Documentaries, Shows, Films, Interviews, and Games.

This is a fascinating, but unfortunately short, window into the lives of transsexuals living in Iran. Amir Ali, a trans man, is interviewed alongside other transsexuals who are at different points in their journeys. "I've had boyish mannerisms since the age of two or three," Amir says, "When I first told my family, I was 21 years old. At first, my father was upset, but mainly because he felt that it would not be accepted in this society. But right now, my family has accepted it completely. I have received a permit, and I am ready for my operation." When asked whether he wants to undergo sex change surgeries in Iran or in another country, he confirms that he wishes to transition in his own country, saying, "I am extremely proud of being Iranian."

At the beginning of the short film, Mohammad Mahdi Kariminiya is interviewed. He is a student and professor who is authoring a thesis on the "religious and legal dimensions of a sex change". He argues that, since homosexuality is strictly forbidden but transitioning a person's sex characteristics is not, transsexualism should be permitted and considered separate from homosexuality.

Maryam Khatoon Molkara, a trans woman and the first Iranian to receive a permit for affirming surgery, stresses the importance of blending into society and abiding by Iranian laws, namely that a trans person should "act properly". She and another trans woman discuss rejecting interested men on the basis that, if a trans woman were to be in such a relationship before undergoing surgical affirmation, she would be considered a homosexual and would therefore be committing a crime.

I try to be very open-minded when I watch documentaries about trans communities in countries which are vastly different to my own, which is why I am so eager to watch This Is Not Me, a 2022 documentary about two Iranian trans men that will allow a more modern view into the world of Iranian gender-diverse communities. I am eager to learn more about Iran, especially considering my status as a female-to-male transsexual who is also living the life of a gay man. I am acutely aware that, according to all of the information I can find, my identity would not be allowed in Iran. What Legacy of the Imam offers, for a curious and knowledge-hungry Westerner like myself, is a glimpse into the lives of people who have pride and respect for their society, regardless of how that society persecutes and criminalises gay desires. I want to know much, much more about such people's experiences, and how much Iran has changed since Legacy of the Imam.

You can watch the short film here.

This show has a trans male character played by White Canadian actress Jordan Todosey. This storyline was praised as being very progressive when it originally aired, but I'm pretty confident in saying we've come a long way since then, judging by the character's use of bandages to bind his chest. All of the scenes I've seen are very cliché and one-dimensional, but that could just be the show itself, as it's primarily made for teenagers. You can watch some scenes here and here, but prepare yourself for unsafe chest binding, self harm, transphobia, deadnaming, misgendering, assault, and bullying. Chaz Bono, a trans male celebrity and actor, has a brief role in the show, where he provides advice to the trans boy character.

This documentary is available for free on Youtube. It's about two trans men, Tom and Scott, who wish for a biological child after already adopting two children. Scott carries the pregnancy.

In this documentary, trans men of many different backgrounds are interviewed, including mixed-race men, Black men, gay men, straight men, etc. The main topic of conversation is sex, including how interviewees' orientations have evolved alongside their bodies. It is an explicit documentary, and uncensored footage of trans men having sex is shown. So, obviously, it's for adults only.

This is a Buck Angel production. Though this documentary preceded his more combatative and aggressive views, Angel still labels the term "cisgender" as being somehow "politically correct" (whatever that means), and confronts an FTM interviewee about the use of such language, which I found uncomfortable and quite ridiculous. This documentary is definitely outdated, too, when it comes to discussions of bottom surgery and how functional men's genitals are after such procedures. I recommend the books Top to Bottom and Hung Jury if you are seeking balanced information about phalloplasty and/or metoidioplasty.

As a female-to-male transsexual myself, who is very intimidated by Buck Angel and the way he engages with others, I absolutely understand why many people wouldn't want to watch this documentary. He's said many things that I do not agree with, especially recently. His rhetoric gets more and more alarmist with every passing day and I do not feel comfortable supporting him. That's a personal choice everyone gets to make, based on his modern-day statements. (I'm not telling you to agree with how I feel!) Sexing the Transman, whatever its faults, is nowhere near as hostile as Angel's more recent comments, certainly at the time of writing.

There are some awesome interviews in Sexing the Transman that were really revolutionary, especially for 2011. Notably awesome, for me personally, were interviews with two trans men (Sean and Dan) in an ethically non-monogamous relationship. It was really nice to witness the pair's sexual energy and romance, and to see a t4t relationship that included a plus-size bear and a bloke who was non/pre-top surgery. I also loved seeing Syrus and Nik interviewed, as they also appear in Transgender Parents (2013) and it was super cool to get another look at their lives and identities.

