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Ryuki, a Japanese trans man who works at a Kabukichō host club, discusses the impact of the industry on his mental health, and the mental health of his female clients. The Floating World Documentary, Interview, Short Film 2022 Japan (日本) Ryuki, a Japanese trans man who works at a Kabukichō host club, discusses the impact of the industry on his mental health, and the mental health of his female clients. Watch. Website. Available Summary: The host clubs of Tokyo’s red-light district are a slice of the city’s entertainment industry self-described as “selling dreams”. And yet, with access to attention guaranteed behind their walls, the dreams being sold are as much part of the allure for the devoted actors keeping up the facade, as those drawn to the feelings of desirability they bring. In immersive short The Floating World , co-directors Pablo Curto and Fernando Souza follow protagonist Ryuki as he searches to establish his identity within the realm of Tokyo’s host clubs. As a transgender man who entered the scene on a journey of self-realization – driven by the unwillingness of his family to accept his gender identity – Ryuki finds the role he is prepared to play to satiate the needs of his parents serves as training for the persona he must inhabit in his role as host... Through personal retellings and shimmering visuals, The Floating World captures the fragile intersection between empowerment and complicit exploitation, as Ryuki’s efforts to find himself send him down a path of self-destruction. Once veiled by the promise of validation and success, the illusion that led him to find solace in the host industry fades away, and unresolved wounds and the pressure to perform force Ryuki to acknowledge the harsh realities that accompany his immersion in a world that unfolds after dark. - Official website . WARNINGS: Discussion of suicide, substance use, depression, sex work to pay debts, and parental transphobia. Entry last updated: 12 Mar 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse

Noah, a trans man played by trans male actor Elliot Fletcher, has a small recurring role in the third season of this show. Faking It (S3) Show 2016 United States of America Noah, a trans man played by trans male actor Elliot Fletcher, has a small recurring role in the third season of this show. Available Summaries: After numerous attempts of trying to be popular, two best friends decide to come out as lesbians, which launches them to instant celebrity status. Seduced by their newfound fame, Karma and Amy decide to keep up their romantic ruse. -IMDb (premise of the show). Shane Harvey [is] the most popular boy in school who is openly gay... By of the end of the series, he has had three major love interests... [including] Noah, a trans man who Shane feels conflicted about being attracted to due to the gender he was assigned at birth. -Wikipedia. Jack's Summary: Overall, I found Faking It so poorly-written that I skipped around and exclusively watched Noah's scenes. However, my opinions are not universal, and these reviews are not impartial. You may enjoy Faking It , if you enjoy this genre of television. All of Noah's dialogue is as cliché and predictable as everything else that every character says, but issues referenced throughout his storyline include homelessness, disclosure, transphobia, and the separation of gender and sexuality. That (and the casting of a trans actor) is worth something, irrespective of my opinions on this genre. The writers conjure Noah's transphobic brother out of nowhere, in S03E10. He deadnames, misgenders, and insults Noah, then backs off (with unrealistic restraint) when Noah is defended by his cis gay boyfriend. All in all, a cheesy/tokenistic but sweet few episodes... which, regardless, probably did some good by introducing viewers to a trans man played by an actual trans man. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Male Browse

Radha, a child played by Indian actress Mrunal Kashid, does not feel like a girl and presents in a masculine manner. In response, Radha's family come to believe that the child is possessed by a male spirit, and must therefore be cleansed with a religious ritual. Snigdha Kapoor, the director, was inspired by personal childhood experiences and by Devdutt Pattanaik’s Shikhandi. Holy Curse Short Film 2024 India (Bhārat Gaṇarājya) Radha, a child played by Indian actress Mrunal Kashid, does not feel like a girl and presents in a masculine manner. In response, Radha's family come to believe that the child is possessed by a male spirit, and must therefore be cleansed with a religious ritual. Snigdha Kapoor, the director, was inspired by personal childhood experiences and by Devdutt Pattanaik’s Shikhandi. Watch. Available Information: “I grew up thinking I was a boy,” Kapoor, now thirty-seven, said. In India, in the nineties, she played sports with the boys and mirrored their mannerisms and style. Her father called her beta , or “son,” as a term of endearment. “When my body started changing, my grandfather would say, ‘You can’t talk like this,’ ‘You can’t sit like this,’ ‘You are a girl.’ I didn’t understand what that meant.” The policing came, in part, from a place of fear: in Ghaziabad, where Kapoor was raised, self-expression was a grave matter. “People were shot in broad daylight,” she said. “It was a fine line of, ‘How do you get your point across and not get killed?’” For Kapoor, the American approach to such matters had presented a different set of challenges. “When I moved to the U.S., I got this dictionary of labels and vocabulary that would help me understand my identity,” she told me. “But at the same time, it felt very restrictive.” She went on, “If I attach myself to one label, then I try to perform what I feel conforms to that label.” With this in mind, she decided never to name Radha’s experience. Onscreen, it exists as what it is––a collection of realizations, outside of language. While Kapoor acknowledges that Radha is essentially non-binary, she also wanted to leave them room to grow: “I don’t know how they’re going to feel in ten years.” - The New Yorker . Kapoor reveals that finding an actor for the child protagonist’s role was her biggest challenge because they met several parents who supported the idea behind the film, but were skeptical of letting their kids enact the role. They feared the societal judgments the kids may eventually face. “With just two weeks before production, we still hadn’t found our lead. Thankfully, a week before shooting, we found a young actor [Mrunal Kashid] whose mother’s support truly exemplified the acceptance and courage that Holy Curse stands for. She saw this project as a valuable opportunity for her daughter to grow as an actor and apply her craft in a meaningful way. She told me that films like this are bold and rare, which is why she wanted her daughter to be a part of it.” - Forbes . Based on this article, and other publicly-available information, I have referred to Mrunal Kashid as an actress. Notes from Jack: I found this to be a beautiful short film, and I am very glad that Kapoor persisted when faced with the difficulty of finding a child actor to play Radha. I loved the rebellious ending, and the protagonist's persistent masculinity in the face of corrective religious pressure. It's worth noting that Radha, and family members, actually live in America, and are visiting India... ostensibly just on a holiday to visit relatives. Radha begins the film with an angry outburst, frantically packing a suitcase and yelling, "You lied to me!" Radha, it is clearly stated, will not be allowed to leave until the ritual has been performed. In this way, Radha's story is similar to that of Naveen Bhat , a non-binary person who was tricked into returning to India whilst living in America, and was then trapped in India by their family, who sought to "fix" them. This tactic of detainment, and corrective actions to force a trans or gender non-conforming person into performing girlhood/womanhood, is also explored in Facing Mirrors , which focuses on a trans man tricked into returning to Iran. Much like Na Marei , Holy Curse also highlights why this site, while focused on trans men, also overlaps with butch lesbian, tomboy, AFAB non-binary, and gender non-conforming female media. While, for many of us, our birth sex may be irrelevant to our actual gender identity, our life journeys and unique experiences of discrimination/violence can be inextricably influenced by female oppression in our social and cultural contexts. The reality that trans and gender-diverse people, men included, uniquely suffer from a combination of trans/homophobia and misogyny is an uncomfortable reality for many people, and I am grateful for films which explore this through the rich depiction of unlabelled gender non-normativity. Radha might conceivably live as a trans man in the future, or perhaps a non-binary person like Naveen Bhat, or a woman like Snigdha Kapoor herself. This film is, after all, inspired by her masculine childhood, and she now refers to herself as a woman. There are no wholly universal experiences, but there is unity and similarity to be found for many of us who were assigned female at birth, and embracing that is very important to me. I am very grateful for this film, and for what Snigdha Kapoor has given us. Entry last updated: 5 July 2026 Related Media Ambiguously-Gendered Media Browse

