In 2016, Kayden Clarke, an American autistic trans man, was shot dead by police after his mother called emergency services due to Kayden being suicidal. (So-called "suicide by cop".) In 2018, Argentine writer/director Diego Casado created a play about a trans man named Alan, inspired by Kayden. Alan is played by Argentine actress Raquel Ameri, and is shown binding with bandages, fully naked, and being forcibly undressed. Millones de Segundos (Millions of Seconds) Theatre 2018 Argentina In 2016, Kayden Clarke, an American autistic trans man, was shot dead by police after his mother called emergency services due to Kayden being suicidal. (So-called "suicide by cop".) In 2018, Argentine writer/director Diego Casado created a play about a trans man named Alan, inspired by Kayden. Alan is played by Argentine actress Raquel Ameri, and is shown binding with bandages, fully naked, and being forcibly undressed. Trailer. Review, snippets. Review. Available Summary: Esta obra está inspirada en hecho reales. Alan es un adolescente transexual con síndrome de Asperger. Cuando tenía cinco años, supo que era de otro planeta y empezó a contar los segundos que le quedaban para dejar de vivir en ese cuerpo. Hoy tiene 554 millones de segundos y aún conserva la esperanza de empezar su transformación y poder seguir usando el baño de varones. No soporta las ventanas abiertas, le gustan las puertas cerradas, grabarse videos y subirlos a youtube, enumerarlo todo. Esta es su historia. - Official webpage . Note from Jack: I'm an autistic trans bloke, a real one. Watching both this trailer and this review left a bad taste in my mouth. A light-skinned, slender actress playing a trans man, wrapping bandages around her chest while tragic music swells to emphasise the trans man's pitiable life... Fiddling with a Rubik's Cube to show that the trans man is autistic... The trans man being forcibly stripped and his nude body revealed... Did the writer/director or actress consider that Kayden Clarke would probably hate being portrayed this way, or hate people claiming that his story is accurately represented by this play? Kayden was a trans man who, due to his autism, was denied gender-affirming care and suffered so much that he was driven to commit suicide. His body looking, sounding, and being gendered in a particular way immensely impacted his mental health, alongside other issues that he faced. An actress exposing her female body onstage, and being forcibly undressed, is not a respectful way to depict a trans male character inspired by Kayden. This is not the only time that Kayden was misrepresented after death. An American news outlet had to publish a follow-up article after publishing an account which, thanks to police and the people in Kayden's life, referred to him as a woman without any indication of how he identified, indicating the lack of agency and validation which drove him further into despair. In this article , Raquel Ameri is applauded for playing Alan. She describes a trans male audience member telling her that the play reminded him of moments from his own life. Certainly, I have not viewed the play and know that not all trans men have the same opinions, so I won't make any claims about how moving or worthwhile the entire production was for others. I know I wouldn't want to watch it. Make of that what you will. Entry last updated: 6 Apr 2026

This book explores the lives of trans men living in the U.S.A. between 1876 and 1936, examining their experiences of being outed, their romantic relationships, their participation in the workforce, and their preferences for rural towns over cities. The impact of race on their lives is also considered. True Sex: The Lives of Trans Men at the Turn of the 20th Century Book (Non-Fiction) 2017 United States of America This book explores the lives of trans men living in the U.S.A. between 1876 and 1936, examining their experiences of being outed, their romantic relationships, their participation in the workforce, and their preferences for rural towns over cities. The impact of race on their lives is also considered. Available Summary: Frank Dubois was known as a hard-working man, married to a young woman named Gertrude Fuller in Waupun, Wisconsin. In 1883, his seemingly unremarkable life drew national attention when it was revealed that he was anatomically female. The townspeople only discovered his "true sex" when his former husband and their children arrived in the town searching for their departed wife and mother. At the turn of the twentieth century, trans men were not necessarily urban rebels seeking to overturn stifling gender roles. In fact, they often sought to pass as conventional men who lived in small towns and led ordinary lives. They were, in a word, unexceptional. In True Sex, Emily Skidmore uncovers the stories of eighteen trans men who lived in the U.S. between 1876 and 1936. Despite their "unexceptional" quality, their lives challenge assumption that the full story of modern American sexuality is told only by cosmopolitan radicals. By tracing the narratives surrounding the moments of "discovery" in these communities, True Sex reveals how complex factors such as rural geography and community and persecution and tolerance intersect with the history of race, identity, and sexuality in America. -Book blurb. Note from Jack: I've read this book, and I really enjoyed it. I also appreciated the author's nuanced qualifying statement about the individuals discussed in this book: I refer to the historical subjects of this book with male pronouns because each of the subjects herein chose to live as a man for many years prior to his appearance within the public record, and many continued to live as men even after