Overall, the production quality is not great, and the editing is very poor. But I can see how this may have transformed the lives of trans men who watched it in 2011. Nowadays, if you would like to access inclusive, high-quality, trans-positive adult films with racially diverse performers, I'd rather recommend CrashPad Series episodes instead. That'd probably be a better use of your money. Please note that, while affirming, groundbreaking, and amazing, it is an adults-only space! You need to be 18 or older to watch CrashPad Series episodes. They recommend Scarleteen for young people seeking sex education.

This film follows a young trans man (Lukas) as he discovers his sexuality, and realises that he is attracted to men instead of women. The film doesn't shy away from the many unfortunate realities of transphobia and, in the case of Lukas' gay love interest, internalised homophobia, but I actually love Romeos. It's one of my favourite FTM films, despite being deeply flawed.

I won't deny that Romeos is confronting. Both of the male main characters are wrestling with their identities, Lukas has to fight off an attempted sexual assault, and slurs are thrown around frequently (ableist, homophobic, and transphobic in nature). But viewers are led to appreciate the solidarity of trans male communities, the selflessness of young men who give advice to their brothers via FTM forums, and the struggles of dysphoric trans men who need top and bottom surgery to feel whole.

Lucas is played by a White German cis man named Rick Okon and, when shown topless, Okon wears very convincing chest prosthetics. While trans actors should play trans characters nowadays, I really appreciated that (back in 2011) a cis man was chosen instead of a cis woman.

Lucas is shown using a chest binder, researching phalloplasty options, arguing with higher-ups to try and have his gender respected, injecting testosterone, lifting weights, and navigating cis gay communities while trying to be stealth. Footage and pictures of actual, real-life trans men are included as Lucas does his research, which I liked. There's a happy ending that has moved me to tears on more than one occasion.

The UK trailer for the film is here.

The synopsis is as follows: "Austin is deaf and transgender, but identifies as a straight man. After top surgery, he will stop binding and breathe freely. His journey is an inspiration to many, his self awareness, humor, and personality long recognized and honored in his community. In middle school, he changed his name and began to dress as a boy. Despite his challenges, Austin is a regular guy with a comedic sense and flair for romance. Gathering varying intimate glimpses from his mother, girlfriend, and best friend, Austin shamelessly counters with his own reflections on his personal journey. The film follows Austin and his best friend on a road trip to finally undergo a double mastectomy. Austin’s courageous journey is shared through personal reflections and into the operating room. Unbound at last, Austin is eager to get on with life. He shares intimate insight with self-awareness and humor." You can visit the documentary's website here.

The synopsis is as follows: "17 year-old Sam and 20 year-old Evan describe themselves as a gay male couple, but underneath their clothes they have female bodies. What makes this story so exceptional is that they are both in the process of changing their genders from female to male, at the same time. This film follows their gender-changing journey and the prejudice they encounter along the way – including the humiliation and fear they suffer of having eggs thrown at them as they walk to the bus stop. This is the story of how Sam and Evan met, fell in love, and embarked on a remarkable transgender journey together to transform their bodies from girls to men." The trailer is viewable here.

This film isn’t necessarily about a trans boy, but you can interpret the protagonist that way, because the movie was deliberately made without labels. Tomboy follows an AFAB child who chooses a new name (Mickaël) and goes by he/him in a new hometown. It is relatable for trans men, transmasc non-binary people, butch lesbians, and many kinds of gender non-conforming people. It’s a very beautiful film. There are confronting scenes, but I’d recommend it regardless.

Ultimately, the protagonist is outed against his will, and faces some nasty bullying as a result, as well as aggression from his mother. Under pressure from local kids, Mickaël's girlfriend looks inside his pants to "prove" whether he is a girl or a boy. I got through it alright, but you've been warned. The ending, in my opinion, is hopeful rather than completely sad. We see Mickaël smiling, and we get the impression that he will persevere and eventually flourish. Tomboy is the beginning of Mickaël's story, not the end; a glimpse into the kind of childhood that many LGBT+ people experience.

Mickaël is played by Zoé Héran, a White French actress. The trailer is here.

The synopsis is as follows: "Follow Chaz Bono, Sonny and Cher's once golden-haired daughter as he embraces his true self in this intimate and nakedly honest documentary about his own gender reassignment." The trailer includes misgendering, courtesy of Cher, Chaz's mother and an American celebrity.