Three English trans men are interviewed about their experiences starting testosterone, having top surgery, and having phalloplasty. They are filmed alongside supportive, unsupportive, and outright hostile individuals, from strangers to family members. Potentially distressing themes are poorly handled, and graphic surgery footage is shown. Girls to Men: Born in the Wrong Body Documentary 2015 England Three English trans men are interviewed about their experiences starting testosterone, having top surgery, and having phalloplasty. They are filmed alongside supportive, unsupportive, and outright hostile individuals, from strangers to family members. Potentially distressing themes are poorly handled, and graphic surgery footage is shown. Watch. Available Summary: Follows three young transgender Brits fulfilling their dreams of becoming men. The film features unprecedented access to surgical procedures and also meets the increasingly confident online community of young transgender men baring everything on social media. -IMDb. Jack's Summary: I recommend proceeding with caution, if you do choose to watch this documentary. Alfie. One of the first things which occurs in this film is Alfie, a teenage trans boy, entering a clothing store, whereupon the cis male shop owner is allowed to ask Alfie inappropriate questions and quiz him on his medical decisions. This adult stranger asks Alfie whether he has "gone the whole way," reinforcing a norm of a universally-understood "complete" transition, which the filmmakers not seek to rebut. Alfie tries, mentioning that bottom surgery is only performed if it's actually desired, but all this accomplishes is the adult man arguing against such nuance. Some random bloke. As the conversation progresses, Alfie looks increasingly uncomfortable, and the shopkeeper displays absolute apathy for such discomfort by blatantly demanding to know, "Are you just a glorified dyke?" Alfie, in response, is stunned into silence. "It's now fashionably cool for girls to be dykes, and stuff like that," the man presses, "There's no way that you've not experienced that, or seen that." Alfie looks away, at a loss for words. The filmmakers then treat viewers to a private interview with the shopkeeper, where he offers his two cents about Alfie's identity and medical decisions, misgendering Alfie with they/them pronouns... a persistent issue for many trans men, myself included. They/them is still misgendering if someone doesn't use those pronouns. The problem is not necessarily the inclusion of these perspectives, as such commentary offers an opportunity for the reassertion of Alfie's identity and experiences, and could be used as a foundation to help viewers understand how distressing commonplace attitudes can be. The problem is that the documentary does not eagerly seize this opportunity, and does not robustly emphasise the consequences of this encounter for Alfie. The implication is that Alfie, a teenager, ought to expect sexually-inappropriate questions and slur usage from adults, due to how confusing he is. That is an approach I find quite dangerous and anti-trans, beyond the actual substance of the incident itself. Alfie's experience here is horrible. It is not treated as such. The documentary refers to the shopkeeper, and other cis men, as "natural-born men". This is a term I am not inherently offended by, although I understand why other trans men are. Regardless, the term takes on a whole different vibe, for me personally, when used by the narrator alongside harmful attitudes and degrading framing of the documentary subjects. When I have heard this term used by community members, and even well-meaning allies, it does not bother me... especially in historical media. This documentary is something else altogether. One minor thing to note is that Alfie claims, "The first thing trans guys think of, when they think of testosterone, is facial hair." This brought to mind Tien Neo Eamas's interview , where he discusses expectations of facial hair as an Asian transman. Moving on, clips from trans and gender diverse YouTubers' videos are shown, including genderqueer individual CJ, who notably did not identify as a trans man. They later spoke out against the inclusion of their clip in the documentary, calling the film sensationalistic and harmful. Chloe, Ethan, and Pat. Ethan, a young adult man studying at university, is introduced alongside his fiancé and supportive mother, Pat. He shows a picture of himself, noting that he does not even recognise the person in the image, prompting his mother to affectionately say, "It looks like someone's slapped a wig on you!" He agrees, saying that he's been told his past photos look like "a man in drag". He has been on testosterone for a year and several months. The documentary discusses his desire for top surgery, and Ethan shows his packer to the viewers, explaining that it allows him to urinate standing up. The narrator notes that the packer also allows Ethan to "have sex as a man". Again, this comment would not faze me coming from an actual trans man, but coming from the narrator, it holds a different level of judgement and normative thinking. Trans men who willingly have sex without the use of prosthetics, and without bottom surgery, are still being intimate as men. Viewers of this documentary are not provided enough information to grasp that. Ethan and Chloe. Ethan and his fiancé, Chloe, discuss their relationship. Ethan notes that, in some ways, they face difficulties which "biological" straight couples do not face. Coming from a trans man himself, I am unbothered by this language... but my opinions are not universal, and many men may feel differently about this terminology. The narrator, displaying helpful nuance heretofore lacking in the film, distinguishes gender identity from sexual orientation, stating that Ethan and Chloe consider themselves a straight couple. Ethan discusses the dysphoria involved in becoming intimate with Chloe for the first time, also admitting that he wanted to remain clothed so that Chloe would not view him as "a man's head on a woman's body". Chloe insists that she did not see him that way. Ethan demonstrating the taut fabric of his binder. Ethan is shown binding his chest, with the voiceover immediately labelling a binder as a "painful compression vest". I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, as discussed here , binding was very uncomfortable for me, was often painful, and was not sustainable. I have been frustrated by a narrative of binding being safe for everyone, provided that arbitrary, clinically undertested guidelines are followed. I do think that the harms of binding need to be more widely acknowledged. On the other hand, presenting binding as being uncompromisingly painful all of the time, which this documentary does, is counterproductive to encouraging binding awareness and ensuring people bind with harm reduction in mind... because dysphoric individuals, particularly, will always find some way to bind. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Ethan describes the dysphoria he feels when viewing his current chest, sharing how eager he is for his mastectomy. Billy. A trans male DJ named Billy is introduced, with the narrator sharing his birth name and saying, "many of his fans have no idea that he was born a girl". Party-goers are interviewed outside the venue, having just been told that their DJ for the night is actually a trans man. The people express their surprise, with a couple noting that he is still attractive to them. This is another moment which, in isolation, might not seem too bad, but all I can wonder is whether Billy consented to being outed by the filmmakers, and all I can notice is the vibe of trans-identification being a juicy secret worthy of gossip. Gasp! He's been exposed! Billy getting a haircut. Billy shows viewers and filmmakers a video of a trans man who has had phalloplasty, explaining how the implanted erectile device works. He is then filmed at a barbershop, where he and the barber talk about testosterone thinning his hair, before discussing his plans for bottom surgery. He says he is determined to go ahead with the operations, and describes the erectile function again to the barber, who says that other men will be "envious" of his ability to maintain an erection for as long as he wants. In the context of his transition being difficult to access, Billy recalls being discouraged from suicide by someone who told him that, if he died pre-transition, he would be dying a woman, which he credits as saving his life. Alfie and his mother. Footage is shown of Alfie opening a letter, delighted when he sees that it is his testosterone prescription. The narrator provides misinformation about the fertility of trans and gender diverse people using testosterone, claiming that it will make Alfie infertile. The same claim was made by the doctors who treated Kris, a Norwegian trans man who stars in the 2025 documentary Fatherhood , and later disproven when Kris discovered that he could indeed carry a pregnancy. Testosterone may impact the likelihood of conceiving, but has not been proven to cause permanent infertility. More research is needed, and birth control should still be used where necessary. Alfie himself reinforces this misinformation, reflecting the commonplace advice and medical consensus at the time of filming. He says to his friend that he is choosing not to freeze his eggs because he would not want a future child to find out that he is their "biological mother". Cathy, Alfie's supportive mother, accompanies him to the appointment where he has his first testosterone injection. She is later interviewed, discussing a sense of bereavement now that her child is no longer living as a girl. Ethan and his mother. Ethan, prior to his own mastectomy, shows his mother a video of a mastectomy being performed. This footage is shown to the viewers as well, and could be distressing to some people. He films himself, his fiancé, and his mother as he goes in for the operation, and the documentary thankfully restrains itself from showing more graphic footage. The narrator does not spend much time exploring or describing Ethan's feelings after surgery, skipping over the wondrous change of his chest finally being flat, instead dismissively saying that Ethan will find out "in a month" if the surgery has been a "success". Dramatically cutting to an ad break, or changing scene, after pointedly emphasising negative/worrying aspects of gender affirmation is an indulgent pastime of the filmmakers. Ethan seeing his reflection. Eventually, the documentary does return to Ethan, and he cries with happiness as his final dressings are removed. On his twentieth birthday, he goes swimming in a public pool, delightfully sharing how great he feels looking in the mirror. Billy's surgeon. A urological surgeon shows Billy photos of healed phalloplasty results, explaining that every patient's result is unique. These photos are also shown to the viewer, along with photos taken immediately post-op, which (again) could be distressing. One intra-op photo is shown, but is blurred. After hearing surgical details, Billy admits that the procedure is scary to him, but that he still wishes to proceed. Billy later has a video call with a post-phalloplasty man who talks about his sexual experiences and shows his result. On the day of the surgery, comments from the surgeon are played, with the doctor emphasising that phalloplasty penises are not "normal" penises, and he trusts that Billy has realistic expectations in this department. While I understand the point he is making, "normal" is a term which some trans men, intersex people, and gender-diverse individuals may find insulting. There is no single "normal" penis size, shape, or function. In fact, this ideal of a normal phallus is what has been used, and is still used , to justify intersex genital mutilation, and it also persistently rears its ugly head in commonplace body-shaming , even from self-identified progressives. The narrator, citing no research and providing no proof, claims that testosterone use increases the risk of ovarian cancer. It is possible that this information came from the surgeon himself, as it is pointed to as the justification for Billy's total hysterectomy. During the surgery, which is shown in extremely graphic detail, the surgeon is interviewed while standing next to Billy's unconscious body. Referring to a phalloplasty penis, he says, "People are quite curious to know, what can it do? Everything. He can have sex, he can pee..." As comedic, mocking music plays, the surgeon continues, "It doesn't look completely real, but it looks reasonable. On a dark night, all cats look alike, so nobody can tell the difference." He goes on to wonder aloud what patients "tell their partners," suggesting that perhaps patients use the excuse of being in an accident and suffering genital damage. I truly wonder how Billy reacted, if he watched this scene later. I would not be shocked if he felt quite humiliated. Billy in hospital. Post-surgery and in incredible pain, Billy is interviewed, and says that he wouldn't go through an operation of such magnitude again. When interviewed several months after his operation, however, he is happier and has adjusted, describing everything as being "much easier", now that he has a phallus. "It makes all the difference," he says, "not having to wear a packer... It's pretty incredible. It's amazing, actually. I'm just excited to get on with it." A censored still from the documentary. Directly addressing the viewer, Billy says, "If I continued to live as a woman, I probably... I just wouldn't be here. I needed to go through this surgery, to feel complete. To me, it's the end of using accessories to be who I am, and I can just be me, now. In my own skin." Billy at the end of the film. Lowering his packer into a bonfire, Billy says, "It did give me happiness, at one time, but it's not real. It never was, and what I've got now is. I'd do it over, and over again.... To feel the happiness that I feel now is just so incredibly worth it... All the pain that I've been through, and all the waiting that I've done... all the depression and the sad days... I would never have thought I'd be this happy. It's just absolutely unbelievable." The documentary ends on a happy note, and there are moments of worth in this film... but saying that it is a product of its time is quite the understatement. It's not as bad as Changing Sexes (2008) , but it's pretty bloody bad. Entry last updated: 14 July 2026 Related Media Gender-Related Surgery Browse

Alex Dempsey, a trans male police officer played by Canadian non-binary actor Mae Martin, moves to his pregnant wife's hometown and quickly realises that it is a deeply troubled place. Wayward Show 2025 Canada Alex Dempsey, a trans male police officer played by Canadian non-binary actor Mae Martin, moves to his pregnant wife's hometown and quickly realises that it is a deeply troubled place. Trailer. Available Summary: Nothing is what it seems in Tall Pines. After an escape attempt from an academy for troubled teens, two students, Leila and Abbie, join forces with a newly-appointed local police officer, Alex, in unearthing the town's dark and deeply rooted secrets. -Wikipedia. Jack's Summary: The relaxed trans characterisation in this show is probably one of its best qualities. I also liked the show's premise and spookiness, before it got too bogged down and (dare I say it) wayward. My main complaints with the show would be its writing, pacing, and ending, but you can read general reviews to get more information about that stuff. I still think it's worth a watch, In summary, the show has two major storylines; teenagers Leila and Abbie trying to escape a youth institution, and Alex investigating the institution (and its surrounding town) from the outside, after moving there with his pregnant wife, Laura. The pair are unofficially married, since they cannot legally be spouses. This article addresses why Martin, who is non-binary and uses they/them, chose to play a trans man: "The show’s set in 2003, and I think there wasn’t a lot of fluency around non-binary identity then, and not a