their queer embodiment resulted in arrest, incarceration, or other hardship... Furthermore, I refer to my historical subjects as "trans men" because they chose to live their lives as male even though they had been assigned female at birth. Thus, trans here suggests the ways in which the subjects of this book transitioned from the gender assigned to them at birth to the one with which they identified. I refer to them as "men" because they all expressed the sentiment that they were men despite their anatomy. The author goes on to acknowledge that some of these historical individuals are argued, by some scholars, to be butches. Either way, modern commentary on historical gender-transgressive individuals inevitably places modern perspectives on non-modern experiences. That's somewhat unavoidable, but that doesn't mean modern conversations about butches, trans men, transmasculine people, and crossdressing women shouldn't dare to discuss historical individuals. In my opinion, the history discussed in this book belongs to all of those groups, should those groups find relatability in how female-born, male-presenting historical figures lived. There isn't one correct way to talk about this history. I appreciate this book for primarily discussing these people as trans men, and I appreciate that others will discuss them as butches. Entry last updated: 15 Mar 2026

Tamil-Sri Lankan-American trans man D'Lo, a trans writer and actor and comic, is the focus of this documentary, which also examines his relationship with his parents. Performing Girl Documentary, Short Film 2013 United States of America, Sri Lanka, India Tamil-Sri Lankan-American trans man D'Lo, a trans writer and actor and comic, is the focus of this documentary, which also examines his relationship with his parents. Watch. Related Article. Available Summary: An award-winning and entertaining look at the early life of DʼLo; world-famous queer, transgender, Tamil Sri Lankan American actor, writer and comic who got his start performing for his family and classmates in Lancaster, CA. Through interviews, animation, home movies and performance clips, DʼLo and his parents tell the story of how his identity and their relationships have changed over time. -Amazon. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026

Trans men in China are interviewed about their experiences. Brothers Documentary 2012 中國 (China) Trans men in China are interviewed about their experiences. Watch. Available Summary: The documentary Brothers takes you to the female-to-male transgender community in China, a community which endures hardships that are unfathomable to the majority of Chinese society. It documents the life of Tony, who forms part of a group of female-to-male transgendered people who call each other brothers. The film shows Tony’s road to self-acknowledgement, his troubles at work, his decision to undergo sex reassignment surgery and all the difficulties he encounters on his path. -Queer Comrades. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026

Cullen Row, a trans man played by American trans male actor Tyler DiChiara, is a superhero who works to clear his name after being arrested for the murder of Batman. Gotham Knights Show 2023 United States of America Cullen Row, a trans man played by American trans male actor Tyler DiChiara, is a superhero who works to clear his name after being arrested for the murder of Batman. Available Summary: In the wake of Bruce Wayne's death, his adopted son Turner Hayes forges an unlikely alliance with runaways Harper and Cullen Row, and the criminal Duela, when they are all framed for the murder by the Gotham City Police Department and District Attorney Harvey Dent. The four youths attempt to clear their names and find out who really killed Bruce Wayne, with help from Turner's friend Stephanie Brown and Turner's classmate Carrie Kelley, who is secretly the superhero Robin. -Wikipedia. Jack's Summary: This show is exactly what you may think it'll be; it's a cheesy, predictable superhero series stuffed to the brim with conventionally attractive young adults. But, for all the flak this series got, it's no worse than other superhero shows I've watched, and the young actors offer decent performances. (In fact, the worst acting comes courtesy of Misha Collins, a veteran of procedural fantasy drama.) It's genuinely fun and engaging, once you get past the terrible pilot, which is common among superhero shows. As season 1 goes on, it gets better and finds its footing. At the time of writing, I'm up to the finale and am keen for its release. Trans inclusivity doesn't automatically make any show or film good, as Relish (2019) proved when it sacrificed Tyler DiChiara at the altar of terrible writing and directing, but thankfully DiChiara has a better time in Gotham Knights . Would I call this show the pinnacle of its genre? Nah. But I do love the occasional unrealistic, ridiculous superhero show, and the fact that I can have that viewing experience with the added bonus of a trans male character, played by a trans man, is really nice. Gotham Knights is silly and fun. Given that I was most recently watching season 3 of the ironically-named Happy Valley , it's a relief to watch something that isn't depressing or painfully serious, and to have an trans male storyline included. Cullen and Harper. DiChiara plays Cullen Row, who is accompanied throughout the series by his sister Harper Row, a bisexual woman. The pair are thieves who are falsely accused of killing Batman, and team up with Batman's adopted son to clear their names and find the real killers. The show establishes Cullen's trans male identity in episode 1, while he's being interrogated by police officers. It's