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- Princess Cyd (2017) | Non-Binary, Bisexual Film
The bisexual protagonist of this film falls in love with Katie, a gender non-conforming barista played by American non-binary actor Ro White. Princess Cyd Film 2017 United States of America The bisexual protagonist of this film falls in love with Katie, a gender non-conforming barista played by American non-binary actor Ro White. Trailer. Available Summary: A teenager moves to Chicago for the summer and finds a poignant mentor in her aunt and a sweet love interest in a girl who works in the neighborhood. -Netflix. Jack's Summary: I really, really enjoyed this film. The protagonist is an initially headstrong, arrogant young woman who is beginning to explore her sexuality, and who is healing from trauma. I interpret her aunt as being asexual, although that is not canonically stated. The main love interest of Cyd is a gender non-conforming person named Katie, played by American non-binary actor Ro White. In this interview , the director said that he told White to, "rewind to a year or two before you fully acknowledged your identity as a non-binary person," explaining to the interviewer, "Katie is a girl in the film, but cut to two years later, I imagine they will have found themselves." An encounter where Katie is assumed to be a guy by strangers, and happily does not correct them, leads to a scene where Cyd and her aunt briefly comment on Katie's gender identity, unbothered and supportive in a way which I found wonderfully understated. I would say that Katie is potentially relatable for a wide range of gender-diverse and gender non-conforming people. The most confronting parts of this film involve an offscreen sexual assault (Katie texts Cyd, asking for help to escape the situation), and a discussion of unmanaged mental illness and domestic conflict which escalated into gun violence. Towards the end of the movie, Cyd reveals to Katie that her brother fatally shot her mother and then turned the gun on himself. Cyd also reveals that her parents had considered sending her brother to military school, as a solution for his mental illnesses and mood swings, which is hardly an appropriate response to someone who needs clinical help. This is one reason that I feel mental illness is not demonised by this storyline; it is clear that her brother did not get the help he needed, resulting in horrific consequences for his family and himself. Furthermore, Katie has self-harm scars which do not deter Cyd's affection and attraction. They are simply allowed to exist, without being stigmatised or questioned. There is a happy ending. Entry last updated: 9 Feb 2026 Related Media Non-Binary Media Browse
- Boy I Am (2006) | Trans Male, Feminist Documentary
Three American trans men are interviewed alongside feminists who oppose female-to-male transitions. Boy I Am Documentary 2006 United States of America Three American trans men are interviewed alongside feminists who oppose female-to-male transitions. Trailer. Available Summary: When trans male visibility exploded in the early 2000s, conversations about trans issues in the queer and feminist communities often ran into resistance from the many women who viewed transitioning as a "trend" or as an anti-feminist act that taps into male privilege. Boy I Am is a feature-length documentary that begins to break down that barrier and promote dialog about trans issues through a look at the experiences of three young trans guys in New York City--Nicco, Norie and Keegan--as they go through major junctures, as well as through the voices of lesbians, activists and theorists who raise and address the questions that many people have but few openly discuss. Boy I Am opens up a dialog between the lesbian, feminist, and transgender communities while also promoting understanding of transgender issues for general audiences. -Sam Feder. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse
- Adam | 2021 Theatre Film | Trans Man Adam Kashmiry
Adam Kashmiry, an Egyptian-Scottish trans man, plays himself alongside Iraqi-English actress Yasmin Al-Khudhairi. Adam experiences sexual abuse and discrimination in Egypt, has a short-lived relationship with an Egyptian lesbian woman, is made homeless by his father, and seeks asylum in Scotland. After being mistreated by immigration officials and stuck in legal limbo for almost two years, he is finally granted permanent asylum in Scotland. Adam Theatre, Film 2021 Egypt (مِصر), Scotland, Iraq (ٱلْعِرَاق) Adam Kashmiry, an Egyptian-Scottish trans man, plays himself alongside Iraqi-English actress Yasmin Al-Khudhairi. Adam experiences sexual abuse and discrimination in Egypt, has a short-lived relationship with an Egyptian lesbian woman, is made homeless by his father, and seeks asylum in Scotland. After being mistreated by immigration officials and stuck in legal limbo for almost two years, he is finally granted permanent asylum in Scotland. Watch. Article by Adam. Director's Webpage. Available Summary: The true story of a trans man, Adam Kashmiry, and his remarkable struggle across genders and borders. Based on the acclaimed National Theatre of Scotland play, with Adam himself in the lead role. - National Theatre Scotland . Jack's Summary: This film is absolutely incredible. I highly recommend watching it, provided you