Documentaries, Shows, Films, Interviews, and Games.

Robert Eads was a White American transsexual man who died of ovarian cancer, after being denied cancer treatment by transphobic doctors. This documentary, watchable here, follows him in his final year of life, and is both heartbreaking and beautiful in its honesty. Robert’s friends and partner are all interviewed, along with his parents and other members of the community. Relationships, sex, transitioning, parenthood, and family are all explored.

The DVD has an extra interview where Eads clarifies that he wasn't allowed to attend a trans medical centre because he was a trans man. Specifically, his male appearance would "embarrass" the trans women in attendance. Despite the fact that he had cancer and desperately needed care, he was not welcome because trans men were considered too rare and unsightly to warrant inclusion. This example of FTM-specific discrimination is usually left out when people discuss Eads' death.

A note regarding the interviewees' views on bottom surgery: options have improved a great deal since Southern Comfort was filmed, and many trans men have undergone satisfactory operations. Top to Bottom, a book published by Finlay Games about his phalloplasty journey, is worth a read if you are looking for a realistic and more modern take on female-to-male bottom surgery.

The synopsis is as follows: "Shy, a trans man, leaves his small town in Kansas for San Francisco after the death of his father. Along the way, he encounters Valentine, an "ambiguously-gendered... macho butch with a natural beard" (source). An immediate kinship is sparked between the two and they become partners in crime, with Val’s lover Billie, to stay financially afloat. The duo faces money troubles, emotional problems, and physical confrontations as they learn to trust and support each other in pursuit of their goals."

You can read a review of the film here. Shy is played by Silas Howard, a trans man, and you can read an interview with him here. Valentine is played by Harry Dodge, a trans person who (from what I have been able to read online) doesn't use any set gender label whilst also medically transitioning.

In this documentary, the family of Kade (a White American trans boy) is extensively intervewied, as is Kade himself. Kade's mother and grandmother refer to Kade with she/her pronouns and also by his deadname, but have very different perspectives on the legitimacy of his identity. Kade's grandmother is very concerned and distressed by her grandson's journey, whereas Kade's mother is very supportive despite using the incorrect name and pronouns (a contradition attributable to the family's broader social context). Kade's father, on the other hand, consistently uses the correct name and pronouns.

While outdated in some respects, this is still a very sweet short documentary. Kade's mother describes connecting with trans support groups, and having her worldview reframed by the generosity of others. We witness a trans march and get to meet Kade's supportive friends, including two very sweet and open-minded cis boys that stick up for him. We also meet Anna, Kade's girlfriend.

Kade's father details his son’s immense struggle with puberty, describing Kade as “virtually suicidal” in response to his first period. This, he goes on to say, “really cemented and confirmed” the reality of his son’s transgender identity. Kade's mother goes with him to a doctor's appointment where he receives an injection as part of his puberty blocker treatment (with each shot costing his family $1100), and holds his hand while he gets the shot. When he is older, she does his testosterone injections. It is apparent that Kade is very close with his mother, regardless of how she refers to him.

Kade's sister is far less accepting, and is quite self-centred about Kade's transition. She complains that she had already "established" herself in school when Kade became a freshman, and how irritated she became by the idea that she might have to "stick up for" Kade. Such a burden!

Season 6 of this series introduces trans boy Nao Tsurumoto, played by Japanese actress Aya Ueto. I recommend watching this review to get more context about why the casting of an actress doesn't necessarily disqualify San-nen B-gumi Kinpachi-sensei from having been very impactful. That said, be prepared for dangerous chest binding and confronting themes, including a sexual assault by Nao's father, and a very graphic self harm scene that's pretty horrifying. Despite that, the video provides a very good summary, and has a timestamp in the description that will allow you to skip the self harm scene. I have not watched Kinpachi-sensei yet, so cannot forewarn any other potentially distressing content in season 6.

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 small town violence. One mixed-race 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. I really enjoyed interviews with Mildred/Dréd, a Black king who offered a rare and very nuanced look into her life and identity.

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 all ethnicities, backgrounds, sexualities, and genders are interviewed, including a non-binary person who is transitioning on testosterone, and trans men who have affirmed themselves medically. Trans guys are shown using STPs, discussing intimate transition experiences, and displaying bottom growth images.