a pretty stilted and rushed scene, as is the rest of the pilot, but it's not too bad. Ford, a minor character and an antagonist, is about to read Cullen's birth name aloud when Harvey Dent interrupts him, saying, "Don't use his deadname". The next reference to Cullen's trans status comes when he says he's determined to defend his name because he "chose the damn thing", and after that point the series only references his transition when fleshing out his and Harper's backstory. Much of the time, and with every character other than Harper, Cullen is just a normal dude with other traits and hobbies, which I find really awesome. As the episodes go on, other characters are more thoroughly explored and Cullen is treated as a typical guy (extralegal skills aside). The only person who thinks about his transition is his sister. The show does well to give Cullen personality beyond his transition. He's an artist too, and is repeatedly shown sketching in a notebook. He falsifies important documents, makes replicas of precious stones, impersonates a police officer, and steals cars during heists. He has a skillset and personality separate from being FTM, just like his sister has a skillset and personality separate from being bisexual. Cullen in S01E11. Cullen is shown shirtless, which I really loved. The fact that young trans men can see themselves casually represented in such a way makes this show worthwhile. And the fact that the rest of his characterisation is good, without the kinds of scenes which have historically caused so much trauma to trans male communities, adds so much value to both Gotham Knights and Cullen. In S01E05, Harper makes use of a mob connection, much to Cullen's shock as he was unaware that she ever dealt with mobsters. I absolutely loved a scene at the end of the episode, where Harper reveals that she got only involved with them in order to finance Cullen's mastectomy. "I could see how hard things were for you before the surgery," she explains, "We got away from dad, but you were still trapped. So, getting you that money was a no-brainer. And I would do it again." It's utterly adorable. Harper and Stephanie in S01E11. The show also has a fantastic lesbian/bisexual relationship, which made me so happy. It develops in a way which is really compelling. Stephanie's epiphany, when she finally experiences genuine attraction, was utterly wonderful and reframed several of her earlier comments about being romantically close with guys. I hope young lesbians are encouraged by her scenes and can recognise themselves in her. Stephanie's arc shows viewers that it's okay to embrace a lesbian identity after having had experiences with men, and that experimentation doesn't disqualify you from being gay. Honestly, even without Cullen's storyline, I think Harper and Stephanie make this a worthwhile watch. The beauty of Stephanie's story is that she's not introduced as a lesbian, but rather, is assumed to be heterosexual and is making out with a guy in her first scene. Viewers are led to assume that Stephanie will be the love interest of either Turner or Brody, but neither is the case. Just because those two guys are attracted to her doesn't mean that she's attracted to either of them, which is how Gotham Knights set up a predictable romantic subplot and then defied it. While Cullen's trans identity is established and then his other qualities are brought to the forefront, Stephanie's journey is inverse. She is defined by her intelligence, family situation, and loyalty before her lesbian identity is made apparent. In terms of general themes, Gotham Knights has the following: Violence typical in superhero shows (murder, combat, blood, light torture, hostage-taking, et cetera). Consensual sexual interactions between people below the age of 18 (played by early 20s actors). No nudity or explicit visuals, but they are shown kissing and in their underwear. A firearm suicide. Misrepresentations of dissociative mental illness, complete with the classic smashed mirror motif. It isn't the worst depiction of dissociative mental illness out there, à la Split (2017), but it's nonetheless a depiction of "multiple personalities" causing a person to be violent and cruel. Prescription drug addiction and alcohol addiction, particularly in relation to family dysfunction. A husband illegally obtains opioids in order to keep his wife addicted to pain medication. There is also general alcohol and drug use. Discussions of extreme physical abuse, committed against a child by his father. The kidnapping and physical intimidation of an elderly woman. She is evil, but regardless, if you're sensitive to depictions of elder abuse then you should proceed with caution. Probably the only other note about Gotham Knights is that the most insufferable character is Turner, Batman's adopted son and ostensibly the main character. In that respect, this show is ploddingly consistent with other superhero series I've watched. UPDATE: I have now watched the finale, and am happy to report that no instances of needless misgendering or deadnaming need to be added to the list of warnings. All in all, Cullen's trans status is wonderfully irrelevant by the end of the season, and he instead plays a central role in evacuating a large area of the city. The episode deals with the trolley problem on a city-wide scale, offers some more misrepresentations of what it means to have a dissociative mental illness, and ultimately offers a good launch pad for season 2. Unfortunately, it apparently hasn't been renewed, which is a genuine shame. I wanted to see Cullen's story continue in further episodes. Still, it's awesome that trans guys have this piece of representation in one season, and I'm glad