are prepared for confronting themes. Those themes include: Bandage binding, which is depicted as being uncomfortable and unsafe, and is not romanticised ( a persistent issue in trans media ). Gang rape, which is not shown visually, but is depicted through audio with explicit language, including references to Adam's genitals. Threats of corrective rape, to "fix" Adam. Discussions of police brutality, including sexual violence. Threatened/considered self harm with a knife, specifically focused on Adam's chest. Discussions of dysphoria-inducing situations and experiences, including menstruation. Sexist language and attitudes. Accusations of internalised sexism and lesbophobia by Adam's girlfriend, who identifies as a lesbian and insists that Adam's male identity is due to self-hatred. Food deprivation. An immigration official aggressively interrogating Adam's gender identity and experiences of rape in Egypt. Needle use. I have an immense amount of respect for Adam, to share his story and have it depicted in such a raw way. I'd heard of this play but hadn't realised it'd been adapted into a film, and happened across it while I was researching another piece of media. I'm bloody glad, because this is an incredibly important piece of trans male media history. And there's a happy ending! The film is accompanied by choir songs, performed by 140 trans and gender-diverse singers from around the world. At the end of the film, Adam stands onstage, looking at a giant display of the singers' webcams, as a visual representation of the global community we're all a part of. I was very touched by this, and by Adam's mother becoming supportive towards the end. Entry last updated: 16 Apr 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse
- What Am I? (1980) | British Trans Documentary | FTM Trans Male Interview
Steve, an English trans man, is interviewed about his transition alongside trans women at different stages in their journeys. What Am I? Documentary 1980 England Steve, an English trans man, is interviewed about his transition alongside trans women at different stages in their journeys. Watch. Available Summary: Years before the Gender Recognition Act of 2004 enabled transgender people to obtain some basic rights, the practical difficulties faced by those wishing to change the sex assigned to them at birth were explored in this film... Touching and sometimes frank, the film looks at issues around acceptance. There are also moments of humour, such as Steve's bad luck when bumping into his mother on his first night out presenting as male. April Ashley, who features in the film while living in Hay on Wye in Herefordshire, was at the centre of a newspaper storm in the early sixties when she married Arthur Corbett, 3rd Baron Rowallan. Their marriage was annulled in 1970 on the grounds that Ashley was born male, despite Corbett knowing this when they were wed. Another significant figure to appear in the film is Judy Cousins, who was running a self-help organisation called SHAFT in 1980. She was a noted sculptor and served with the British Army in India. - BFI Player . Jack's Summary: Part One: This documentary is, naturally, the product of its time. The language and beliefs around transsexual men and women might be very different to what you have encountered in modern-day dialogue. It certainly has value though, as it addresses employment, religious, neighbourhood, and marriage discrimination against transsexuals, and explores the medical needs of such people. It's something of a time capsule. Discussion of struggles faced by trans people. The narrator, and several of the professionals interviewed, pair judgement of transsexuals with genuine compassion for the struggle which gender dysphoric individuals face, which is quite a fascinating balance. "To be eligible for an operation, you must fulfil at least three conditions," the narrator explains, "You must crossdress, wear the clothes, and play the opposite sex for at least two years, get divorced if previously married, and convince specialist assessors during long and harrowing consultations that you really mean what you say." An unnamed practitioner. One of the doctors, while she provides now-outdated information about trans men being unable to have intercourse post-op, advocates for bottom surgery if it will allow trans men to feel more comfortable. She recommends that bottom surgeries be accessible through the health system. This same doctor notes with some sadness that transsexuals seeking medical care are often "sent straight into the local mental hospital, unfortunately". Referring to a trans woman named Judy Cousins, who transitioned at an older age, the doctor shows great affection, saying, "Certainly, Judy herself impresses me very much. She made a very late change of role. She has the three things that people need in this situation; she has courage, integrity, and a sense of humour." Steve. Steve, the only trans man interviewed by the filmmakers, briefly references unsafe chest binding and bottom surgery which he cannot afford, and recalls a lovely experience from his early transition. Speaking about his job as a technician, Steve says, "It was in that job that I changed over and started living full-time as a man, in the middle of the job. It was quite amusing. I basically left work and had a fortnight's holiday, and the