To be clear: This is not a trans male film! But I feel it's important to include here, because the protagonist's journey will likely reassure some gender-questioning visitors to this site that, yes, there are people like you in the world. If you're trying to figure out who you are, and especially if you're a person of colour who doesn't relate to White depictions of AFAB gender non-conformity, this film will give you a window into Masculine-of-Centre (MoC), Boi, Stud, and Aggressive (AG) expression.

Alike (pronounced ah-lee-kay), the protagonist of Pariah, expresses herself masculinely when able to, and is intensely uncomfortable when made to wear feminine clothing. When forced to wear a skirt and a pink shirt, she insists, "this isn't me". Throughout the film she tries to figure out who she is, and tries to live authentically despite an intensely homophobic mother who ultimately becomes physically violent when Alike stands up for herself.

Throughout my time in LGBT+ communities, I have seen so much community overlap and so many complex identities. There are butches who identify as transmasc. There are lesbians who affirm themselves through low doses of testosterone, and sometimes even top surgery (including a butch in this video). There are MoC women who get breast reductions as a form of gender affirmation, allowing them to be their most authentic type of woman. There is so much beauty beyond being a binary trans man, which does happen to be my label and where I have found my pride. If you don't see yourself in films about trans men, don't give up! See if you recognise yourself in Pariah.

There are certainly many warnings which apply to this film. Another AG is sexually harassed by men as Alike's father watches without comment, Alike faces merciless bullying and eventual physical abuse from her mother, and a minor character struggles with internalised lesbophobia. Additionally, the phrase "he-she dyke" is used to attack a masculine-presenting lesbian. Regardless, this is a beautiful and profoundly important film that deserves more widespread appreciation. You just need to prepare yourself before watching.

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 FTM 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, a trans man of colour who is interviewed too. You can view the trailer here 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 seemed to shamelessly enjoy the limelight, and saw nothing wrong with misgendering her after death.

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

The synopsis is as follows: "The documentary Brothers takes you to the female-to-male transgender community in China, a community which endures hardships that are unfathomable to the majority of Chinese society. It documents the life of Tony, who forms part of a group of female-to-male transgendered people who call each other brothers. The film shows Tony’s road to self-acknowledgement, his troubles at work, his decision to undergo sex reassignment surgery, and all the difficulties he encounters on his path." You can watch it here.

WARNING: There is a reference to suicide in the link above.

This reality TV show is about a family-owned private security company in North Georgia, USA. Dennis Croft, a White American man who transitioned before the show aired, chose to come out as FTM in an episode. The only part of the show I've seen is a scene where Croft receives his prosthetic penis in the mail, and unpacks it with other staff watching. One woman is very dismissive and disapproving, whereas two other members of staff are accepting and amused.

This is a very sweet, short interview with a 54 year-old trans man named Lewis, who comes from South Wales. He talks about coming out at 16, as a gay woman, and having no opportunity to learn about any alternative identities due to living in a small community. He credits the interviewers for helping him realise who he is, through their video series My Transsexual Summer. Referencing one of the participants in My Transsexual Summer, he says, "If it wasn't for Louis... I might not be here today, so I can't thank him and the other people enough, for doing the program." Another profound confirmation that trans male representation matters! You can watch Lewis's interview here.

This indie film follows a White Australian bisexual teenager as she adjusts to her parent coming out as a trans man, and also explores her own identity. It's quite a confronting film, because it very accurately captures Australian bigotry and transphobia, hurtful comments frequently employed as a way to delegitimise James' transition. He is mocked for transitioning later in life and is generally treated like shit.

Billie, James' daughter, is a precocious, stubborn young woman. She's not meant to be likeable and, while I developed an amount of sympathy for her as a character, I did feel that her hostility distracted from the movie's main plot of acceptance and love. Overall, the film's quality is not spectacular, but you may relate to several scenes that involve the trans main character.

Billie, at one stage, punches her trans father in his still-healing chest, post-op. James struggles with Alcohol Use Disorder and depression when he has to discontinue testosterone due to medical issues. There is a happy ending, but boy, James has to go through some awful stuff beforehand. You'll need to be comfortable with trans characters being dragged through the mud to watch this flick.

Del Herbert-Jane, who plays Jane/James, originally joined the project as a gender diversity consultant, before being convinced to play the trans main character.

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