Despite the strides made by the transgender community in recent years, the lives of transgender people remain largely out of sight, even taboo, for most people.
With all the misinformation, and often hateful noise, still present in society over the issue, one British documentary series is telling the real life stories of transgender youth in hopes to shed an empathetic light on what life is actually like for people making the incredibly challenging, but brave journey.
Take the story of 7-year-old Paddy from Leicester, England and her father, also named Paddy. The two engage in a simple, remarkable conversation about Paddy’s decision to transition into a girl. Watch below:
But as told by Paddy’s mother, Lorna, the transition hasn’t exactly been easy for many family members. No matter how supportive of their children’s decision, the experience for everyone involved can still be a difficult one. In the clip below, Lorna reads aloud a poem to Paddy describing a caterpillar’s choice to become a butterfly to help describe her complex feelings,
“I loved and supported still wondering why, till the day my boy said goodbye,” she reads. “Sometimes I miss my caterpillar boy, but my butterfly girl fills my heart with joy.”
“My Transgender Kid” is a part of Channel 4 in Britain’s “Born in the Wrong Body” series, which will continue in the coming weeks with different personal stories. Next up is “Girls to Men” and it will feature 21-year-old Jamie Raines’ stunning, three-year photo project in which he took a selfie everyday of his transition. That video has already catapulted to the number one viewed video on YouTube.
