canon trans identity. Randy Black, about to hit a man with his car. Beyond the anti-FTM transphobia in this film, other minorities are depicted with apathy or outright ignorance toward the harmful messages being reinforced. The rockstars' White manager, Harris, rapes Casey (one of the lesbians ultimately murdered by Barzell) and is absolved with a dreamy, meditative concluding narration. By contrast, Randy Black, a Black heavyweight boxer, gets the following concluding narration: "Randy's body: A cage for an animal. It lifted him to the top of his field, but in the end, the beast almost killed him." Randy's whole role in the film is to be overcome by sexual and violent urges, embodying the racist stereotype of an uncontrollable, sexually aggressive Black man. He is defined exclusively by his violent body and by his hostility, and a woman has to arm herself with a weapon to force him to leave her home. The fact that he is a felon and compared to an animal is the cherry on top of the shit cake, echoing a horrid history of Black criminal defendants being compared to animals . This characterisation isn't clever or subversive, it's just lazy. Satire is typically used to make some kind of point about whatever is being satirised but, in this film, the butt of the joke is minorities themselves. Ebert had the utter gall to call Beyond the Valley of the Dolls "an essay on our generic expectations... a wind-up machine to generate emotions, pure movie without message." The trouble is that this movie does actually offer plenty of messages... racist and transphobic and lesbophobic and homophobic misogynistic in nature... but the filmmakers were either uncaring or unable to realise those themes, too absorbed in a blatantly egotistical filmmaking process. Inexplicable and unnecessary Nazi symbology. Oh, also, a bloke randomly dresses as a Nazi, complete with the salute and the uniform, for no reason at all. You could grope around to try and find one, but that would be poor justification after the fact. As Ebert bragged, apparently viewing these qualities as positives, this film is nothing but "an anthology of stock situations, characters, dialogue, clichés and stereotypes". "It begins rather slowly, because so many characters have to be established and such an ungainly plot has to be set in motion," he also said, "The story is such a labyrinthine juggling act that resolving it took a quadruple murder, a narrative summary, a triple wedding, and an epilogue." That sounds rather like the type of disorganised, unrestrained, poorly-written movie that Ebert would have panned as a reviewer. GENERAL WARNINGS: Infidelity, traumatic abortion, and other themes are handled with all of the grace and subtlety that the rest of the film wields. There is drug and alcohol use/abuse. Naked women are used as props, courtesy of the film's satirical sexploitation schtick. Homophobic slurs are repeatedly used, and short-statured people are referred to with a term which is widely considered a slur nowadays . Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Male Browse

Charley Burton, a 63-year-old American trans man, is interviewed about his life, transition, sobriety, relationships, authorship, and advocacy. He discusses surviving sexual abuse, substance use disorder, suicidal ideation, depression, and conversion therapy. Charley Burton Interview 2023 United States of America Charley Burton, a 63-year-old American trans man, is interviewed about his life, transition, sobriety, relationships, authorship, and advocacy. He discusses surviving sexual abuse, substance use disorder, suicidal ideation, depression, and conversion therapy. Watch. Available Summary: Charley Burton was born on May 27, 1960 in Charlottesville, Virginia. The city was segregated in his early childhood, and his parents were vocal advocates for the Black community. Charley’s parents also worked multiple jobs, and while they were out of the house, he was molested by an uncle between the ages of 3 and 6, which would be the first of numerous times that Charley experienced sexual violence. Assigned female at birth, Charley fought frequently with his mother over his unwillingness to wear feminine clothing, and he couldn’t fit in with the boy or girl cliques at school. By age 12, he felt so alone that he attempted suicide for the first time by eating plant food poisoning. Around that same year, he began taking Valium and drinking. At 16, Charley found sports, excelling at volleyball and shot put. He became a regional and state champion for shot put, which earned him college scholarships. A year later at 17, he got into a car accident that led to an addiction to painkillers. After a sexual assault, he attempted suicide again and landed in the hospital again. Charley began college shortly after, but two months in, he could no longer stay in school. For the next 25 years, he looped through a cycle of drinking, getting jobs, getting depressed, overdosing on pills, and getting his stomach pumped. Charley