Transgender Books & Film

When I was first transitioning one of the things that helped me most with coming to terms with my identity and navigating the world as a transgender person was reading books and watching film (especially documentaries) with transgender subjects. I put this list together so those new to transition (or their curious friends and allies) have a reference point in terms of trans media that is available.

This list is by no means complete - there are scores of movies with "trans" characters (often as marginalized sex workers), so I tried to stick with books and film that positively represented trans and gender variant folk rather than trying to compile a complete list of every book or film that happens to have a trans character.

If you have any suggestions for a title to add to this list, leave it in the comments below or e-mail me at charliewarhol@gmail.com

Books: 

Leslie Feinberg
Transgender Warriors : Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman 
Transgender Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue 
Stone Butch Blues 

Kate Bornstein
Gender Outlaws: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us 
Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation My Gender Workbook: How to Become a Real Man, a Real Woman, the Real You, or Something Else Entirely
A Queer and Pleasant Danger, a memoir

Jenny Finney Boylan
She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders 
I'm Looking Through You: Growing Up Haunted: a Memoir

Self-Made Men: Identity and Embodiment among Transsexual Men, Henry Rubin

Emergence, Mario Martino

Body Alchemy, Loren Cameron

Becoming a Visible Man, Jamison Green

Transfigurations, Jana Marcus, Jamison Green [foreward]

Second Son: Transitioning Toward My Destiny, Love, and Life, Ryan Sallans

Transition: The Story of How I Became a Man, Chaz Bono

Susan Stryker
Transgender History
Gay by the Bay
The Transgender Studies Reader 
GenderQueer: Voices From Beyond the Sexual Binary, Joan Nestle, Riki Wilchins, Clare Howell

The Testosterone Files: My Hormonal and Social Transition from Female-to-Male, Max Wolf Valerio

Nobody Passes: Rejecting the Rules of Gender and Conformity, Matt Bernstein Sycamore (editor)

Morty Diamond [editor]:
From the Inside Out: Radical Gender Transformation, FTM and Beyond 
Trans/Love: Radical Sex, Love & Relationships Beyond the Gender Binary

Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, Julia Serano

Transmen and FTMs: Identities, Bodies, Genders, and Sexualities, Jason Cromwell

Just Add Hormones, Matt Kailey

Trumpet, Jackie Kay

Parrotfish, Ellen Wittlinger

Becoming Alec, Darwin Ward

Hung Jury

Film 

Documentary

Southern Comfort

Trained in the Ways of Men

Red without Blue

The Brandon Teena Story

Transgeneration

The Cockettes

Screaming Queens

Gendernauts

Enough Man

Sex Change Hospital

She's a Boy I Knew

No Dumb Questions

Prodigal Sons

Becoming Chaz

Middle Sexes: Redefining He and She

Fiction/Dramatizations 

Boys Don't Cry

Albert Nobbs

Soldier's Girl

The Crying Game

Trans America

By Hook or Crook

Ma vie en Rose

Hedwig & the Angry Inch

The Adventures of Sebastian Cole

Southern Comfort Conference 2012

Southern Comfort Conference is the largest transgender conference in the world and is held every September in Atlanta, Georgia. This years dates are the 18-23rd. While SCC has a largely transfeminine presence, since I first attended in 2006 they have been doing a lot to improve programming and other activities for transmasculine-identified individuals – the best of these being the Robert Eads Health Partnership (REHP).

Robert Eads was a transman who lived in rural Georgia and was a long-time attendee of SCC who died of ovarian cancer after suffering from extreme transphobia at the hands of healthcare professionals. The critically acclaimed 2001 documentary chronicles his story.

REHP allows transmen to get the needed (and dreaded) yearly pelvic exam in the company of other transmen in a trans-positive environment.  Getting the necessary exams in the company of other transmasculine-identified men can reduce the anxiety many transmen feel at even the thought of these procedures.

Transgender healthcare can be difficult to navigate anywhere, but this can often be a difficult space to even find in the Southeast, Midwest, rural areas, and other non-metropolitan areas; I live in a city in the south with a population of over one million and no physician here will treat me - I drive an hour and a half each way to a college town to see a physician for my transgender-related medical care. REHP is a great option for those who live in an area where they do not have access to basic healthcare or trans-friendly and knowledgeable physicians.