first day I was away, it was explained to everybody else by my boss that Jackie was going to come back as Steven! And they had a fortnight in which to practice, "Hi, Steve!" And he collected me for work when I was coming back, because he knew damn well otherwise I'd be so frightened, I just simply wouldn't make it." Steve also talks about the first time he presented as a man in public. "When I first went out crossdressed... It was in the days when I'd been on the gay scene. I was a lesbian," Steve clarifies, "I explained to a lot of my lesbian friends that, really, I didn't fit in, and the truth of the matter is that I wanted to be a bloke. Some were quite hostile to it... But a few sort of said, well, you must do what you want to do, and they raided their own wardrobes for various bits of clothing from their old old butch days... I went out into Manchester wearing a jacket and a tie... I walked into this pub... up to the bar, and was about to drink my drink when I looked back, and there was a lady perusing me quite closely, who happened to be my mother, who'd gone out that evening with some friends! At which point, I left the drink and vanished up the back stairs." Steve laughs about this, but then his smile dims as he seriously explains, "I don't know how one could describe the feeing of absolute terror in oneself. It's a feeling that all transsexuals go through." All in all, I found the first part of this documentary to be a very valuable piece of history, though I wish more than one trans man had been included. Part Two: The second part of this documentary opens with a discussion of intersex babies. If you are intersex, and discussion about phallus size could distress you, proceed with caution. While neither the doctor nor the narrator advocate for medically unnecessary surgeries to "fix" atypical genitalia, genital variations are still judged to be abnormal and unfortunate, and these are precisely the mindsets which have caused so much pain to intersex people. Moving on, while the language the narrator uses is undoubtedly stigmatising of sex diversity, the point is successfully made that trans identification is not the same as being born with innate sex variations... which is an important difference to be aware of, even nowadays, when far too many LGBT+ individuals lack a basic understanding of the experiences, human rights, and struggles of intersex people. Learn more here. Following this, the narrator references new research in Germany, which apparently showed that transsexuals may have a "chemical imbalance," which might allow for "treatment without an operation". I have absolutely no idea what this is referring to. The documentary then discusses clinics where trans men and women can receive medical care, including hormonal and surgical treatments. In a further example of stigmatising diverse sex characteristics, an interviewer asks a doctor, "Does it ever worry you, as a surgeon, that you are creating something that is neither totally male nor totally female?" The surgeon replies, "No. The criteria is that you want a happier patient after surgery than you had before... I think, if you achieve that, that's about as much as you can ask." April Ashley. Another doctor offers a different view, suggesting that surgeries might not be best practice in the treatment of transsexuals. This view is supported by a trans woman named Elaine, who apparently ran an organisation called the Genetic Research Foundation, which investigated "other means to treat transsexuals". April Ashley, a well-known trans woman, criticises the medical establishment for being "indiscriminate" in approving trans surgeries, which she believed was motivated by a "tremendous thirst for medical knowledge". Entry last updated: 2 Apr 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse
- Still Black (2008) | Trans Male Documentary
Six American trans men are interviewed about their experiences, transitions, and lives. Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen Documentary 2008 United States of America Six American trans men are interviewed about their experiences, transitions, and lives. Watch. Available Summary: In the past decade, independent cinema has seen an explosion of films that explore transgender issues. Many of those films, however, have elided issues of race in regard to trans communities of color. In light of this, Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen is a feature-length experimental documentary that explores the lives of six black transgender men living in the United States. Through the intimate discussions of their lives as artists, students, husbands, fathers, lawyers, and teachers, the film challenges traditional notions of black masculinity, sexuality, and identity. Presented as a collection of six short black-and-white films, each "mini-film" gives the impression of a one-on-one conversation with the character. The aesthetically provocative sections tell the personal stories of the men through multiple camera angles, experimental graphics, and an original trip-hop score--each designed to supplement their individuality and personality. This film does not claim to embody what it means to be black, or transgender, or male. But what it does do is offer just a small piece of the larger experience of being a black transman. Most importantly, we hope that the stories in the film will inspire audience members to look beyond the negative portrayals and stereotypes of black men that we are all bombarded with on a daily basis." - Official website . Entry last updated: 24 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse
- Fanfik (2023) | Trans Male Movie
Tosiek, a trans man played by Polish non-binary actor Alin Szewczyk, navigates school, romance, mental illness, and harassment as he figures out his identity. Fanfik (Fanfic) Film 2023 Poland (Polska) Tosiek, a trans man played by Polish non-binary actor Alin Szewczyk, navigates school, romance, mental illness, and harassment as he figures out his identity. Trailer. Available Summary: Two high school students form an intense connection as they navigate the challenges of discovering and expressing their truest selves. -Netflix. Jack's Review: When I found out that the protagonist of this film (Tosiek) is played by a model, I wasn’t surprised. I’ve got nothing against Alin Szewczyk, who themself is non-binary, but too much of this movie is a cross between a film clip and a modelling reel. It has almost no substance beyond looking pretty, and it's all over the place. One scene is simply the thin, androgynous protagonist scrolling through Instagram and looking at thin, androgynous models while his thin peers take selfies at their lockers. It's very boring very quickly. There is no body diversity or alternative expressions of androgyny. Too many scenes look like they were filmed on a runway, or as part of a fashion line promotion. It’s hard to believe that the characters are average school kids when they’re so professionally styled. A bigger issue is the fact that Tosiek is utterly unlikeable, and much of the story involves him reaping what he sows, though he ultimately is spared any real consequence. Not all trans characters have to be likeable, but with Tosiek being thoroughly dissatisfying and the writing equally so, it's hard to find a reason to watch Fanfic at all. The film opens with him vomiting in a school toilet (a particularly gross scene), after which viewers find out that he has been stealing and irregularly taking antidepressants, yet he somehow doesn't connect his symptoms with the fact that he has been abusing someone else's prescription medication and exceeding dosage limits. His nausea and mood swings must be everyone else's fault, not his own. Drug use can be depicted sensitively and with nuance, encouraging viewers to sympathise with people who abuse prescription medications, but Fanfic is not capable of that. He is cruel and dismissive towards a classmate who is openly supportive of both his gender identity and his fanfiction, causing her to abandon and bully him. He wilfully mistakes occasional flirting for consent, and abruptly kisses (assaults) a cis boy without asking first. He steals a classmate's bike, causing the classmate's abusive father to become angry. Determined to demonise a cis gay boy, he physically assaults him and hurts him a great deal... particularly when you consider that the attack was entirely unprovoked. Not that Tosiek has the maturity to process that before getting violent. In all things, he is forgiven. His conflicts are magically resolved without the need for humility, certainly from his end. He never fully realises the role he has played in his own misery or (equally importantly) other people's distress. At least in Romeos (a film which also features a very flawed trans man), all of the main characters are equally flawed and are held to the same standard. What really annoys me about Fanfic is the bratty hypocrisy. Tosiek watches video tutorials on open chest binding, rather than using bandages. I liked five things about this film. One, the casting of a trans actor, despite the overall quality of the movie. Two, the dad's involvement, particularly a scene where he shows Tosiek footage from his childhood and finally becomes supportive. Three, a scene where Tosiek affirms himself through open chest binding, which is a huge step forward from bandage binding in films . Four, a scene where Tosiek and a classmate lay together, comprising the only convincing manifestation of the film's promised "intense connection" between them. Five, Tosiek's gender euphoria when putting on a boy's clothes, which is similar to what happened to me. Therein ends my positive experience with this movie. I'm not even sure why this film is called Fanfic . The film is at its best when it is trying (not always successfully) to flesh out Tosiek beyond the limits of his fanfiction imaginings. I get it, Tosiek affirms himself through fantasies, where he can be as androgynous and masculine as he wishes... But most of the movie isn't about fanfiction. It certainly doesn't warrant occupying the film's title. Tosiek, leaning toward his food while getting a haircut. The scene which sums up this movie's issues features Tosiek eating a bowl of noodles while a boy cuts his hair. Oh-so-aesthetically pleasing, I guess, but he was definitely munching on noodles with a side of hair clippings. Yum. This film is more concerned with looking pretty than being real, which might be tolerable if it was also well-written. Unfortunately, it is not. This is ultimately just one trans bloke's review, and I'm sure many people enjoy this movie, so take my opinions with as big a grain of salt as you wish. All in all, I'm glad this film was made. I'm glad any time a trans actor gets to play a trans role, even if I don't like the movie itself... for example, Relish ... which is definitely inferior to Fanfic , given the fact that it features bandage binding. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Male Browse