estimates being admitted 75 times to psychiatric institutions. He didn’t want the female body he was born with, but he also did not want to be associated with the trans community, which he thought of as trans women struggling with poverty and violence. Charley’s doctors tried to “cure” his transness through electroconvulsive therapy, which he remembers as blurs of pain and losing a sense of time. Charley had also always known he was sexually attracted to women. He had a year-long relationship with a woman named Constance, but their relationship ended because his internalized gender battles made his moods so volatile. Charley took Constance’s walking out as a cue to seek help. In 2006, Charley started attending AA meetings in Charlottesville. Although the meetings were very white-dominated, he worked hard to find community, and is still sober to this day. Charley also went to the UVA hospital to explore his gender. He began transitioning at age 50 and connected with Black Trans Men Inc., and eventually reconnected with Constance as friends. Since transitioning and getting sober, Charley’s physical and mental health have improved significantly. He has been much calmer and happier on testosterone, and appreciates the healthcare providers who treat him with care and respect. He became financially stable and bought a house. He attended Morehouse College, the all-male HBCU in the year they first admitted trans men, and is finishing up with a 4.0 GPA. Classmates voted him “Morehouse Man of the Month.” Charley has now written a book on his life and is a motivational speaker. He pushes back against the “don’t ask, don’t tell” norm for queer stories, especially stories of poverty, abuse, and struggle. He is determined to be a voice for those who are struggling to find theirs, and is a staunch advocate for trans rights in healthcare. Charley currently serves on the LGBTQ Advisory Board for UVA Health. His work has earned him the Outstanding Virginian title in 2021 by Equality Virginia and a spot on the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Council as appointed by the state governor. - OUTWORDS Archive . Entry last updated: 12 Apr 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse

Blake, a trans man played by British trans actor Pete MacHale, is in a relationship with a cis man. In this slice-of-life short film, the pair have sex (with Blake topping his partner), play videogames, and explore Blake's gender presentation. Dungarees Short Film 2020 England Blake, a trans man played by British trans actor Pete MacHale, is in a relationship with a cis man. In this slice-of-life short film, the pair have sex (with Blake topping his partner), play videogames, and explore Blake's gender presentation. Watch. Available Summary: What does it mean to be a man? Why can't I wear a dress? Let's have sex and worry about it later. Transgender Blake and cisgender Cane hang out, play video games and grapple with their insecurities. This is their love story. - Official website. Jack's Summary: Blake, a gay trans man played by British trans actor Pete MacHale, has fun with his boyfriend, and they discuss his gender presentation. This short film has a happy ending, and it’s very sweet and light-hearted. I only wish it was the length of a feature film. Blake has the goal of embracing flamboyant clothing and painted nails, now that his gender dysphoria has been alleviated by top surgery and testosterone. It is apparent in the film that he is versatile; sex is discussed, and viewers see his penile prosthetic. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse

Micah Lee, a trans man played by Chinese-American trans male actor Leo Sheng, explores relationships with men and women while also navigating infidelity, conflict in friendships, and biphobia. The L Word: Generation Q Show 2019 United States of America, China (中國) Micah Lee, a trans man played by Chinese-American trans male actor Leo Sheng, explores relationships with men and women while also navigating infidelity, conflict in friendships, and biphobia. Trailer. Available Summary: The show centers on a group of diverse queer characters experiencing love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks, personal growth and success in Los Angeles. Generation Q is set over ten years after The L Word, in the new setting of Silver Lake, Los Angeles. Several actors from the original series returned to reprise their roles alongside a new ensemble of diverse characters. -Wikipedia. Jack's Summary: This show has two trans male characters, both played by trans men. Micah Lee, a major character played by Leo Sheng, a trans male actor. Micah is initially characterised as a gay man, but comes out as bisexual in season 2. Pierce Williams, a supporting character played by Brian Michael Smith, a trans male actor. He is a minor character for four episodes in season 1, primarily defined by his professionalism and fashionable style rather than his gender. Micah's season 1 romance is with a man