SCC is a bit pricey, especially with lodging, food, and travel expenses, but if you're in the Atlanta area, I'd definitely recommend going to the hotel where the conference is being held because you can always find a cool group of trans people to hang with - nothing beats the sense of community one feels when around 1,000 other trans people. Transitioning in the south, this was a rare occurrence for me, so I cherished all of the moments just socializing with other trans people - I think most conference attendees would agree that the best parts of the conference aren't the seminars or even anything scheduled at all, but in the late-night parties and 3am conversations.

This year FTM adult film star and producer Buck Angel is attending the conference and will be at the Transmen's Welcome Party on September 20th, so come on out and meet him!

Since the full conference registration is $375 on site (or $355 & $365 in August and September), a variety of registration packages are available at a lower cost. The full registration includes luncheon and dinner on both Friday and Saturday and all non-extra cost activities.

Friday & Saturday only is $330 on site or $310 if you register this month, or $320 if you register in September before you arrive.

Saturday only registration is $260 on site or $240 if you register this month, or $250 if you register in September prior to your arrival and includes luncheon, dinner, and all non-extra cost activities.

The most affordable rate is the "conference only" registration (and is what I purchased every year I attended), and includes all seminars and non-extra cost activities. The cost is $125, regardless of when you register. Meals are not included.

SCC believes that money should not be a barrier to attendance and offers scholarships to first time attendees (and their partners or a friend!).

Southern Comfort quick links:

Facebook 

YouTube

Yahoo Group

Transmasculine Program

Transposes FTM Graphic Novel Due Later this Year

Dylan “NDR” Edwards is a FTM artist, writer, and cartoonist who lives in Austin, Texas. He is currently working on a graphic novel entitled Transposes about seven transgender men due later (October-ish) this year.

via Northwest Press:

"Transposes is a nonfiction graphic novel by Dylan Edwards exploring the fascinating lives of seven transgender men who also happen to be gay, bisexual, or otherwise non-straight. It’s an amazing window into the lives of these men, both the major events in their lives and the day-to-day ones, and paints a wonderfully human portrait." 

You can preview Transposes here.

For more on Transposes, see the Transposes Index and connect on Facebook for the latest news from Dylan.

Dylans' other work includes TrannyTunes, The Outfield (about queers in sports) and Politically InQueerect, a satirical look at a gay Republican couple and their friends.

Coming Out to Parents + Resources

A couple nights ago I posted a video to my YouTube channel in which I interview my mom about what it was like for her when I came out as trans. I thought perhaps it would be helpful to those who are struggling with how to come out to their parents, or for parents who are struggling with the multitude of feelings they are experiencing after their child has just come out to them.

My mom is quite uncomfortable in front of the camera, but she has a great message and I am really glad she agreed to film this video with me. We are a close family and my parents (especially my mom) had a rough time when I first started transitioning. Though it was extremely difficult in the beginning stages of my transition, in the six plus years I have been on testosterone they have come a long way.

My parents are amazing people and I am not only really proud of them, I am grateful for them as well.



Here is the link to PFLAG and the Parents of FTM Transsexuals Yahoo group that I mentioned in the video.

PFLAG is a great resource because it has local chapters scattered throughout the United States and parents can take comfort in the fact that they are not alone in this experience. PFLAG's transgender page has a lot of great information and resources too.

A question I am often asked is how I came out to my parents. There are many ways to come out - in person, over the phone, in an e-mail, or a letter. I came out to my parents in person, but I wrote letters to the rest of my family. The trans coming out conversation was hard enough to have with my parents, so for my large extended family I wrote letters; having that conversation over and over starts to get emotionally wearing.

A letter can often be a good method to use (even with parents) because it allows them time to think about what was said in the letter and unlike a face-to-face conversation or telephone call, there is no chance for the exchange of harsh words or for things to get out of hand - it allows time to process. After all, you have probably thought about the trans thing as long as you can remember, but they just heard about it and are probably entirely overwhelmed. Giving them space and allowing them time to process also means they might do some research for themselves and come into the "follow up" conversation more informed.

Here are a few other videos about coming out from 2009 and 2008, respectively.

Coming Out and Family (April 2008)

Don't Hesitate: Coming Out to Family (March 2009)


My parents and I took a long time to get where we are today - we did it with continuous, open communication, a fierce perseverance, and unconditional love. There are going to be a lot of rough moments, but there will be a lot of beautiful ones, too; it just takes time. Persevere.