DiChiara stepped up and took the role. One reason I am glad Gotham Knights won't be renewed is the direction Harvey Dent took, which is similar to his classic origin story. I had hoped that, following the burning of his face, he would exhibit the same kindness, patience, and personality that he displayed throughout the majority of the season. That would be a great way to show viewers with facial differences that they can still be gentle and loved, even after being hugely changed by an accident/incident. A scene reuniting him with his child, perhaps in the hospital, would've allowed such a message. That wasn't what happened. Instead, the show leans on characterising his dissociative state as "an evil twin riding shotgun in his brain", and makes his severely burned body the catalyst for effortlessly turning him into a monster. The dissociative state which existed to protect Harvey from an abusive father suddenly turns him into an unhinged murderer. The message that this sends to those with facial differences, and those with dissociative mental illnesses, is simple: You are evil. I had hoped that this show would do better. To learn more about facial differences in particular, I recommend these links: We Will Not Hide: A Face Equality Week Film. Facial Difference as Evil in Wonder Woman , written by the visible differences campaigner Carly Findlay . Why Do Movie Villains Have So Many Dermatological Issues? What is it like to live with a visible facial difference? The Harmful Trope of Facial Differences in Film Villains. And I highly recommend this interview with a young burn survivor: I know I'm taking Gotham Knights very seriously here, and being quite critical of the show's demonisation of facial differences... But this really does matter. Being burned, injured, or born with a different face to most people doesn't make you evil or violent. In fact, such people are more likely to be the targets of violence and discrimination, on the basis of their appearance. It's long past time for media to give up on this outdated, nasty stereotype, because it has consequences. And here is an interview with a woman who developed a dissociative mental illness due to childhood abuse: Messaging in media, regardless of genre, impacts us all... and especially those of us who are vulnerable or visibly different. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026

A trans teenager, played by American trans actor Rhys Fehrenbacher, endures harassment from his classmates and comes face-to-face with his body dysphoria in gruesome visions. Skin Short Film 2019 United States of America A trans teenager, played by American trans actor Rhys Fehrenbacher, endures harassment from his classmates and comes face-to-face with his body dysphoria in gruesome visions. Watch. Available Summary: A queer teenager struggling with the onset of puberty escapes reality for a chance at a new, better-fitting identity. -Vimeo. Jack's Summary: This is a coming-of-age body horror short film starring Rhys Fehrenbacher as a trans teenager who struggles with bullying and gender dysphoria. It was a pleasure to see Fehrenbacher onscreen, as the first time I saw him in a film was the movie They (2017), which was pretty well-acted, but quite poorly written and directed. Skin was much more interesting, and really allowed Fehrenbacher to take up space. I enjoyed a conversation between the trans protagonist and their mother, which was gentle and loving. The protagonist's gender and pronouns are never stated outright, so this could easily be a short film about a trans boy or a non-binary young person. WARNINGS: Gore/blood, dead animals, transphobia, sexual harassment. Entry last updated: 23 Feb 2026

Kai, a trans man played by American trans male actor Tyler DiChiara, accompanies other teenage runaways on a roadtrip. Relish Film 2019 United States of America Kai, a trans man played by American trans male actor Tyler DiChiara, accompanies other teenage runaways on a roadtrip. Watch. Available Summary: Touted as a modern day Breakfast Club with an edge, five teenage outcasts, led by a rebellious transgender male, escape a private treatment facility. The group embarks on a wild, life-changing road trip – ultimately discovering they have a lot more in common than they ever imagined. -YouTube. Jack's Summary: I personally wouldn't recommend watching this movie, but it is available on YouTube for free, so you can make up your own mind. Every character is a stereotype, which is supposed to serve a purpose when those stereotypes are later subverted... unfortunately, though, no character development successfully transforms this ragtag crew into anything but a collection of one-dimensional personalities, no matter the effort which the actors brought to their roles. We have an Asian woman with blue streaks dyed in her hair , who has stereotypical contamination OCD which conveniently disappears whenever the writers can't be bothered with it anymore (boy, do I wish it went away that easily). We have a violent jock who compensates for his own weaknesses with aggression. We have a superficial, popular blonde woman who is actually incredibly insecure and deeply distressed. We have a young man whose psychiatric disorder manifests in muttering and outbursts when convenient for the plot, and he is easily calmed despite being completely–and abruptly–cut off from treatment and routine. And then, of course, we have a suffering trans man, who is misgendered within the first six minutes of the movie. Kai standing in front of a mirror, wrapping himself in bandages. Kai is later shown wearing bandages to bind his chest. Any goodwill that this film earned for casting a trans man (Tyler DiChiara) in a trans male