named José Garcia. It is a beautiful relationship in many respects and, throughout their scenes, trans male viewers are treated to the following: Micah being sexually dominant with José and asserting boundaries related to his dysphoria. José comforting Micah after Micah's mother misgenders him and shares feminine childhood photos against Micah's wishes. Micah exploring sex with José, including positions which previously caused him dysphoria, because José reassures him and makes him feel safe. The pair being very romantic and cute together, in many situations, and saying "I love you". José painting a large portrait of Micah to show his love. Unfortunately, the loveliness of their relationship is tainted by the finale of season 1, where it's revealed that José has been married the entire time and did not tell Micah. While sad, this plot twist is typical of The L Word 's soap opera genre, and it refreshingly has nothing to do with Micah's trans status. Swap out the characters for cisgender, heterosexual characters, and you'd have any typical soap opera. Their earlier scenes are still groundbreaking for trans men, especially Asian trans men who don't see themselves represented enough. Micah and Hassan. Micah also has a brief relationship with a man named Hassan, who he meets via Grindr. While their first hook-up is initially awkward due to Hassan's nervousness about having sex with a trans man for the first time, their chemistry is undeniable and he quickly gets over the perceived awkwardness. Theirs is a happy little side storyline which shows trans male viewers that there are well-meaning, open-minded cis men in the world who might be simultaneously nervous and excited about sex with trans men, and that's okay. Awkwardness can be overcome with communication. (Side note: Readers who are interested in that topic might enjoy this article , authored by a cis man.) Micah and Maribel. In season 2, Micah realises he's bisexual after developing feelings for Maribel, a friend of his. In many ways, their relationship is groundbreaking in terms of representation, and not just in a trans sense. Maribel is played by Jillian Mercado, a wheelchair user with muscular dystrophy who is also a woman of colour. Speaking about the importance of their sex scenes in this article , Mercado said, "It was very important for our characters, and also us as human beings, to portray the story as humanised as possible, and also kind of fill in the gap of that part of representation... I mean, I never saw it growing up. [I never saw] someone like myself who's physically disabled have a sex scene, period... And that would've helped a lot, as far as trying to figure out my sexuality growing up, or even just the basics of how to date someone having a physical disability like myself." Unfortunately, their relationship also suffers from soap opera characterisation, meaning viewers should expect unnecessary conflict, poor communication, and drama that prompted many eye-rolls from me. Maribel is an asshole at best, and at worst, is emotionally abusive. Bizarrely, for an LGBT-focused show, Maribel perpetuates biphobic mindsets, and Micah's response could charitably be described as being a total doormat. After they have sex for the first time, Maribel ignores him and rejects his invitation to go out, because she's inexplicably convinced that Micah isn't truly bisexual or attracted to women, and must instead have used her as an experiment. When she sees him talking to a guy at a party (standing an arm's length away, I might add), she rushes up to him and starts a fight, gaslighting him by saying he found a guy to "grind" on and has therefore betrayed her... Despite her rejection of him in the first place, after which he can grind on whoever he likes... She never apologises for this accusation, and Micah never expects her to. Both bisexual and trans male viewers deserved better. From the very beginning, the pair are in an emotionally unhealthy relationship. Maribel is also incredibly condescending and self-ce ntred overall. In this scene , when Micah expresses frustration about being reduced to his trans identity by a "demoralising" cis boss, she belittles him and mocks his discomfort, comparing their negative experiences and turning the conversation into a competition. (God forbid she just support someone.) The season 3 finale sees him finally stand up to her, thank fuck, but it's too little too late. Again, though, these relationship dynamics are typical of soap operas and not unique to this pair. When Maribel's relationship with Micah is revealed to her family, they are shocked, confronted by her choosing a trans male partner rather than a cis man. They question Micah's ability to handle her. She insists that she is happy, that she cares about Micah and loves him, which are lovely sentiments that unfortunately seem absent throughout much of their relationship. Max Sweeney, played by trans actor Daniel Sea. In The L Word , the original show which preceded The L Word: Generation Q , non-binary actor Daniel Sea was given no agency wh en they played a trans male character (Max) who embodied harmful, misandristic, transphobic stereotypes about FTM guys and men overall. Max returns in Generation Q as a trans elder who has settled into their identity as a trans non-binary parent, with a trans non-binary partner who loves them and their four children. They are hugged by Shane (also a returning character from the original series), who apologises for how Max was treated in the past. Many trans viewers have found this to be a healing experience, since so many people related to Max and were very distressed by what the character originally went through. Max's appearance alone, while brief, shows how far many LGBT+ movements have come since The L Word . Generation Q was cancelled after three seasons but, during the season 3 finale, Micah calls Max in a moment of distress and asks if he can visit them. It was clear that, before the writers knew the show was cancelled, they were setting up a plot line which would involve Max being Micah's friend and supporter. Here are the other characters played by trans actors: Jamie Clayton, a trans actress, plays Tess Van De Berg. Tess is never explicitly stated to be a trans woman, she's instead just characterised as a woman. She is the love interest of Shane in seasons 2 and 3, and briefly has relationships with several other women. Carmen LoBue, a non-binary actor, plays Dre, a non-binary person who uses they/them pronouns. They are the love interest of Dani in season 3, and have a brief offscreen relationship with Sophie. Armand Fields, a non-binary actor, plays Reese, Max's trans partner who meets main characters at a family Halloween party. Sophie Giannamore, a trans actress, plays Jordi Sanbolino. Similarly to Tess, Jordi is never explicitly stated to be a trans girl. She is the love interest of Angie until season 3. Chris Renfro, a non-binary actor, plays Teddy, a non-binary person who uses they/them pronouns. They have a brief relationship with Alice. One of my favourite platonic relationships in the show is the mother/daughter dynamic which develops between Finley, a young butch, and Carrie, an older butch who also identifies as demisexual. Initially, Carrie is treated as a bit of a punchline and a plot device for more feminine lesbians, but season 3 sees her becoming a more fleshed-out, gorgeously authentic woman who has a relationship with another older butch lesbian. To be honest, by the end of the show I was more invested in Carrie than in any other characters. Overall, the show deals with the following themes: Alcohol Use Disorder, relapsing, and alcohol as a coping mechanism. Drunk driving and drugged driving. Opiate addiction and drug abuse. Underage drug use. Infidelity and lying within relationships. (So, so much lying.) Micah himself continues having a relationship with José after finding out that José is married, while José continues to promise that he will leave his husband for Micah. Controlling parenting and dysfunctional parent/child dynamics. Racism. Some of the above themes are handled well and depicted gracefully/realistically, with vulnerable viewers in mind. Some are absolutely mishandled. There are many double standards within the show when it comes to right versus wrong. One of the most uncomfortable double standards, for me personally, involved two sexual assaults. One of the assaults occurred offscreen, and was committed by an unnamed, anonymous man who is framed as a villain (rightly so). The other assault occurred blatantly, in full view of other people, and was committed by a woman who groped her ex-girlfriend's inner thigh without the woman's consent, and also harassed her by playing footsie under the table. I have known several masculine people, men included, who have been groped and sexually harassed by women in public, in full view of other people who did nothing to intervene or hold the predators accountable, and this scene mirrored those experiences. When a feminine woman is groped by a masculine man in Generation Q , she is considered a victim and worthy of protection. Viewers are supposed to be concerned for her. When a masculine woman is groped by a feminine woman in Generation Q , she is considered automatically strong enough to stand up for herself, rather than being characterised as upset or significantly uncomfortable with someone stroking her inner thigh. Viewers are supposed to dismiss the harassment as a non-issue. Nobody protects the masculine woman and, in fact, after she is groped by the feminine woman, she faces accusations of being promiscuous and soliciting the predator's attention. She is asked if she slept with the predator. If you flip around the gender dynamics, this double standard starts to feel very, very gross. Being masculine doesn't mean you're any less vulnerable in the face of unwanted sexual attention. A woman harassing and groping someone is no less disgusting than a man doing so. Shane, uncomfortable, with