lot of they/thems," Martin noted, adding that playing a man "just made sense" to them. "Who knows where I’ll end up on that spectrum? But it felt pretty natural to me as an actor. More natural than it would’ve been to play a woman." The first dialogue we get specifically focusing on Alex's gender identity is when his new colleague Dwayne, a police officer working at the Tall Pines station, tells him, "It's a small town," and after seeing Alex's nervous reaction, clarifies, "But not a small town mentality, if you're worried. Tall Pines is actually a pretty liberal place... You and Laura won't get any stick. You'll be one of the guys." Alex using excessive force. In the same conversation, we get a hint that Alex is not a particularly good person, although it takes the show a long time to circle back to this fact and flesh it out. When Dwayne asks about an incident in Alex's past, Alex nervously insists that what he did was "by no means excessive force," while also admitting that his conduct was "not ideal". This sets the scene, albeit in a vague way which isn't expanded upon for a while, for Alex indeed using excessive force a few episodes later, straddling a subdued man and beating him unconscious. Alex is a walking, talking example of police brutality, but the show doesn't properly lean into it until the second-last episode, with this dialogue: ALEX: My dad was violent. I used to stand there and watch it happen. Watch him beat her up, and... I should've killed him. DWAYNE: Okay. So, what, you said, "Next time, I won't freeze like that again". Right? "I'll be ready, I'll act." So, you put on a uniform and bust some skulls? ALEX: Yeah. This aspect of Alex's character, and the violence which hides beneath his jokey, pleasant exterior, felt more consistent and understandable during my rewatch. When introducing Alex to his new colleagues, his superior is a little awkward when saying, "him," clearly not used to having a trans person around. It's subtle, it's realistic, and I appreciated the non-hostile, clumsy interaction. Alex is more focused on the strangeness he's already noticed in the town, including a terrified runaway from the institute, and the other officers are more focused on hiding the town's secrets. No time for gender discourse when you're dealing with a generations-strong cult. Laura and Alex. Later in this first episode, we see Alex shirtless, revealing that he has had top surgery. He then lays with Laura in bed. She strokes his face and remarks, "There's still no stubble." Alex says, "Yeah, I know... Maybe I should up my dose," referring to his testosterone. After a moment, he jokes, "Bet you never imagined the father of your kid looking like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone. " His wife smiles and replies, "Alex, everything I ever imagined, you blew it right out of the water." I loved this gentle interaction. Plenty of trans men struggle with testosterone not changing things as expected; facial hair not growing fast enough, voice not deepening as desired, etc. It was nice to witness this interaction, showing a woman in love with a trans man who is experiencing such struggles. The show then largely moves on, focusing on the town and its dark secrets. Even when Alex physically and verbally fights with townspeople and cult leaders, his gender is not brought up. His aggression, history of excessive force, and intergenerational trauma is the focus, consistent with the cult's beliefs about severing emotional ties to fix weaknesses. He is treated like everyone else. Everyone has trauma that the cult can latch onto. Leila and Alex. The most awkward commentary on Alex's gender identity comes from Leila. Alex comes across her as she is trying to find the institute, intending to rescue her friend Abbie. Upon hearing that Alex has only recently moved to the town, Leila scoffs and says, "Yeah, I figured you weren't from here. Queer people who grow up in small towns generally get the hell out." Alex seems uncomfortable with this comment, and she adds, "No offence. I'm bi." Alex is a potentially straight man who wishes to live as a typical father and husband, has given no indication that he identifies with the word "queer," and is being labelled that way based solely on his non-passing (for lack of a better descriptor) voice and appearance. He has not introduced himself as being queer, he has been labelled that way by a stranger. I can understand why he is uncomfortable. It's called a reclaimed slur for a reason. If someone hasn't reclaimed it, it's just a slur when used to describe them. I personally remember that word being used quite violently in the early-2000s, particularly. For example, see this episode of Cold Case . In the following episode, Leila (now institutionalised as well, following the failed rescue) tells Abbie that Alex can help them escape. Abbie is doubtful, saying, "Cops just swing their dicks around, dude." Grinning, Leila says, "I don't think he has a dick." I did not appreciate this dialogue. The first trans man who had phalloplasty bottom surgeries was Laurence Michael Dillon, born in 1915, with the surgeries starting in 1946. Alex could indeed have a dick. She has no idea. Commenting on what might be in a trans man's pants is gross, even as a joke... Especially when that comment seems to be largely based on Alex's non-passing traits, since Leila knows virtually nothing else about him. It all feels quite realistic to an immature teenager's mindset, to be fair, and it also captures my own experience as an FTM transsexual living in a small town. Among those who know about my trans status, I've found that cishet people will typically accept me and avoid commenting on it, unless I bring it up first. They might be awkward initially, like Alex's colleagues, but they don't make a big deal out of it (with a few nasty exceptions). Cis LGB+ townspeople, however, will make comments which label me, out me to others, and make assumptions informed chiefly by their own lived experience. It's not a universal issue by any means, but it is a theme I've heard other trans people discuss. I can't fault the writing for being accurate to my experiences, I suppose. Alex and Laura. Moving on, I really enjoyed a sex scene in the fifth episode. Laura assumes a verbally- and physically-dominant role, issuing commands to Alex and standing above him. I appreciated the portrayal of a pregnant woman being sexually assertive, and her attraction to her trans husband. It's fantastic whenever a show dares to do something a bit different. I do think this show is worth watching, if you're looking for representation of a trans man in a committed relationship with a woman. Entry last updated: 10 Mar 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse

Several American trans men are interviewed in this documentary, including Jamison Green, Masen Davis, Yavante Thomas-Guess, and Cris Salamanca. Overall, while this film has a lot to offer in terms of hope and community knowledge, it is also outdated and alarmist in some respects and should be approached with caution. TRANS Documentary 2012 United States of America Several American trans men are interviewed in this documentary, including Jamison Green, Masen Davis, Yavante Thomas-Guess, and Cris Salamanca. Overall, while this film has a lot to offer in terms of hope and community knowledge, it is also outdated and alarmist in some respects and should be approached with caution. Trailer. Available Summary: TRANS is an extraordinary documentary feature about men and women, and all the variations in between. It is about the transgender community, perhaps the most misunderstood and mistreated minority in America and around the world. Inspired by the incredible story of Dr. Christine McGinn and her work as a transgender surgeon, TRANS provides an up-close and very personal vision into the lives, loves, and challenges of a remarkable cast of characters of all ages and from all walks of life. -Apple TV. Jack's Summary: I have a lot of complicated feelings about certain interviews and scenes in this film. Warnings aplenty. There are some great interviews with Masen Davis and Jamison Green, two trans male pioneers, and I liked excerpts of a speech that Zander Keig gave as part of his phalloplasty educational talk. I wish we knew more about Yavante Thomas-Guess, another trans man who is interviewed as well. You can view the trailer above but, as a sign of what the rest of the documentary offers, you should prepare yourself for transphobia, misgendering, and upsetting visuals. There are