role utterly disappeared with the portrayal of such a dangerous act. Filmmakers easily could've shown him wearing a chest binder. Kai is supposed to be pre-everything, which (I imagine) is the justification for having him use bandages, but that doesn't make sense when the actor playing him is very clearly on testosterone. Learn more about chest binding here. Kai entering the men's bathroom. Kai is cornered by two cis men later in the film, who are intent on sexually assaulting him after clocking him as trans. The sexual harassment and assaulting of trans men is an under-discussed issue in modern trans advocacy, so I'd have been happy if this film tackled it... But it didn't really tackle it, not in a meaningful way, and seemed to be more focused on demonising two random rural blokes as nasty redneck stereotypes. Later, when another character discusses being raped, her trauma is glossed over in a similar way. In terms of general warnings, the film includes drug and alcohol use, suicidal ideation, self harm scars, sexual harassment, sexual assault, slut shaming, transphobic beliefs, and drug withdrawal. Kai and Aspen. The one thing I did love about this film is the normalisation of Kai's pre-op body around his friends, after he seemingly stops binding with bandages. That aspect of the film gets a 10/10, regardless of everything else. If you want to see DiChiara in a better, more watchable context, I recommend the superhero series Gotham Knights . Entry last updated: 15 Feb 2026

Two American trans men, including Steve Dain, are interviewed about their transitions, childhoods, experiences of discrimination, goals for the future, and overall lives. Trans women are also interviewed. What Sex Am I? Documentary 1985 United States of America Two American trans men, including Steve Dain, are interviewed about their transitions, childhoods, experiences of discrimination, goals for the future, and overall lives. Trans women are also interviewed. Watch. Available Summary: What Sex Am I? is a 1985 documentary film directed by Academy Award winner Lee Grant. The film follows a group of transgender individuals in mid-1980s America. Originally aired on HBO, the film is notable for its educated and sympathetic treatment of its subject, more in line with 21st century sentiment than those of the 1980s. -Wikipedia. Entry last updated: 12 Mar 2026

In this experimental short film, Krissy Mahan re-enacts a conversation with a psychiatrist who pathologised the wearing of boxers. My Crazy Boxers Experimental Film, Short Film 2019 United States of America In this experimental short film, Krissy Mahan re-enacts a conversation with a psychiatrist who pathologised the wearing of boxers. Watch. Available Summaries: Suicidal... or just a working-class butch dyke caught in the wrong underpants? Seems that the boxers were the bigger problem, according to my treatment team. This video is based on actual meetings with hospital staff while in a psychiatric hospital system. Krissy Mahan makes movies using humour as a feminist tool. Their films address social issues such as accessibility, gender identity, mental health, immigration, and working-class post-industrial cities. Mahan has been recording visual records of people for 20 years, using whatever technology is available. - Otherness Archive . One method to control populations is to use administrative violence is to pathologize difference and dissent. In this film, I reenact what actually happened to me in a psychiatric setting. The clothes I wear provoked a very violent response by medical professionals – I was locked up and forced to take psychotropic medications. This film uses experimental visuals to highlight the insidiousness of the therapist’s words. - Official website . Jack's Summary: For a short film comprised entirely of dialogue accompanied by a pixellated video of fish swimming, this piece hit me harder than many feature-length movies with massive budgets and glossy graphics. This is an uncomfortably realistic depiction of a medical practitioner demonising masculine presentation. The psychiatrist's voice actor did a devastatingly brilliant job. As seen in Vor Transsexuellen Wird Gewarnt , butches have always shared experiences, struggles, and joys with trans people (butches and trans people not being mutually exclusive populations). This short film is an example of bigotry also faced by trans men, transmasculine people, non-binary people, etc. So many of us are punished, judged, and abused for our masculinity, regardless of our different labels, and I'm so thankful for Krissy Mahan sharing such traumatic experiences in this short film. Entry last updated: 22 Mar 2026

Lukas Leonhard, a trans man played by German cis male actor Rick Okon, tries to live low-disclosure during his compulsory civil service, reconnecting with his lesbian best friend Ine and struggling to embrace his growing attraction to men. Romeos Film 2011 Deutschland (Germany) Lukas Leonhard, a trans man played by German cis male actor Rick Okon, tries to live low-disclosure during his compulsory civil service, reconnecting with his lesbian best friend Ine and struggling to embrace his growing attraction to men. Trailer. Available Summary: A drama centred on the relationship between two young men, as one of them navigates the difficulties of life as a trans man. -IMDb. Jack's Summary: The protagonist of this film, Lukas Leonhard, is a 20-year-old German trans man. He has begun testosterone, legally changed his name, flattens his chest with a binder, and packs with a prosthetic penis. He cannot legally change his gender marker due to the Transsexuals Act (Transsexuellengesetz), which required that a trans person be sterilised, undergo