a woman who will not take no for an answer. This show establishes this double standard very early on, with Lena (a feminine woman) forcefully coming onto the same masculine lesbian (Shane) in S01E03. Shane shakes her head and rejects Lena's advances, saying, "No, Lena, this is not a good idea," and Lena responds by saying, "I think you feel it too," kissing Shane without consent and touching her body. Worst of all, this encounter reinforces harmful ideas by having Shane relent, sending the message that people who refuse sex will be convinced by groping and further flirting. Another double standard is how men and women in similar circumstances are portrayed. A man who is cheated on by his wife many times is framed as an aggressive and unhinged villain, dangerous and unreasonable in his anger. A woman who is cheated on once by her fiancé is framed as delicate, justified in her anger, and righteous, even when she punches another woman in the face in season 2; something that would have been considered criminally unacceptable if the afore-mentioned man had done it. Their situations are similar in many respects, but the man is utterly removed of personality, sympathy, or relatability. He's just a man and therefore bad to the core, even if his wife freely had an affair during their years-long marriage, and the person she had an affair with is a self-described paragon of ethics and moral upstandingness. Such blatant hypocrisy would drive anyone to madness, surely. In the finale of season 1, a joke is made that there's nothing wrong with being a "man-hating" feminist. As a trans man who has been told to kill myself because I'm a man, by feminists, and has faced harassment from feminists more than any other group, I find that joke hard to swallow. When I tried to tell female friends that I had been sexually harassed by a woman, most supported me, but several alienated or abandoned me. I learned the hard way that their "jokes" about hating men were not jokes at all. They were always a reflection of the genuine belief that men are lesser, bad, or disgusting. It took a female-to-male transition for me to realise that, when they said they hated men, they meant it. So no, I didn't find the show's man-hating quip funny, and other trans men might feel similarly. More broadly, I don't find it hilarious when groups laugh among themselves about hating different groups of people. Is this a bad show, overall? Nah. It is what it is, the good and the bad, with LGBT+ representation off the charts. You can decide what you're willing to watch. If you haven't had experiences similar to mine, you'll probably be completely happy with the show. These reviews, as always, are just one person's opinion. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse

Julian Melson, a 60-year-old American trans man, is interviewed alongside his best friend and ex-wife. He discusses growing up as a tomboy, experiencing dysphoria, having an accepting family, and overcoming substance use disorder. Becoming the Man I Always Knew I Was | Julian Melson Interview 2026 United States of America Julian Melson, a 60-year-old American trans man, is interviewed alongside his best friend and ex-wife. He discusses growing up as a tomboy, experiencing dysphoria, having an accepting family, and overcoming substance use disorder. Watch. Available Summary: Julian, a trans man, shares his journey of growing up trapped in a female body and ultimately becoming the man he always knew himself to be. Theresa, a bisexual woman, reflects on being a big part of Julian’s journey. - Dan Bolen, YouTube . Jack's Summary: This is a very beautiful interview, and I highly recommend watching it. The interviewer, Dan Bolen, identifies himself as a gay man who grew up with an "overbearing father" and a "Jehovah’s Witness mother". When Julian discusses using drugs and alcohol to cope, Dan relates to this by describing his use of religion and work to suppress his identity. I really enjoy this expression of solidarity and relatability across LGBT+ identities. Julian does the same when describing having self-love and security in his identity, saying, "I'm sure you can relate, about being gay," which Dan agrees with. Julian and Theresa. Julian recalls meeting Theresa when he was newly sober, and the pair describe their initial dynamic as being that of a lesbian couple, although Theresa notes that Julian had struggled with this label due to feeling male. Alcoholics Anonymous is cited as being central to Julian's coming-out process (both within himself and externally), leading to Julian revealing his identity to Theresa. To his shock, she did not wish to leave him, and instead responded by asking, "What are the next steps that we need to take?" Having so little experience with trans people and their partners, he believed he had found the only woman who would be willing to date him. While she initially struggled to get his pronouns right, Theresa maintains that she was always supportive of him, and