also discussions of self harm, genital mutilation, sexual violence, murder, torture, suicide, and firearm-related deaths. Overall, this is quite an outdated documentary, although parts of it are quite valuable and touching. The most anger-inducing scenes, for me personally, were interviews with the family of a trans woman who killed herself after enduring their intolerance. Far from holding themselves accountable, some of the interviewees seem to shamelessly enjoy the limelight, and see nothing wrong with misgendering her after death. Other family members seem genuinely regretful. WARNING: Unsafe chest binding. Learn more about chest binding here. One of the documentary subjects, a young trans man named Cris, double-binds in order to flatten his chest as much as possible. This is potentially very dangerous. In order to approach chest binding with a harm minimisation approach (noting that binding will not be safe for everyone regardless), only one binder should be worn; it should have shoulder straps, a looser back, and a stiffer front, so that your chest is flattened in a way which alleviates pressure on your ribcage as much as possible. Double-binding increases the pressure around your entire ribcage and eliminates any benefit from how they are designed. The fact that Cris is shown binding this way is not necessarily the issue. Profiling how documentary subjects live day-to-day has value, and acknowledging that many of us are driven to unsafe binding due to dysphoria is important. The issue is that no warning or caveat is offered, explaining to viewers that they should not follow Cris's example. That is irresponsible filmmaking. Furthermore, a wrap-around binder is shown, which is functionally the same as using bandages. Entry last updated: 27 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Female Browse

Vincent Lamarre, a Canadian trans man, is filmed as he transitions while actively serving in the Canadian Forces. Others, including his mother and trans male friend, are also interviewed. He is shown using a chest binder, open-chest binding, and having a mastectomy. Ti-gars (One of the Guys) Documentary 2018 Canada Vincent Lamarre, a Canadian trans man, is filmed as he transitions while actively serving in the Canadian Forces. Others, including his mother and trans male friend, are also interviewed. He is shown using a chest binder, open-chest binding, and having a mastectomy. Watch. Available Summary: Vincent Lamarre enrolled in the Canadian Army as Virginie. When he came out to his superiors, he was surprised to find that they backed him unconditionally, as did his family. This documentary relates to Vincent's sex transition, with the support of his chain of command. What defines a man? His testosterone? His penis? His warrior spirit? The way people look at him? -Vimeo (translated). Jack's Summary: This documentary is shockingly refreshing in its depiction of a cis mother’s relationship with her trans son, Vincent. I was surprised and delighted, actually, by how involved she was with his j ourney. The only point of conflict that is ever discussed is an assumption Vincent had made, when he was a teenager, that he had been born intersex and had secretly been operated on by his parents. With no information about being trans, and in response to gender dysphoria, he built up that fiction in his mind as an explanation of why he felt like a boy but had to live as a girl. In retelling the story, he apologises for the resentment this assumption caused, and his mother laughs and says that she understands. It’s clear they’ve moved past that difficult time of non-communication. Vincent’s relationship with his grandmother is also very positive. He shows his mother STPs, packers, and prosthetics that he uses, and explains to her the ways in which he has sex. It’s a very open and honest dialogue, one that very few people (cis or trans) have with their parents. Vincent’s best friend, another trans man, is also interviewed. He provides insight into life, as a parent who has given birth to three children, and how that impacted his dysphoria and gender certainty. I would definitely recommend this documentary. One caveat, though, is that it’s a very binary perspective on transitioning. This does not bother me in the slightest, in terms of my own personal journey. I empathised with almost everything that Vincent said, particularly his comment that the goal of transitioning is to pass. For me, yes, that was (and is) true. But that is not the case for everybody, so be prepared if you are a trans or gender-diverse person for whom passing is not the goal, or even achievable. That said, I still feel that this documentary matters, for those of us with similar journeys to Vincent. This is a film partly about the military, but I found it easier to watch than TransMilitary , probably because there is less focus on the military itself as the film goes on. If you are entirely comfortable with the military, this distinction will obviously not matter to you. WARNING: Unsafe chest binding. Vincent exerts himself while wearing a chest binder. Learn about why that can be unsafe here. Entry last updated: 26 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse

Multiple trans people, including trans men and transmasculine people, are interviewed with their partners. The pairs discuss sex, romance, and love. Falling in Love with My Trans Partner Interview 2020 United States of America Multiple trans people, including trans men and transmasculine people, are interviewed with their partners. The pairs discuss sex, romance, and love. Watch. Available Summary: At every part of the journey, these couples can’t help falling in love with each other all over again! -YouTube. Jack's Summary: This collection of interviews is utterly gorgeous. Trans people and their partners are interviewed about love, their relationships, sex, and how things have changed since their transitions began. I particularly adore a conversation between two trans partners, where one says, "Physically, you becoming more masculine... You're super shredded now, you have a deep voice, and yeah, that's what I like. But also, just seeing you become more... yourself." It's such a sweet, rare dynamic to see, and I love seeing the pair laugh together. WARNING: An interviewee describes unsafe chest binding in this video. Double binding, or any form of intense pressure on your ribcage, is not safe and should not be attempted. Further, it is an impractical way to bind your chest, as you are likely to end up in so much pain that binding is impossible until your body heals, leaving you worse off in the long run. As lovely as this video is, viewers should have been provided with a disclaimer emphasising the seriousness of unsafe binding and discouraging them from attempting it as well. Learn more about chest binding here. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Relationships Browse

Theo, who began the series as Susie, is a teenage trans boy played by American non-binary actor Lachlan Watson. He is sexually attracted to guys and gets a boyfriend later in the show. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Show 2018 United States of America Theo, who began the series as Susie, is a teenage trans boy played by American non-binary actor Lachlan Watson. He is sexually attracted to guys and gets a boyfriend later in the show. Available Summary: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is an American supernatural horror television series developed by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa for Netflix, based on the Archie comic book series of the same name... It is set in the fictional town of Greendale. It is a dark coming-of-age story that includes horror, fear and witchcraft. Sabrina Spellman must reconcile her dual nature as a half-witch, half-mortal while fighting the evil forces that threaten her, her family, and the daylight world humans inhabit. -Wikipedia. Jack's Summary: At the beginning of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, viewers are introduced to "Susie", who is actually a closeted trans boy not freely able to explore his identity. He is played by Lachlan Watson , a trans non-binary actor. The series itself is a weird mix of juvenile and violent (I'm still not sure what its target audience is), but many young folks will likely relate to depictions of dysphoria, same-gender attraction, and masculinity in a trans kid. That being said, hate crimes and sexual harassment are immediately tied to Theo's character arc, and he has to endure