- Cowboys (2020) | Trans Male Movie
Joe, a trans boy played by American trans actor Sasha Knight, is accompanied by his accepting father as he runs away from his transphobic mother. Cowboys Film 2020 United States of America Joe, a trans boy played by American trans actor Sasha Knight, is accompanied by his accepting father as he runs away from his transphobic mother. Trailer. Available Summary: A troubled but well-intentioned father who has recently separated from his wife runs off with his trans son into the Montana wilderness after his ex-wife's refusal to let their son live as his authentic self. -IMDb. Jack's Summary: This is a sweet coming-of-age film, featuring a young trans actor (Sasha Knight) in the role of a trans boy. It's wonderful, and a recommended watch for anyone who has felt disappointed by mainstream representations of trans maleness and transmasculinity during youth. I wish I had been able to watch this film growing up. I particularly loved the film’s depiction of a cis father who, despite being uneducated about trans people, is desperate to support his son, to the extent that he runs away with Joe when the boy insists on it. He also struggles to manage his bipolar disorder, which is an arc depicted with great sensitivity. You can read more about that here , where the author writes the following: In addition to being a compelling portrait of U.S. trans identity, Cowboys presents a rare and sympathetic depiction of bipolar I disorder. As someone familiar with bipolar, I’m often disappointed with how film and television harshly depict the ways their bipolar characters interact socially (I was particularly disturbed by the opening of Midsommar in this regard). Because of this, I’m always looking for media texts that offer a complex representation of the illness that isn’t used as a vehicle for shock or suspense. Because Cowboys advertises itself as a film about trans identity, I was not at all expecting it to cover bipolar with such depth and sensitivity. Even as the film illustrates some of the possible painful struggles of bipolar and the social repercussions they can cause, it never demonises the person as inherently bad or undeserving of love. This film has the best representation of bipolar I’ve ever seen, and I was very moved by the empathetic care Kerrigan put into her script and the excellent, soulful performance she helped craft with the performer who plays this role. Joe, the trans boy, is called a lesbophobic slur by a cis boy who harasses him for trying on boy's clothes in a store. Beyond that, there are no scenes of transphobic violence or assault. Joe's mother isn't accepting of her son, and her mindset is very realistic to how many real-life mothers treat their trans sons. One of my favourite scenes in this movie is when Joe simply watches his father, and other adult men, bowling together. He's spellbound and delighted by their masculinity. I adored seeing average-looking, average-bodied men being depicted as the object of a trans boy's fascination and gender euphoria, because I have felt that way too, and it's healthy to see normal bodies adored in an age of perfectly-sculpted celebrities and high standards. It felt like a celebration of typical men, finding the beauty in masculinity. I really cherished that scene. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse
- Jamison Green Interview (2006) | Trans Male Interview | Calpernia Addams Interview
Jamison Green, an American trans man, is interviewed by American trans woman Calpernia Addams about issues that trans men/boys face. He discusses his experience of transitioning when he had a young daughter, and losing his relationship with a lesbian woman. Female-to-Male Transsexual Issues with Jamison Green Interview 2006 United States of America Jamison Green, an American trans man, is interviewed by American trans woman Calpernia Addams about issues that trans men/boys face. He discusses his experience of transitioning when he had a young daughter, and losing his relationship with a lesbian woman. Watch. Available Summary: Deep Stealth's Calpernia Addams talks with FTM activist Jamison Green about coming out issues for female to male transsexual men. -YouTube. Entry last updated: 28 Mar 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse
- Joy Ride (2023) | Non-Binary Movie
Deadeye, a non-binary K-pop fan played by Chinese-American non-binary actor Sabrina Wu, accompanies friends on a chaotic trip to China. Joy Ride Film 2023 United States of America, China (中國) Deadeye, a non-binary K-pop fan played by Chinese-American non-binary actor Sabrina Wu, accompanies friends on a chaotic trip to China. Trailer. Available Summary: Four Asian American women experience mishaps and mayhem as they set out on a journey to China in search of one of their birth mothers. -Netflix. Note from Jack: Sabrina Wu, an actor who describes themself as transmasc, gender non-conforming, and non-binary, stars in Joy Ride as a non-binary character named Deadeye. Deadeye is canonically trans and also uses they/them pronouns but, according to Wu's interview with Variety , they asked that Deadeye not have a coming-out scene. Instead, reportedly, Deadeye's gender is normalised as an average, everyday character trait, rather than the focus of a storyline. I've not watched this one, but it sounds fun. WARNING: Adult themes. The trailer features hard drug use and a racial slur against Asian people. (Hilariously, though, the girl targeted with the slur immediately punches the racist kid in the face.) Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Non-Binary Media Browse