surgery on external sex characteristics, and satisfy assessors before being allowed such legal recognition. (That law has since been ruled unconstitutional.) A meeting about where Lukas can live during his civil service. At the beginning of the film, he is commencing his compulsory civil service (Zivildienst) as an alternative to conscription. Because his gender is not legally recognised, he is placed in female housing despite his male appearance. This leads to discomfort, conflict, and a happy reunion with his best friend Ine. Lukas swears her to secrecy, as he wishes to disclose as little as possible. Lukas and Ine discussing his trans status. Ine, a lesbian, introduces him to the gay scene in Cologne. He meets Fabio, a gay man who seems confident and settled in his gay identity initially, but who is actually closeted in much of his life. Lukas, who used to live as a lesbian, finds himself increasingly attracted to men, and especially to Fabio. He unfortunately also meets a gay man named Sven, who is attracted to Lukas. More on that later. When he is not working, Lukas lifts weights (with terrible neck posture), reconnects with Ine, parties with Fabio, tries to get moved into male housing, submits applications for surgery, and supports fellow trans men via an online forum where he also seeks support. Videos of real trans men are shown, sharing their top surgery scars and post-op drains/bandages, and Lukas researches phalloplasty. Ine being wilfully ignorant. Though Ine is supportive of Lukas, she becomes frustrated when he neglects their friendship, and repeatedly provokes him with transphobic comments, admitting that she misses who Lukas used to be. In a moment of deliberate ignorance, seeking to annoy Lukas, she says, "If you love boys anyway, then stay a girl. It would be easier. Why put yourself through all this?" Lukas, frustrated, replies, "Are you crazy? The one thing has absolutely nothing to do with the other!" I liked this exchange because (within the conflict-laden context of Romeos ) it allowed a trans man to firmly assert the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity. Ine's comment is presented as purposefully juvenile, like many of the characters' comments, rather than a logical point. In fact, the entire film operates that way; all of the main characters, Lukas included, are flawed. This is not a feel-good movie about people who have their shit together. It is, at times, upsetting and confronting, which makes its ultimate tenderness all the more moving for me personally. Fabio playing pool with his heterosexual friends. Lukas becomes aware that Fabio is closeted when he sees Fabio partying with another group of friends, flirting with women and throwing around homophobic slurs to cover for his own orientation. This cockiness is consistent with Fabio's personality thus far. He is assertive to the point of being aggressive, uses ableist slurs (in an authentically early-2000s way), and struts around nude after having group sex in a car. It is entirely unsurprising that, when he becomes aware of Lukas's trans status, Fabio becomes hostile. Lukas is caught off-guard when his mother, father, and young sister visit him at his home while Fabio is present. His sister throws a tantrum and outs Lukas, yelling his deadname and referring to him with she/her/hers pronouns. In a moment of thoughtless panic, Lukas slaps her cheek to try and stop her yelling, freezing in shock when he realises what he did. The damage is done, and Fabio (who watched this occur) knows Lukas's secret. Lukas discovering that Fabio knows nothing about trans men. Predictably, Fabio then calls Lukas slurs, quizzes him about his genitals, and makes derogatory comments about trans people overall... but the act is not convincing. It's apparent that he is still attracted to Lukas, curious about him, and does not actually believe the cruel things that he says. The film, rather than framing Lukas as a powerless victim, shows him pushing back against Fabio's ignorance, and emphasises that Fabio's weak-willed nastiness comes from being insecure in his own identity. He is afraid that he will be judged, by other gay men, for being attracted to a trans man. While nobody in this film can apologise (Fabio included), he continues to flirt with Lukas and pursue him, physically showing his affection in contrast to his performative bigotry. The push-and-pull in this film is not just between two men, but rather, between acceptance/pride and hatred/shame. Lukas realising that he does not want to sleep with Sven. Lukas comes across Sven, who is distraught after finding out that his boyfriend has been cheating on him. They go to a bar, drink together, flirt, and return to Lukas's home. Lukas, drunk, starts to protest as Sven undresses, saying, "I can't." Sven, not taking no for an answer, insists on sex until Lukas comes out as a transsexual man. Once he knows, Sven's demeanour totally changes. He starts calling Lukas slurs and making comments about his genitals, grabbing his chest, intent on raping him. Lukas physically fights Sven off, standing up for himself and insisting that Sven leave. I found this to be a realistic and confronting depiction of assault. I appreciated that it ended with Lukas aggressively defending himself. Fabio looking at Lukas. The day after this assault, Lukas is irritated when Fabio turns up at his home, not prepared to deal with any more bigotry. The emotionally-constipated Fabio, trying to show that he views Lukas as a man without using his words (god forbid), gifts him a DVD of gay porn. The pair hang out at Lukas's home. Fabio shows Lukas how to do a dumbbell overhead tricep extension, gently touching his upper body to instruct him