some pretty awful experiences before being afforded a cute romance and less violent scenes. Theo in episode 1. The writers waste no time establishing "Susie" as the punching bag of aggressive cis guys. In the very first episode, Sabrina finds him crying alone in the locker room after being hit in the face and sexually assaulted. The jocks who exist solely to torment Theo. In season 2, Theo is sexually harassed while trying to use the boy's changing room, by the same jocks established as antagonists in episode 1. They stare directly at him, deadname him, and say they're "waiting for the show to start" before encouraging him to undress entirely. Later, they fill his locker with menstrual pads and tampons. He's also repeatedly targeted with a lesbophobic slur. Theo coming out to his friends. He comes out to other main characters after a basketball game, during which he beats cis guys with the help of Sabrina, the central character with magical powers. She uses spells to make him shoot the ball perfectly and easily dodge other players, when he was previously unable to play the game at all. This led to criticism from within and outside the trans community, especially from trans guys who were frustrated by the implications of a trans boy being weak and powerless unless he resorts to cheating. I personally agree with this criticism. Dorothea Putnam. Theo chose his new name after his relative, Dorothea Putnam. Dorothea, a masculine-presenting ghost, appears solely to Theo and offers endearments like "brave boy" before Theo has even taken steps to voice his gender identity. This spiritual link and storyline was pretty fascinating but, to my disappointment, the writers didn't explore the Putnam connection very deeply at all. We learn that Theo has an ancestor who dressed "like a man" and helped both witches and mortals escape persecution, but that's about it. Part of the reason I was so interested in Dorothea Putnam was because the Digital Transgender Archive has photographs of a real-life Dorothy Putnam "crossdressing" in masculine attire. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina overall weaves real-life history with fictional timelines, but it's not clear whether Theo's ancestor is inspired by Dorothy Putnam and/or Ann Putnam, an accuser in the Salem Witch Trials. Jesse, a gay man. The only other gender non-conforming character in the show is Theo's uncle, Jesse Putnam. He gets possessed by a demon which refers to him a "sodomite" and an "abomination", citing these qualities as the reason Jesse is the ideal host. Theo's father, brother to Jesse, mentions that Jesse wore their mother's dresses when he was young, leading to physical abuse when he was caught doing so by his father. This behaviour and his attraction to men are referred to as "proclivities". Given the fact that Jesse spends his episodes foaming at the mouth, snarling curses, and then being tortured in the afterlife, this isn't exactly top-tier representation. "I'm not an abomination, Sabrina, and I won't be one." As a result of being psychologically tormented by a possessed Jesse, Theo struggles with his gender identity and becomes ashamed, forcing himself to wear feminine dresses for a short time. Theo meeting Ruth. The only other character to recognise Theo's gender before he comes out is Ruth Walker, a blind woman with psychic powers. She calls him "handsome fellow" and refers to him with he/him/his pronouns. I appreciated the implication that Theo's male gender has always been innate, and that characters with special abilities could sense that part of him. Theo telling his dad the truth. I also enjoyed the scene where Theo comes out to his dad. It's the right balance of positive and realistic, with Theo remaining determined and calm despite his father's initial unwillingness to listen. Joe, Theo's dad, supports him despite feeling confused, and takes him to get a new haircut. That's the end of the story, when it comes to Theo's family journey. We don't see much of Joe beyond that point, beyond the occasional scene, which I enjoy. Theo is allowed to be himself, and there's no extra violence or family conflict which is piled onto him... which is fortunate, considering how much shit Theo faces, courtesy of his classmates. I don't personally think the transphobia directed at Theo is cheap or needless, especially since Theo is afforded an actual personality later on, including hobbies (drumming, singing) and sexual desire (towards other boys). He becomes less of a token character as the show progresses, gaining strength and physically standing up for his friends. The violence directed at him might upset some viewers but, if you want to see a trans boy triumph over transphobic people, this show will provide that. Speaking of Theo's bullies, it's important to discuss one bully in particular; a young man named Billy, who physically abuses and sexually harasses Theo. The show fails to treat the sexual abuse of cis boys/men seriously, and this is especially apparent in Billy's character arc, despite him being framed as the aggressor in most scenes. Before I delve deeply into the issue, I highly recommend the 1in6 Survivor Stories page, to get a better and more realistic understanding of how abuse actually affects boys and men. Hilda Spellman talking about Billy's childhood. To defend Theo, Hilda Spellman outs Billy as a survivor of CA (child abuse), in order to humiliate and humble him. It's heavily implied that he, specifically, was the victim of CSA (child sexual abuse). The abuse occurred at the hands of other boys, and was extreme enough that it provoked violent denial from his family, to the point that his mother washed his mouth out with detergent until he stopped trying to seek help from anybody. This awful, confronting revelation is glossed over. At most, viewers are encouraged to laugh at Billy's vulnerability and deep emotional scars, rather than considering the sickening hypocrisy of outing a CA survivor in the name of supporting another young person. In the same conversation, just for good measure, Hilda outs another young man as being attracted to Billy. Worst of all, in a separate scene, Sabrina uses magic to force Billy to kiss and grope his male friend. She takes a photograph of this occurring and uses it as blackmail to stop him bullying others. He, and his jock friends, are all placed in this non-consensual situation by Sabrina, and this is supposedly a... funny... moment. Even when viewers find out about Billy's history of being abused by his peers, no thought is given to how he must have consequently felt when Sabrina forced him into a situation where he was being kissed and touched without his consent, by his peer. So, to recap... Billy is a survivor of CA, and likely CSA. Either way, he was abused by males at just eleven years of age. The writers (through Hilda's dialogue) assert that, because he was abused, he became an abuser. The answer to this, apparently, is to make a teenage Billy the target of further non-consensual intimacy with a male, and blackmail him over that touching. Pretty fucking horrible, right? Beyond the apathy shown towards Billy's trauma, his arc echoes an old, harmful myth that boys/men who survive CSA automatically become abusive themselves. This is just one example of how Chilling Adventures of Sabrina fails viewers who have themselves survived CSA, specifically men and boys. Nicholas in Chapter Twenty-One: The Hellbound Heart. The misrepresentations of male trauma don't end with Billy. The show also features a cis male character named Nicholas, who is abandoned to suffer alone after being tortured, leading to a horribly-handled allegory for male rape. The parallel to being sexually assaulted isn't subtle, with Nicholas describing how he took his abuser inside him, was stripped naked, was "tortured on the inside" and "humiliated and debased on the outside". He abuses alcohol, drugs, and unsafe sex in the wake of his experiences, viewing his own body as "dirty" and "polluted". He is sexually harassed by women who mock his trauma and suggest that he wanted to be abused, claiming that he had "the hots" for the man who abused him, saying he was made into his abuser's "bitch" and that he enjoyed the abuse. He experiences flashbacks, extreme distress, nightmares, anger, shame, and understandable grief. Unfortunately, an immature Sabrina is solely responsible for fixing him and, shocker, that doesn't end well. Nicholas miraculously gets over being abused, all on his own. The writers don't even bother to show him being supported