Resources for Parents of Transgender Children: 

Trans Youth Family Allies (TYFA) TYFA is a wonderful organization and resource with a special section for parents of transgender children called “TransParent Journeys” with a list of parents' blogs and family stories.

TransActive is a non profit organization that serves the needs of transgender and gender nonconforming children and their families. TransKids Purple Rainbow is an organization founded by the father of a young transgender girl that is dedicated to empowering trans youth and their families and educates peers, governmental and religious institutions as well as school and medical communities on trans youth.

Parents of Transgender Kids Facebook 

For even more FTM and SOFFA mailing lists, check out the “Finding Community” page on Transguys.com.

If your parents are readers, a great book to send their way is “True Selves: Understanding Transsexualism: For Families, Friends, Coworkers, and Helping Professionals” by Mildred Brown and Chloe Rounsley. Though it was written back in 1996, it still remains a relevant resource and one of the better books written about transsexualism for SOFFAs.

You can also download “Our Trans Children” (5th edition) from the PFLAG website for free. [pdf file]


If you have any questions or you'd like to talk more directly, shoot me an e-mail at charliewarhol@gmail.com, or you can connect with me on Facebook. 

Testosterone 101

I recently did a video answering basic questions about testosterone, such as how to get on it, who can prescribe it, where to get it, how much it costs, and if it is covered by insurance.

What is informed consent?

Here are links to the trans health clinics I mentioned in the video:

Callen-Lorde (NYC)

Lyon-Martin (San Francisco)

Tom Waddell (San Francisco)

Dimensions (Youth clinic, San Francisco)

Feminist Women's Health Center (Atlanta)

Fenway Health (Boston)

Howard Brown (Chicago)

Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center (LA)

Outside In (Portland, OR)

Old Town Clinic (Portland, OR)

Here are links to the pharmacies I talked about in the video:

Strohecker's Pharmacy (Portland, OR)
Apothecure Compounding Pharmacy (Dallas, Texas)

Kronos Pharmacy (Las Vegas, NV)

Women's International Pharmacy (Wisconsin, Arizona)

This next video goes into more detail about various testosterone delivery methods:

This video goes into more detail about testosterone cream - where to get it and how to use it.

Transguys & Adam's Apples

Recently Forest did a great video on Adam's Apples. They are one of many changes that happen on T, but one of the least talked about. Show your Adam's Apple pride!

FTM: Coming Out to Parents II [family]

In my last post I shared a video from Jimmy, an awesome dad of an FTM son. In this video, he along with his son Peter offer advice for transpeople coming out to their parents.

In the following video, Kyp shares his experience with coming out to his family.

FTM: Coming Out to Parents [family]

Coming out to family - especially parents, can be one of the most difficult challenges one faces when they transition. In addition to the physical and social torment our bodies cause us, thoughts plague us for years about whether our families will understand or disown us, and ultimately, accept us.

Even though coming out to your parents can be a really difficult thing to do, keep in mind in the end they are your parents and love you and want the best for you. Not all parents will have the terrible reaction we all expect, though - Jimmy is one of those parents.

In the following video Jimmy interviews his FTM son Peter about what it is like being transgender. Jimmy is a remarkable man and the kind of dad anyone would be lucky to have. Most can only hope to have parents that are this understanding and educated about gender and identity.



In this next video, the tables are turned and Forest talks openly with his parents about being transgender. He speaks with them about his past, how he never really fit in, and how they feel about him being trans.



I came out to my parents in a series of letters and through many talks throughout the years. I have always been a fan of the written word and have found writing a good medium in which to express my thoughts; the other party has time to process the contents on their own time and how they feel comfortable without the tension of having to take it all in at once or fearing my reaction which could lead to a verbal altercation and misunderstanding.

If anyone is curious on what to say to your parents in a coming out letter, I have published two of the letters I wrote to my parents in the beginning of my transition in my Charlie Begins blog here and here.

"Are You a Girl?" [video]

In this video I recount the experience I had with the administration at the university where I graduated. I had to have my transcripts sent to Portland State University so I had to stop by student services. I have been getting alumni mail addressed to “Ms. Asher,” which is frustrating – I never thought to do a gender change within the university, and I guess they didn't get the memo when the name changed from Christina to Charles.

After the guy was done processing my transcript request form, he asked me if there was anything else he could help me with. I told him about getting mail as “Ms.” and asked if they “accidentally” had me as female in their system. He looked, turned bright red, and told me they did.

Then he asks, “you're not a girl are you?”