This definitely isn’t a documentary which prioritises trans men such as myself. As a female-to-male transsexual who feels utterly disconnected from his assigned gender, I don’t see myself in most of the interviewees. But I love witnessing the diversity which has always existed in female-born masculine spaces and, while I didn't agree with some of the views expressed, I'm glad I bought the film.

You can watch the trailer for Venus Boyz here.

WARNING: There is extremely unsafe chest binding in this movie. Learn more about unsafe binding here.

You can read my full review of The Aggressives here. It is a fascinating, confronting, historically-important documentary about the Aggressive community. I highly recommend watching it. However, you should be prepared for slurs, both reclaimed and used by people who have not been targeted with such words.

For starters, I highly recommend reading about this film here. While my review will focus on the trans man in this film (Yuji), the movie deals with many themes which are extremely confronting and deserve dedicated in-depth critique. Alyssa Miller, a survivor of child sexual abuse, eloquently and thoroughly reviews Strange Circus in a way I simply cannot. In summary, while Miller asserts that the movie is an "incredibly accurate portrayal of the long-term effects of sexual abuse on children", this film will not be watchable for many people. There is gore, child abuse, spousal abuse, incestuous rape, self harm, suicide, torture, forced voyeurism and exhibitionism... the list goes on.

My personal opinion is that this movie is grotesque and awful, but that's the aim. If you're really into horror movies and have a very high tolerance for awful shit, you might even enjoy the campy, exaggerated violence with which the trans male gets his revenge. I have to be in a very specific, chilled-out, open-minded mood to watch Strange Circus, otherwise it's just upsetting.

This is a good movie. It's not a movie most people will enjoy (understandably), but it is good within the genre of Japanese ero-guro. The trans man who is violent and unpredictable and threatening isn't the embodiment of a classic anti-trans trope. His motivations are thoroughly explored. If anything, he's portrayed as a survivor of extreme abuse, who also has the superhuman strength to exact revenge beyond what most people would be capable of.

When it comes to his gender identity, Yuji explains his FTM transition by saying, "To me, the body is a vase you put your flowers in... I wanted to be a vase that compliments the flowers." While also entwined with self-mutilation themes and body horror (his top surgery scars are profoundly unrealistic), his trans identity is ultimately an expression of autonomy and inherent gender incongruence. He felt that he was a man, at heart, so he manifested that truth.

There is a scene in this film where Yuji walks alongside his younger self, the pair of them literally taking a stroll through their memories and watching as events play out. It's utterly baffling that this movie, which is disgusting and repugnant in so many ways, could present such a poignant and gentle illustration of a trans man being at peace with who he used to be. I wouldn't exactly recommend watching this film, but it is amazing in that way.

The synopsis, taken from this trailer, is as follows: "Documentary meets explicit sexuality in Luke Woodward's groundbreaking debut video about body image, relationships, sex and sexuality from the perspective of nine female-to-male (FTM) transmen and their partners. Featuring health educators, college students, sex workers, activists and artists, Enough Man navigates the terrain between objectivity and personal identity, allowing viewers into some of the most personal and rarely discussed areas of transgender life."

Produced by the United Church of Christ, this documentary is about a White American trans man named Malcolm, and sounds extremely progressive. The synopsis, as outlined on the United Church of Christ’s website, is as follows: "Call Me Malcolm is an amazing story of the human spirit and God’s spirit, and the liberating struggle to realize and express with confidence the marvelous gift of one’s truest sense of self. As Malcolm shares his own story and through the stories of others we meet, Call Me Malcolm offers us a glimpse into the real lives of real people who are transgender. But it is only a glimpse. There are many stories to be told and Malcolm helps us make connections to our own stories, encouraging us to share them. That can seem daunting in a culture which has done more to heap shame on persons who identify as transgender. The good news of Malcolm’s story is the way in which shame and fear are overcome by grace, compassion and knowledge. Viewers cannot help but come to a deeper understanding of faith, love, and gender identity, and by doing so, arrive at a deeper understanding of their own journey."