by an authority figure or therapist/healer of some kind, because God forbid the trauma of a cis guy is taken seriously. Sabrina is established as a poor, downtrodden girlfriend, with Nicholas the selfish antagonist who dared to have a breakdown after being abused. He grovels until she deigns to date him again, and ultimately kills himself to be with her in the afterlife, which really cemented the show's descent into irresponsible and crap storytelling . Considering how trauma often manifests in boys/men , it makes complete sense that Nicholas would become angry in the wake of being abused. The way his anger is handled sends a very alienating message to male viewers who have suffered abuse; if you express how you're feeling and show your anger, you will be left on your own. You will be the bad guy. It's your fault. Handle your trauma alone and get over it, or suffer in a way that is palatable to your partner, AKA the only person who will help you. Don't bother seeking out a safe teacher, doctor, therapist, or community healer. A magical, super fast detoxification ritual to fix alcohol addiction. If you have experienced victim-blaming or been distressed by the erasure/mockery of male survivors, Nicholas and Billy's storylines may distress you. If you have battled addiction, you may experience similar distress. Proceed with caution. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a somewhat fun show, but it's not without plentiful flaws. It touches up against serious subjects and doesn't handle them well. The writers were too busy loading Sabrina's dialogue with ham-fisted feminist power slogans to realise that abused men don't just magically heal on their own, and humiliation/abandonment isn't the best way to help a traumatised survivor of any gender. I know that some people, reading this review, will roll their eyes and say, "it's just a dumb show, don't take it so seriously". My answer to that would be, if the show wasn't going to take the abuse of boys/men seriously, such themes shouldn't have been depicted at all. A series having juvenile and supernatural themes doesn't mean it's harmless, and the abuse of cis boys/men is so rarely handled well in film and television, as explored in Part 1 and Part 2 of Sexual Assault of Men Played for Laughs . Modern media needs to do better than dismissing or laughing at male trauma. Cis boys and men need to know that they're supported, and that their trauma matters. Young men take in messaging from media, just like young women, and the media needs to do better by them. Anyway, back to Theo... Theo excitedly seeking romantic advice from a friend. After coming out and triumphing over the people who abused/harassed him, Theo is afforded a romance that, while cheesy, is a breath of fresh air for those of us who never got to have such experiences in our youth. Theo's eventual boyfriend, Robin, is a humanoid Hobgoblin with supernatural abilities. He was initially tasked with sacrificing Theo to a Pagan God, but falls in love with him instead. Theo and Robin. Their scenes are a checklist of stereotypical teenage tropes, including cute dates and Theo choosing to lose his virginity with Robin. They're an adorable pair, as long as you're fond of cliché-heavy writing... but that caveat applies to the entire show. The massive age gap between them is never really dealt with. Robin refers to Theo as "the Putnam child," which I personally found incredibly creepy. Provided you're comfortable with the fact that trans maleness is treated completely differently to cis maleness, with cis guys typically not attaining justice after being abused (unlike Theo), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a relatively fun watch. Just don't expect too much. If there hadn't been a trans boy among the central characters, I wouldn't have continued watching it. The last season is particularly shit, and the final episodes ruined my favourite relationship in the show (a wonderful bisexual/lesbian pair). In terms of general warnings, prepare for the following: Gore, blood, and human dissections. Murder, including graphic deaths, the killing of an infant boy by his own mother, and the serial killing of multiple pre-pubescent children. Psychological horror. Torture of adults, teenagers, and children. Cannibalism, ranging from the cooking/consumption of humans to the eating of a newly-killed, fresh human body. Violence against people of colour, including a widely criticised lynching scene. Incestuous themes, specifically the planned marriage of a father and daughter, and the planned marriage of a brother and sister with the goal of producing incestuous heirs. Sexualisation of underage characters, including a fifteen year-old child (Sabrina at the start of the show). Multiple suicides. Underage drinking and drug use. A heterosexual relationship which closely resembles an abusive marriage. There are also Satanic themes, which doesn't bother me in the slightest, except for the fact that the show isn't at all sure how it's defining Satanism, Christianity, the occult, or Paganism... or, more crucially, good versus evil. From the perspective of an atheist, it's lazy writing. From the perspective of some worshippers, it's offensive . I can't personally speak to that but, if you are spiritual or religious, consider yourself warned. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male with Male Browse

Miguel/Mel, a male-presenting character played by German actress Anjorka Strechel, begins a relationship with a girl and faces expectations of heterosexual womanhood from family. Mein Freund aus Faro (My Friend from Faro) Film 2008 Germany (Deutschland) Miguel/Mel, a male-presenting character played by German actress Anjorka Strechel, begins a relationship with a girl and faces expectations of heterosexual womanhood from family. Trailer. Available Summary: Melanie meets Jenny and falls in love. But Jenny thinks she's met Miguel. -IMDb. Jack's Summary: My Friend from Faro is set in rural Germany in the early 2000s, where the age of consent is fourteen. The protagonist, known as Mel by family and employers, is a bored catering worker who befriends a new worker by the name of Nuno, mimicking his masculine mannerisms, fascinated by his style and confidence. At home, living with a brother and father, Mel is resisting pressure to get a boyfriend and present/act more femininely. Miguel and Jenny at a nightclub. One night, when Mel is out driving, a fourteen-year-old girl named Jenny jumps in front of Mel's car. Though uninjured, as Mel brakes in time, Jenny suggests that Mel drive her and her friend to a nightclub to make up for the accident. At the nightclub, the three drink alcohol and introduce themselves properly. Jenny lies about her age, saying that she is sixteen years old. Mel spontaneously chooses the name Miguel, wanting Jenny to view him as a male. He also lies about his age, saying that he is eighteen when he is actually twenty-two; a fact which is not revealed until the end of the film. Miguel quickly develops feelings for Jenny, believing her to be above the age of consent (while still much younger than him), but cannot bring himself to come out to his family. As for what he would come out as... Miguel feels pressure to wear feminine clothing. ...Miguel's gender is never actually labelled. The DVD cover itself features a review from Variety that says, "Imagine Boys Don't Cry with a happy ending... A sweet-natured coming-of-ager." So, the female-to-male themes are certainly present, but with far more ambiguity than the fictional depiction of Brandon Teena's life. The viewer gets to decide whether Mel/Miguel is assuming the male role because it's the only role offered by society which allows her to be her masculine lesbian self or, like Brandon, he is actually a trans male. This could easily be a film about a trans man, a butch lesbian, a transmasculine person of another description, etc. Nuno teasing Miguel. Back to the plot... To maintain the image of himself as a heterosexual woman, Miguel pays Nuno to pretend to be his boyfriend at a family dinner, and also forces himself to wear feminine clothing which makes him intensely uncomfortable. He works very hard to live a double life. Though the lies quickly unravel, his friendship with Nuno deepens, and he builds a genuine friendship with his coworker. Miguel, read as a male, experiencing biphobia/homophobia. Miguel tries to develop a relationship with Jenny, much to the amusement and anger of aggressive young men in Jenny's life. These same men call Miguel homophobic