- Summer Solstice (2023) | Trans Male Movie
Leo, an aspiring trans male actor played by American non-binary actor Bobbi Salvör Menuez, reconnects with an old friend. Summer Solstice Film 2023 United States of America Leo, an aspiring trans male actor played by American non-binary actor Bobbi Salvör Menuez, reconnects with an old friend. Watch. Trailer. Available Summary: Leo, a trans man, and his cisgender and straight friend Eleanor go on a weekend trip, during which they uncover some old secrets, new challenges, and find the answer to the age-old question: can good friends and bad sex mix? -IMDb. Entry last updated: 24 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse
- Unhung Heroes (2002) | Trans Male Comedy Short Film
Five trans men, after finding a flyer advertising penis transplants, imagine their lives post-transplant and come up with plans to get enough money for a transplant each. Written and directed by trans man Lazlo Pearlman. Stars Mestizo-American trans man Prado Gomez and German-American trans man Max Wolf Valerio. Unhung Heroes Short Film 2002 United States of America, Germany (Deutschland) Five trans men, after finding a flyer advertising penis transplants, imagine their lives post-transplant and come up with plans to get enough money for a transplant each. Written and directed by trans man Lazlo Pearlman. Stars Mestizo-American trans man Prado Gomez and German-American trans man Max Wolf Valerio. Watch. Available Summary: In 2002 I wrote and directed Unhung Heroes , a short comic fiction film about five FTM transgender guys who, after finding an internet article announcing the first actual penis transplants are about to be performed (true story), imagine a scheme to come up with over a million dollars in surgery money. Riffing on Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs , Busby Berkeley musicals and the 1970's gay soft porn films starring Peter Berlin, this action-packed comedy starts with their experience of life as a "guy without a dick", then follows their rosy fantasies of life post-transplant, and the crazy imaginary lengths they go to for the money. - Lazlo Pearlman's website . WARNINGS: Bandage binding , brief comedic nudity, discussion of sex and anatomy, reclaimed trans and gay slurs, comedic exploration of serious issues and struggles. Pretty ridiculous and funny! Entry last updated: 10 Mar 2026 Related Media Gender-Related Surgery Browse
- Venus Boyz (2002) | Drag King, Trans, Butch, Intersex, Non-Binary Documentary
Multiple drag kings are interviewed about their motivations for doing drag, their identities, their medical transitions, and their understandings of gender. Interviewees include cis women, trans men, non-binary people, Jack Halberstam, Hans Scheirl, and Del LaGrace Volcano; an intersex non-binary person who is transitioning on testosterone and doesn't mind being read as a man. Venus Boyz Documentary 2002 United States of America, Austria (Österreich) Multiple drag kings are interviewed about their motivations for doing drag, their identities, their medical transitions, and their understandings of gender. Interviewees include cis women, trans men, non-binary people, Jack Halberstam, Hans Scheirl, and Del LaGrace Volcano; an intersex non-binary person who is transitioning on testosterone and doesn't mind being read as a man. Watch. Available Summary: Club Casanova, home of the legendary Drag King Night in New York City, is the point of departure for an iconic gender odyssey, where women become men – some for a night, others for a lifetime. Starring Drag King pioneers Mo B. Dick, Diane Torr, Dréd, Bridge Markland, renowned poet Storme Webber, and photographer Del LaGrace Volcano. Also with Drag Queens Mistress Formika and Queen Bee Luscious. -Vimeo. Jack's Summary: This documentary features drag kings of all kinds. Some are women who do drag for political/social reasons, rather than being motivated by gender. One is a self-described butch who also identifies as trans, recounting a childhood where he identified as a boy, empathising with Brandon Teena and describing similar experiences of rural violence. One trans king describes a queer upbringing, with a crossdressing bisexual father and a lesbian mother, and meditates on the complexities of gender and ethnicity and class. Dréd talking to strangers. I really enjoyed interviews with Mildred/Dréd, who offered a rare and very nuanced look into her life and identity, and I adored a scene where Dréd and his drag queen friend speak to strangers on the street, asking what they think important qualities of men and women are. Dréd gives a man a photo of Mildred, saying, "That's what I look like," and he gasps in awe, saying, "Wow!" It's such a sweet interaction. The