I found this question fairly ridiculous considering he was asking a dude with a beard if he was a girl. I think the whole “Ms.” thing threw him off so much that he didn't really think about what he was asking – I don't think the trans thing even crossed his mind.

If he has asked if I was a transguy or if I had been born female/assigned female at birth, I wouldn't have said no – but I live and navigate the world as male and am not a girl. Simple as that. It's not my problem if he didn't connect the dots!

I have gained a lot more confidence in dealing with situations in which “the trans thing” comes up – whether it be administration at my old college, flying and TSA body scans, or running into someone from my past. I am always matter-of-fact about it and up front – there is no reason not to be, and a little education and awareness go a long way.

What is Chest Surgery Like?

Yesterday I posted this video to my YouTube channel which intends to be a quick overview of what to expect when you have chest surgery; it also hopes to answer questions and calm some nerves!

As with all my videos and blog posts, the opinions reflected herein are solely my own and I do not claim to speak for anyone but myself.

Here is a follow-up video I shot this afternoon with some tips for guys preparing for surgery.



This is a video log I shot the morning of my chest surgery in the hotel in Baltimore.



This is me seeing my chest for the first time on December 19, 2006, a week after my surgery.



Here is a video shot the same night I saw my chest for the first time and documents a simple, but significant milestone in any transman's transition - being able to wear a t-shirt for the first time with a flat chest.

Click here to watch a short documentary I did while in college called, "I Got a Sex Change with My Best Friend!"

I had my surgery with Dr. Beverly Fischer in Timonium (Baltimore), Maryland on December 12, 2006.

Strength in Transformation [video].

This is the latest video I have posted to my YouTube channel, called “Strength in Transformation.” I think this is one of the videos on my channel I am most proud of; the footage was acquired over several years’ time in various parts of the country and took me several all-nighters to complete. During this whole tumultious and overwhelming transition process, more than just my gender has transformed. I am becoming more whole as a person; transitioning was just a part of the journey. In a way, it was the key that opened the door to the world so I could actually start my journey in life.

I used to struggle with finding balance between my trans self and just my plain old male/person/self, but this hardly comes up anymore in my day to day life. I still struggle with balance, but I find it is more "life-related," rather than gender-related. I worry about the stuff every one else does - my relationships, finances, work; it's quite a relief to not have to think so actively about my gender.

I'm so glad my active transition is over; I was very fortunate to get it done quickly and when I was relatively young. I am 26 and have been on testosterone for nearly six years now; it doesn't feel like that. In fact, it doesn't feel like anything. It feels like this is how I always have been. I can hardly distinguish my trans self from just myself now, and I think that is what I have been striving for since I started transitioning.

Five Years on Testosterone [2005-2010]

New & Noteworthy: JustJehryn.

Meet Jehryn, (aka JustJehryn). He's 20, lives in Phoenix, is a graphic designer, is pre transition, and new to the tube.

New & Noteworthy [starting T]

Meet Jo, aka JR6984 on the tube. He is 26, just started testosterone on Father's Day and is married and has a six-year-old daughter.

Joe doesn't allow embedding of his videos, so you can watch his intro video here.

Shaving Techniques.

Here's a video from Jason (JayseBallard) demonstrating his shaving techniques.



Here's a fun video from Marek, aka vanness5 , demonstrating shaving with a straight razor:

Transitioning in High School.

Here is a video from Shye, aka ShyeAustin on the tube.

He is a 17 year old transguy from Florida and is currently transitioning in high school. I know a lot of guys look back and wish they could have transitioned in high school, but transitioning at a young age presents a whole set of problems- as Shye says, it's hard sometimes having no one to talk to about his trans status at school, and often is the subject of harsh words from his classmates questioning his gender.

This does not go to say that transitioning young is a completely negative experience- it is not; in fact, it is amazing guys can transition so young now and be themselves and get the male socialization many of us feel we missed out on.

He has disabled embedding on his videos, but you can check out his intro video here and his week 40 shot video here.

Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen [trans documentary]

Check out the film "Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen."

Born in the Wrong Body?

Xavier (laidbaqq) did an amazingly honest, raw video about dysphoria and what it feels like to be "born in the wrong body," which is a sentiment many trans people can relate to.

Amazing Transition Video.

This is one of the most amazing transition videos I've ever seen. Skylarkeleven made it. Check him out.

You can also listen to some tunes of his on MySpace here.

Female-to-Male Transsexual Issues with Jamison Green.