never considered leaving him due to his transition. Julian as a younger man. Theresa, a bisexual woman, defines her attraction as being "in love with this human being," and says that she found Julian's gender irrelevant to that love. The pair talk about Julian's legal transition (name and gender), and how amusingly easy it was to get married, with their legal union lasting eleven years. Julian describes his own emotional immaturity/instability as being the reason for their divorce, with two years of marriage counselling not helping to maintain their relationship. "We had this beautiful conversation about how much we love each other, and that we were going to commit to end this relationship in a loving way," Julian says, "We had gone through too much, and we loved each other deeply, and Theresa said, "We're not getting a divorce, I don't like saying that. We are transforming our relationship into something different." It was so beautiful, and we honoured that commitment... It was one of the most beautiful experiences I've been through, as a human, to be able to walk that through with somebody, with such grace." Julian and Theresa as friends. Theresa, agreeing that the relationship ended in a very healthy way, describes their friendship becoming much stronger once they were no longer together romantically, revealing that they remained living together for nine months after separating. When meeting her current husband, she reportedly said, "Look, my ex-husband is a really dear friend of mine, and I could not imagine not having him in my life. If you're not okay with it, then we can't see each other." Julian's description of coming out to his parents is gorgeous, and particularly the journey of coming out to his father, who was a religious minister largely absent from Julian's early life. His father reacted to well to learning that Julian was gay (pre-transition), and when Julian announced that he was trans, also responded fantastically. He admitted that he had been struggling with Julian's transition, but decided to meet with him shortly after hearing this news. "Don't you know, he never misgendered me once," Julian says, "He called me "he" every time. I was shocked." As Dan responds; "What a gift." The pair, and the interviewer, give some lovely advice to viewers, to finish the episode. Entry last updated: 7 July 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse

Alike, a masculine-of-centre butch played by American actress Adepero Oduye, embraces her identity in defiance of her bigoted and violent mother. Pariah Film 2011 United States of America Alike, a masculine-of-centre butch played by American actress Adepero Oduye, embraces her identity in defiance of her bigoted and violent mother. Trailer. Available Summary: A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak, and family in a desperate search for sexual expression. -IMDb. Jack's Summary: To be clear: This is not a trans male film! But I feel it's important to include here, because the protagonist's journey will likely reassure some gender-questioning visitors to this site that, yes, there are people like you in the world. If you're trying to figure out who you are, this film will give you a window into masculine-of-centre (MoC), boi, stud, butch, and aggressive (AG) expression, and you may find yourself there. Alike, pressured into dressing differently. Alike (pronounced ah-lee-kay), the protagonist of Pariah , expresses herself masculinely when able to, and is intensely uncomfortable when made to wear feminine clothing. When forced to wear a skirt and a pink shirt, she insists, "this isn't me". Throughout the film she tries to figure out who she is, and tries to live authentically despite an intensely homophobic mother who ultimately becomes physically violent when Alike stands up for herself. Alike, scarred from her mother's violence. There are certainly many warnings which apply to this film. Another AG is sexually harassed by men as Alike's father watches without comment, Alike faces merciless bullying and eventual physical abuse from her mother, and a minor character struggles with internalised lesbophobia. Additionally, the phrase "he-she d*ke" is used to attack another MoC person. Regardless, this is a beautiful and profoundly important film that deserves more widespread appreciation, with incredible acting, a happy ending, and nuanced characters. You just need to prepare yourself before watching. There are so many complex identities in this world. There are lesbians who identify as transmasculine. There are butches who affirm themselves through low doses of testosterone, and sometimes even top surgery (including a butch in this video , and many butches photographed by the incredible organisation Butch Is Not A Dirty Word). There is so much beauty and gender-diverse nuance beyond being a binary trans man, which does happen to be my label and where I have found my pride. If you don't see yourself in films about trans men, don't give up! See if you recognise yourself in Pariah . Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Butch Media Browse