on proper technique. Lukas freezes, afraid, when Fabio accidentally touches his chest area, anticipating violence given that he was assaulted very recently by a cis gay man. Speaking softly and without judgement, Fabio moves his hands away from Lukas's chest, holding his arm instead, encouraging Lukas to keep lifting the dumbbell. It's hard to describe how beautiful this moment is, when Fabio abandons his machismo and shows Lukas that he is safe. The pair almost kiss, but Fabio panics when Lukas's homophobic neighbours laugh and jeer, mocking them for their obvious closeness. Lukas, in a display of immaturity, laughs at Fabio in this moment, not taking his fear seriously. Fabio leaves. It's difficult to storm away in annoyance when stuck in an elevator. Lukas goes to Fabio's apartment, unaware that Fabio lives with parents who believe their son to be heterosexual, not realising the boundary that he is crossing. Fabio, who risks being kicked out of home if discovered, makes Lukas leave, pushing him into the building's elevator. The elevator doors close on the pair of them as they bicker. "I never want to see you again." "I'm sick of you." "Me, too." They then stand there, arms crossed, pouting like children, the elevator ride painfully awkward for both men. I adore this scene. It is so clear that, despite his bluster and immaturity, Fabio is not a threat to Lukas, and Lukas is not powerless in their relationship. Sven aside, this film moves beyond victim-aggressor dynamics and instead gathers a cast of flawed, young, still-emotionally maturing adults who lash out at each other by saying things that they don't mean. Lukas and Fabio playing pool together. Some time later, Lukas and Fabio reluctantly play pool together when Fabio's girlfriend Jacqueline, unaware of the pair's connection, insists on it. Throughout the evening, Lukas and Fabio gravitate towards each other while Ine and Jacqueline bond. The two men are shocked out of their repressed conflict when Jacqueline and Ine hook up, enthusiastically kissing in the backseat of Fabio's car. The men realise that denying their mutual attraction has become ridiculous. Like Ine and Jacqueline, they are two consenting adults. Lukas and Fabio finally embracing their mutual attraction. Lukas, feeling safe with Fabio, invites him home. Fabio's gentle, loving, non-verbal communication returns when he reassuringly kisses Lukas, letting him know that it is okay for Lukas to remove the oversized shirt he layers on top of his binder. Fabio, in his way, is telling Lukas that he will not be hurt or judged. After Lukas has sex with Fabio, he sits outdoors, contentedly watching the sunset while smoking a cigarette. The film concludes with footage from Lukas's future, after he has undergone top surgery; he runs on the beach, shirtless and overjoyed. The casting of Lukas. Sabine Bernardi, the director of Romeos , discussed the film in this 2011 interview . She says that she became interested in making a fictional film about a trans man after directing the documentary Transfamily (2005), which focused on a pair of trans men in a relationship with each other. Bernardi emphasises the importance of casting a male actor rather an actress, stressing that Transfamily taught her how much testosterone changes the bodies of trans men. She was not interested in having a woman portray Lukas. She specifies that she did search for trans male actors, but struggled to find many. Beyond actor availability and visibility in the early 2000s, she also had to deal with casting directors who were unwilling to get involved due to the trans subject matter and the film's low budget. According to Bernardi, Rick Okon (who played Lukas) auditioned to play both Lukas and Fabio, but fell in love with the role of Lukas, preferring to play him. While Okon himself is not trans, Bernardi describes introducing him to real trans men who educated him for his role, with Bernardi herself also guiding Okon. I appreciate Bernardi's casting choices, given the position she was in, and I love the way that she speaks about trans maleness. She sought out trans male actors and, when she could not find one, cast a cis male actor. The non-negotiable part was that a male actor play Lukas. A censored still from the film. In the film, Okon wears very convincing chest prosthetics in order to portray the pre-op Lukas. Reading reviews of the film, many people seem to have believed Rick Okon to be a trans man, and I initially thought he was as well. Many trans men look and sound like Lukas after some time on testosterone, after all, which is a fact often not grasped by other filmmakers. In summary... Many people, particularly trans men, will understandably dislike this film or outright hate it. I am well aware that I have a soft spot for Romeos which makes me more likely to look past its flaws and be unaffected by the casual transphobia of most characters. Would I recommend that you watch this film? I dunno, it really depends on your threshold for drama and bigotry, and where you're at in your transition (if that's relevant to your life). As always, my reviews are just one bloke's opinion. Me, personally? I love Lukas's self-assured strength, his determination, and his masculinity. I love that Lukas, despite what he goes through, is not a victim. Overall, Romeos includes alcohol use, tobacco smoking, brief marijuana smoking, nudity, slurs, physical violence, and the near-constant anxiety of being outed/discovered as a transsexual. Lukas wears a velcro chest binder (with shoulder straps), and exerts himself while bound (running, lifting weights), which could be unsafe for you. Learn more about binding here. Entry last updated: 17 Feb 2026