slurs when they see Nuno embracing Miguel as they walk, assuming Miguel to be a gay or bisexual cis man. This scene mirrors real-life stories I've heard from gender non-conforming people who accidentally pass as men, and are surprised when platonic affection with men is consequently read as gay, provoking hostility. (Hida, an intersex non-binary person in Gendernauts , described similar experiences.) This in-between place which Miguel is in, viewed as a woman by some and as a man by others, is one aspect of the film that I find very compelling. Miguel and Jenny at the beach. While on a date, Miguel has oral sex with Jenny at a public beach. While it was an encounter which would appear lovely and romantic out of context, the scene felt uncomfortable for me to watch. Look, I'll be honest; the age of consent in my country is 18, and the idea of a 14-year-old child having sex with anyone (let alone someone several years older than them, and in a public space) seems gross. That's my cultural context. You are free to form your own opinions. Miguel coming out. Inevitably, Miguel finds out that Jenny lied about her age, and he breaks up with her. She pursues him anyway, insisting that she still loves him, literally chasing him into the forest as he tries to make her leave. Desperate for her to understand that their relationship is untenable, he "comes out" to her by undressing and letting her see his naked body (an eye-roll-worthy trope for trans and crossdressing characters), after which she hugs him and then runs away. She is then shown having a crisis of identity, wondering whether being attracted to Miguel makes her a lesbian. Word spreads that Miguel is "Mel". When he meets with Jenny, one final time, the pair are set upon by the afore-mentioned group of aggressive men, one of whom is having sex with Jenny's fourteen-year-old friend, with full awareness of her age. They spray-paint a lesbophobic slur on Miguel's car, verbally call Miguel slurs, physically assault him, and begin to sexually assault him before Miguel fights back and flees. Miguel, still bruised and bloody, farewelling his father. Though Jenny insists that she still loves Miguel and wants to be with him regardless of his physical sex, he leaves the town and drives meet Nuno, the pair fleeing for Portugal. It isn't a happy ending in the typical sense, and the film is pretty messy, but I did admittedly love Mel/Miguel's explorations of gender and presentation. But wait, there's more... When rewatching the film a few years after my first viewing, I read an interview with Nana Neul, director of My Friend from Faro . The following excerpt revealed more about Mel/Miguel's gender: INTERVIEWER: Many comparisons have been made with Boys Don't Cry . Had you seen the film before you made My Friend from Faro ? NEUL: Of course. I really love this film, but with My Friend from Faro I wanted to tell a love story with, at least in some way, an optimistic ending. You could say that My Friend from Faro is a kind of prologue for Boys Don't Cry , because my main character Mel hasn't already found her way in life when the film starts. She doesn't know whether she wants to live as a girl or as a boy, and where her love for Jenny is going to take her. That really confirms the ambiguity of Mel/Miguel's gender, and explains why the character might be relatable to people of differing identities. Another excerpt revealed something which deepened my discomfort with the film: INTERVIEWER: Lucie Hollman [who played Jenny] was only thirteen when you made the film, what was it like for her? NEUL: She was no beginner on the set! She behaved very professionally. But when I wanted to rehearse the love scene, she said she would only kiss Miguel in front of the rolling camera. So this was exciting, but it worked. It was her first kiss, as she told me! I really loved the pureness of her acting. The love story was something special for Lucie, something new. She was such an angel. And so it's a film about first love, and a first kiss! To put it plainly, the romance in this film is portrayed by thirteen-year-old actress and a twenty-four-year-old actress. The "love scene," as Nuel calls it, shows nothing more revealing than an abdomen being kissed (hopefully a body double's abdomen), but the actress' ages place My Friend from Faro firmly in my personal category of films which shouldn't be made today. My Friend from Faro is not alone in this category, by any means. Mid90s (2018) cast a twelve-year-old boy as the love interest of a twenty-six-year-old actress. My Father the Hero (1994) cast a fourteen-year-old girl as the love interest of a twenty-two-year-old actor. Blank Check (1994) portrays romantic love, and a kiss, between an eleven-year-old boy and a thirty-one-year-old actress. The list, unfortunately, goes on. One of my favourite films is Mysterious Skin (2004), and a key reason that I adore it is because the filmmakers managed to portray child abuse realistically and movingly, while also protecting the child actors and going to great lengths to shield them from the topics of the movie. Whenever child actors are involved in a production, particularly anything sexual, it feels important to know that they were not exposed to sexual themes... to me, anyway. You are free to make up your own mind about the casting of underage actors. I know that some still view even Pretty Baby (1978) as a wonderful classic which doesn't glorify paedophilia, so perhaps my discomfort may seem quaint! Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Ambiguously-Gendered Media Browse

Marvin, a trans man, moves from the Czech Republic to Sweden with his family, and begins his transition. A Happy Man Documentary 2023 Sweden (Sverige), Czech Republic (Česká Republika) Marvin, a trans man, moves from the Czech Republic to Sweden with his family, and begins his transition. Trailer. Available Summary: Marvin is a trans man living in Sweden, in a long-term marriage with his partner Ivan and their two children. His unexpected separation from his homeland for several months, as well as the slowing down of the entire process of physical and legal sex change during the COVID19 pandemic, intensifies the coexistence between partners and offspring, relationships with relatives and closest co-workers. The period of muted timelessness offers the film's protagonists a space to provide mutual support, acceptance of Marvin's gender identity, and a redefinition of roles within the family. Writing LGBTQ+ novels in which Marvin has created a male alter ego has played an essential role in his discovery and experience of his trans authenticity. -Czech Film Center. Note from Jack: This documentary is completely unrelated to Un Homme Heureux , a fictional film also released as A Happy Man , which also focusses on an FTM transition. They were released in the same year and titled the same thing, apparently by coincidence. Entry last updated: 8 Feb 2026 Related Media Trans Male Media Browse

Oliver Jähnke, a Swedish trans guy, interviews Marius Nikolaiev, a Ukrainian trans person living in Sweden. Marius discusses figuring out his gender identity and sexuality, the lack of Ukrainian support for LGBT+ people beyond HIV prevention, gendered languages, familial struggles, and the ongoing war with Russia, as well as legal, social, and religious issues. Being QUEER in UKRAINE Interview 2022 Ukraine (Україна), Sweden (Sverige) Oliver Jähnke, a Swedish trans guy, interviews Marius Nikolaiev, a Ukrainian trans person living in Sweden. Marius discusses figuring out his gender identity and sexuality, the lack of Ukrainian support for LGBT+ people beyond HIV prevention, gendered languages, familial struggles, and the ongoing war with Russia, as well as legal, social, and religious issues. Watch. Available Summary: In this video Marius Nikolaiev talks about being queer in Ukraine. He is currently living in Sweden because of the war and openly shared his experience of the LGBTQ community in Ukraine, about when they came out to their parents, about how gendered the Ukrainian language is, ongoing law improvements and his hopes and dreams for the future. What he didn't mention during the interview but wants the viewers to know is the personal attacks he has been a victim of, such as being attacked with gas, being spied on, had his information published in chat for people who attacks LGBT people. And LGBT+ people in Ukraine can have to face far more things than this. - Queers of the world, YouTube . Entry last updated: 5 July 2026 Related Media Non-Binary Media Browse