same man, when asked what qualities make a good woman, replies, "Somebody who's just there for you, somebody who's gonna hold you through the thick and the thin, somebody who's on your side... It doesn't matter the sex... Somebody who's gonna be there, no matter what, and accept you for who you are." Del buying testosterone. Some of my favourite interviews involved a non-binary intersex person named Del LaGrace Volcano. "In my everyday life, I'm probably perceived as a man," they explain, "which is fine, for people to perceive me as a man. That doesn't mean that's how I perceive myself. I perceive myself in the same way that I always have, which is something that is a combination of both. Sometimes maybe more female, sometimes maybe more male." Del and Simo earlier in their relationship. Of their partner, they say, "Finding Simo, for me, was, like... so amazing, because she was the first woman I had been with who had a really positive, healthy attitude towards men. She wasn't anti-men at all, and we were both attracted to the masculinity of each other. We've been together, and not together, for just about six years." I absolutely adored this insight into the couple's dynamic. Del and Simo in the documentary. Del goes on to talk about their relationship being ethically non-monogamous, and also draws attention to the unnecessary, nonconsensual surgeries which are performed on intersex infants, noting that mutilation of genitalia is often based on an arbitrary judgement of "acceptable" clitoris or penile length. The interviewer, like many people I've spoken to in the modern-day, is shocked that such surgeries are still occurring, highlighting the importance of such advocacy. A childhood photograph of Del. "When I was born, I was assigned to the female gender," Del softly explains, "My first conscious realisation that I didn't quite fit as a girl came when I was about five years old... I have a silicone implant that I never wanted. I, too, always wanted a flat chest." Del shows footage from an adult film that they made with Hans Scheirl, an Austrian trans man, and explains identifying as pansexual rather than bisexual. Hans Scheirl. Hans, who began his transition at the age of forty, is interviewed about his life and identity. He shares his aspiration to live until eighty, whereupon he will have spent half of his life embodying his male gender. The pair discuss bottom surgery, with Hans saying that he aspires to have phalloplasty but retain his existing anatomy as well. (Viewers should prepare for potentially dysphoria-inducing language throughout this discussion.) He uses the term "hermaphrodite" which, while not offensive to Del, is considered both inaccurate and stigmatising by many modern-day intersex individuals, so I would advise against using this term unless an intersex person self-identifies that way. Del takes time to pointedly emphasise that, while drag king performances were a way to begin their journey of gender realisation, being a drag king does not "turn" someone trans. "You don't go, right, I'm gonna be a crossdresser, then I become a drag king, then I become a transsexual. No. No, no, no. That's what people are afraid of." Explaining their eventual preference for drag queen performances, and dramatic femininity while inhabiting a character role, Del says, "Naturally, if you have a default, my default is masculine. Being a drag king, once I was performing as a man, that did not feel like a performance. That just felt pretty natural to me. It wasn't as much fun, and it still isn't. I still far prefer to be a drag queen, than a drag king." In terms of the documentary overall... One king's daughter criticises her mother's portrayal of men, and takes issue with the stereotyping of men as inherently aggressive and bad. Many viewers may feel similarly about some aspects of the kings' routines. Regardless, this documentary is valuable. People of many different ethnicities, backgrounds, sexualities, and genders are interviewed. As a female-to-male transsexual who feels utterly disconnected from his birth gender, I don’t see myself in most of the interviewees... but I love witnessing the diversity which has always existed in female-assigned masculine spaces and, while I didn't agree with some of the views expressed, I'm glad I bought the film. WARNING: Extremely unsafe chest binding, potentially confronting themes, explicit content. A drag king binds his chest with duct tape, and another binds with bandages. Even though binding with duct tape is clearly painful for the king, who actually says, "It does hurt," the binding continues without this being taken seriously; a reflection of outdated binding practices, an authentic representation how these people bound, and not an example which should be followed today. Learn more about chest binding here. There are uncensored photos (and discussion) of genitalia, pornographic footage, footage of STP packers, and discussion of potentially distressing topics. Del is filmed wearing a sari to a birthday party, purely because they had a dream about wearing one. I am not Indian, so I won't assume to know how this lands for people of that culture, but if you would consider this inappropriate or appropriative, you should proceed with caution. Entry last updated: 1 Mar 2026 Related Media Trans Relationships Browse