This short artistic film, created by trans man Rhys Ernst, explores gay trans male and HIV+ experiences, and includes footage of American transsexual man Lou Sullivan. Dear Lou Sullivan Experimental Film, Short Film 2014 United States of America This short artistic film, created by trans man Rhys Ernst, explores gay trans male and HIV+ experiences, and includes footage of American transsexual man Lou Sullivan. Watch. Available Summary: This new work by LA-based artist Rhys Ernst invokes the story of Lou Sullivan, trans man and AIDS activist largely responsible for establishing the distinction between gender identity and sexual orientation. Cut with images of Ernst’ own examination of this figure and trans history, the video is structured by the search for and desire to identify transmasculine elders and an intergenerational exploration of gay transmasculine identity. Utilizing interview footage, excerpts of Sullivan’s book “Information for the Female-to-Male Crossdresser and Transsexual," VHS gay porn, and Grindr chats, Dear Lou Sullivan is a meditation on the life of the late trans man and AIDS activist that explores the bodily intersection of transmasculine gay and HIV+ identity. -Visual AIDS, Vimeo. Note from Jack: Please be aware that this short film includes screenshots of transphobic and serophobic Grindr messages, and a lot of flashing imagery. Gay porn plays throughout this short film, but I didn't see any explicit imagery, and I think all overt sex acts are obscured. Though the term "transmasculine" is placed upon Lou Sullivan, that is a modern term which (to my knowledge) he never identified with. He identified as a female-to-male transsexual. This stands out to me because, as a modern FTM transsexual, I have repeatedly been labelled as transmasculine, even when I have reminded people that I do not identify with that term. This is an experience that I share with many other transsexual men. If people ever discuss my life as a trans man, I do not want them to place a term on me that I never identified with in life. The film's description credits Sullivan as being " largely responsible for establishing the distinction between gender identity and sexual orientation". My caveat would be that this is a USA-centric, and Western-centric, statement. We can appreciate the work that Sullivan did, and the wondrous impact of his visibility, while also acknowledging that the conversation about gender and sexual orientation transcends countries, generations, and cultures, and is certainly larger than one person. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Male Browse

Freddy McConnell, an English trans man, is filmed throughout the process of pausing testosterone hormone therapy in order to undergo artifical insemination and become pregnant, ultimately giving birth to a son. The documentary also addresses the hate and bigotry he experiences as a result. Seahorse: The Dad Who Gave Birth Documentary 2019 England Freddy McConnell, an English trans man, is filmed throughout the process of pausing testosterone hormone therapy in order to undergo artifical insemination and become pregnant, ultimately giving birth to a son. The documentary also addresses the hate and bigotry he experiences as a result. Watch. Available Summary: One trans man’s pioneering quest to fulfil an age-old desire: to start his own family. This is the story of the dad who gave birth. Freddy is 30 and yearns to start a family, but for him this ordinary desire comes with unique challenges. He is a gay transgender man. Deciding to carry his own baby took years of soul-searching, but nothing could prepare him for the reality of pregnancy, as both a physical experience and one that challenges society's fundamental understanding of gender, parenthood, and family. He quickly realises that what to him feels pragmatic, to others feels deeply confusing and confronting. This was not part of his plan. Against a backdrop of increasing hostility towards trans people the world over, Freddy is forced to confront his own naivety, mine unknown depths of courage, and lean on every friend and family member who will stand by him. Made with unprecedented access and collaboration over three years, the film follows Freddy from preparing to conceive right through to birth. It is an intimate, audacious and lyrical story for the cinema about conception, pregnancy, birth and what makes us who we are. -Vimeo. Entry last updated: 22 Feb 2026 Related Media Fatherhood and Parenthood Browse