Years before Thomas Beatie attracted widespread media attention as "the pregnant man", trans male filmmaker Jules Rosskam released a documentary dedicated to the experiences of trans men who chose to carry children. The trailer, which you can watch on Rosskam's website, opens with a trans man saying "I'll always be part female-bodied, and I'll always be their mom", followed by other trans men talking about their experiences, some instead expressing a preference to be known as a dad, one man saying that he enjoys being part female and part male, part mom and part dad. Andrew, a trans man with a beard and long dark hair, talks about how he reassured his children once he began his transition. Other men have a range of different parenthood journeys, from leaving their children entirely to raising them all throughout their schooling. I am really, really looking forward to watching this one.

The synopsis is as follows: "While female-to-male transgender visibility has recently exploded in this country, conversations about trans issues in the lesbian community often run into resistance from the many queer women who view 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 dialogue about trans issues through a look at the experiences of three young transitioning FTMs in New York City–Nicco, Norie and Keegan–as they go through major junctures in their transitions, 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." You can watch the trailer here.

Reportedly, the original Queer Eye show had a very transphobic episode (S04E09) that featured a trans man named Miles. You can read more about this episode here, where the new Queer Eye's trans episode is also criticised.

This sweet, simple short film is based on the true experiences of Ivan E. Coyote, a White Canadian who is a renowned non-binary/butch activist. Robin, the protagonist of No Bikini, is a pre-pubescent kid who feels irritated and restricted by female bathing costumes, and so chooses to go shirtless like the boys do. This feels so natural, easy, and right that Robin hopes the swimming lessons will go on forever but, at the end of the film, Robin's mother is astounded and annoyed when she finds out that Robin has been "parading around half-naked for six weeks".

What I like about this film is that it could easily be about a trans boy, a non-binary youth, a tomboy, or simply a girl who sees no difference between herself and other kids. No Bikini is set in a simpler, easier period of childhood where gender norms don't really exist, and splashing around in a pool doesn't require rules. There are no physical differences between Robin and the boys, when Robin is walking around shirtless. So, why not wear the most comfortable swimwear?

Robin smiles when the swimming lesson report card is read out: "Your son has successfully passed his beginner's badge and is ready for the next level. He shows great promise. We suggest that you enrol him in our competitive swim program."

Is Robin smiling because she is simply a girl being free and uninhibited, uncaring about gender and simply delighted to have performed above her peers? Or is Robin smiling because they, like Ivan Coyote, are motivated by a non-binary gender experience? Or is Robin possibly a trans boy? It's up to the viewer. Either way, a lovely short film. You can watch it here.

You can read Ivan Coyote's original short story, describing their childhood experience, here.

This documentary reportedly pushes back against negative stereotypes that affect Black trans men, and does this through interviews with such men. It used to be available via this link, but (at the time of writing) the site now appears to be down. You can read more about the short film here.

The protagonist of My Friend From Faro, after meeting a girl named Jenny, spontaneously decides to go by a male name and he/him/his, and from that point onwards works very hard to live a double life. I believe the character is a butch lesbian, but that's not definitive, because this could easily be a movie about a transmasc person or a trans man too. Regardless, the film is likely relatable for all of those demographics, because Mel/Miguel's gender is never actually labelled. Anjorka Strechel, who plays the gender-ambiguous protagonist, is a White German actress.

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 butch self or, like Brandon, he is actually a trans male. Mel/Miguel is very masculine throughout the whole film, shows intense discomfort when putting on a dress, and is fascinated with mimicking male mannerisms.

There is an arguably happy ending, as it's implied that the protagonist leaves to live their happiest, most masculine life, but not everyone will enjoy this film. I quite liked it. Towards the end of the movie, Mel/Miguel is pursued by bullies who threaten to undress them to discern their sex, but they fight back and escape. Beyond that, you should prepare for an accidental age gap that many viewers find challenging. Both partners lie about their age, but the issue arises with Jenny's lie, as she claims to be of age when she actually isn't.

It's also worth noting that the actress who played Jenny, while she had a good experience on set, was only 15 when she starred alongside the 26 year-old actress who played Mel/Miguel. I'd say that this isn't a film which would be made nowadays, but the same could be said about many apparently-beloved cishet classics like Lolita (1997) and Pretty Baby (1978), both of which are far more perverse than My Friend From Faro. There's no Sally Horner behind My Friend From Faro. I was still quite uncomfortable during certain scenes, but overall I found it to be a good film.