Two English filmmakers interview trans and gender-diverse people in Russia, who discuss their experiences of transitioning, bigotry, pride, and being outed. Big Open Closet: Trans in Russia Documentary 2018 Russia, England Two English filmmakers interview trans and gender-diverse people in Russia, who discuss their experiences of transitioning, bigotry, pride, and being outed. Watch. Available Summary: A documentary film about being transgender in St Petersburg in Russia, presented by Owl and Fox Fisher. This is the first specifically trans-related documentary film on day to day trans life and the specific issues that trans women, trans men, and non-binary people are facing in Russia. With special thanks to Jonny and all our contributors. -YouTube. Jack's Summary: I highly recommend watching this (unfortunately short) documentary, to gain insights into the experiences of trans and gender-diverse people in Russia. Trans couple Jonny and Mark. The Russian people interviewed include Mark, who tells interviewers about their first time injecting testosterone only the night before. They are wonderfully authentic, full of joy, and a delight to listen to. They flex their arms and, putting on an exaggerated deep voice, say, "I'm going to become really masculine," making the interviewers laugh. Their partner, Jonny, is also trans and uses testosterone. Trans person named J. J, one of Mark's flatmates, describes what it was like to come out as trans in Siberia, and the experience of being forced to stay in a psychiatric hospital in order to be allowed to transition. While in the hospital, they were examined by a gynaecologist, a neurologist, and an ophthalmologist. They also had to answer a personality test that consisted of 500 questions. They laugh about their experience, as does their flatmate, but you should proceed with caution if hearing about such an experience might upset you. J says that they saw things in the hospital which they will never be able to forget. The interviewees discuss sexual abuse in Russia, and the expectations of masculinity and manhood which are placed upon trans women and transfeminine people. "As a construct," Jonny explains, "A man who lets go of his masculinity is perceived as weak and something that shouldn't exist." Jonny also adds that non-conformity can put any person in danger, saying, "It's about disability, it's about race, it's about ethnicity, it's about your mental health, it's about anything. As soon as it's recognised that you don't fit into the major normative... You're just... nobody." After this, a trans woman named Kate is interviewed about how being publicly outed affected her life. Loren, a trans doctor, is interviewed alongside his wife Nadezhda. Unfortunately, their interview is very short, and we do not get to learn much about the pair. Non-binary person named Ari. Ari, a non-binary person, talks about the difficulty posed by the Russian language, in that speakers have to use gendered language whenever they talk about themselves. "For practicality, I ask people to please refer to me with masculine pronouns and language," they say, "Which is the way I have referred to myself since my childhood... But I feel that I am neither a man nor a woman. I think the idea that gender can be more than two is enough to blow people's minds". Two young trans people. A young trans person talks about living in a closed military city, and having a lack of information about gender. They talk about the struggle of being diagnosed in order to be allowed to transition, and how this can lead to misdiagnoses and incorrect assumptions from practitioners. They, and their young friend, talk about being asked questions relating to their genitalia, even though such questions are obviously irrelevant and traumatising. "I am afraid of going to the hospital," the young person says, "It's a problem." The two interviewers/filmmakers, Owl and Fox Fisher, attend an LGBT+ festival called Queerfest. The festival was attacked in the past, but there are no instances of violence or anti-LGBT+ sentiments at the event which is filmed. In fact, it seems joyous and incredibly lovely, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a crowd gathered to celebrate. There are several lingering, beautiful shots of anonymous LGBT+ people who have attended the event. Prior to discussing the increasing hostility, mistreatment, and difficulties experienced by Russian trans people, the English filmmakers pointedly emphasise the following: "Often, people speak about queer people in Russia, and they talk about how brave they are to be out, and speak as if they need to be saved by more progressive countries. But it's not about them being brave, and they don't need to be saved by us, or anyone that doesn't live in their community and culture. All we can do is support them on their own terms. They need to lead the way." Entry last updated: 27 Feb 2026

Cris Salamanca, an American trans man, is interviewed alongside his family members about his transition. El Canto del Colibrí Documentary 2015 United States of America Cris Salamanca, an American trans man, is interviewed alongside his family members about his transition. Watch. Available Summary: In an intimate and deeply personal documentary, immigrant Latino fathers across the U.S. recount the impact of their children’s coming out. Through raw, heartfelt testimonies, these families delve deeply into issues of immigration, prejudice, and isolation, while thoughtfully asking questions of their communities, culture, and even their religious beliefs. The result is a powerful lesson on solidarity and humility in a film that both heals and inspires. - Vimeo . Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026