James, a trans man played by Australian gender non-conforming actor Del Herbert-Jane, comes out to his daughter, starts his transition, and begins a new relationship with a woman. 52 Tuesdays Film 2013 Australia James, a trans man played by Australian gender non-conforming actor Del Herbert-Jane, comes out to his daughter, starts his transition, and begins a new relationship with a woman. Trailer. Available Summary: Sixteen-year-old Billie's reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition and their time together becomes limited to Tuesday afternoons. Filmed over the course of a year, once a week, every week (only on Tuesdays) these unique filmmaking rules bring a rare authenticity to this emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation. -YouTube. Jack's Summary: This indie film follows an Australian bisexual teenager as she adjusts to her parent coming out as a trans man, and also explores her own identity. It's quite a confronting film, because it very accurately captures Australian bigotry and transphobia circa 2015 (certainly in my experience). Hurtful comments are frequently employed as a way to delegitimise James's transition. He is mocked for transitioning later in life and is generally treated like shit. Take note of the misgendering in the film's synopsis itself; it's reflective of the entire film. Billie, James's daughter, is a precocious, stubborn young woman. She's not meant to be likeable and, while I developed an amount of sympathy for her as a character, I did feel that her hostility distracted from the movie's main plot of acceptance and love. Her pettiness and aggression culminates in a scene where she punches her still-healing father in his chest, following his mastectomy. James struggles with alcohol use disorder and depression when he has to discontinue testosterone due to medical issues. He has to attend mandatory therapy to get legal permission to transition, which is reflective of past gender transition laws in Australia. There is a happy ending, but boy, James has to go through some awful stuff beforehand. You'll need to be comfortable with trans characters being dragged through the mud to watch this flick. Overall, the film's quality is not spectacular, but you may relate to several scenes that involve the trans main character. He is middle-aged, has an onscreen sexual relationship with a woman, travels to meet other trans men (played by actual trans men), and finally figures out his sexuality later in life. Del Herbert-Jane, who plays Jane/James, originally joined the project as a gender diversity consultant, before being convinced to play the trans main character. WARNING: Unsafe chest binding. James, early in his transition, binds with bandages and duct tape. 52 Tuesdays makes no effort to educate viewers about how dangerous such binding methods are, which is irresponsible. Learn more about chest binding here. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse

Robert Eads, an American transsexual man, is filmed alongside his trans friends and trans female partner in the final months of his life, after being denied cancer treatment by both mainstream doctors and a trans clinic. Southern Comfort Documentary 2001 United States of America Robert Eads, an American transsexual man, is filmed alongside his trans friends and trans female partner in the final months of his life, after being denied cancer treatment by both mainstream doctors and a trans clinic. Watch. Available Summary: Southern Comfort is a 2001 documentary film about the final year in the life of Robert Eads, a trans man. Eads, diagnosed with ovarian cancer, was turned down for treatment by a dozen doctors out of fear that treating such a patient would hurt their reputations. By the time Eads received treatment, the cancer was too advanced to save his life. -Wikipedia. Jack's Summary: Robert Eads was a transsexual man who died of ovarian cancer, after being denied cancer treatment by transphobic doctors. This documentary follows him in his final year of life, and is both heartbreaking and beautiful in its honesty. Robert’s friends and partner are all interviewed, along with his parents and other members of the community. Relationships, sex, transitioning, parenthood, and family are all explored. The DVD has an extra interview where Eads reveals that he wasn't allowed to attend a trans medical centre because he was a trans man. Specifically, his male appearance would "embarrass" the trans women in attendance. Despite the fact that he had cancer and desperately needed care, he was not welcome because trans men were considered too rare and unsightly to warrant inclusion. This example of historical FTM-specific discrimination is typically not acknowledged when people discuss Eads's death. NOTE: Outdated views on surgery. Bottom surgery options have improved a great deal since Southern Comfort was filmed, and many trans men (and AFAB gender-diverse people) have undergone satisfactory operations. Top to Bottom , a book published by Finlay Games about his phalloplasty journey, is worth a read if you are looking for a realistic and more modern take on often-stigmatised female-to-male bottom surgery. Mastectomy options, for the purposes of a transition or gender affirmation, have also improved a lot as well, in many countries. Entry last updated: 24 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Relationships Browse