F**king Transformer follows Max, a trans man who has been out for a year, with wonderful and supportive friends. His Mum is mostly supportive, however, she has made a few mistakes. Tonight is the school ball and Max knows his Mum is struggling with the idea of this seminal moment being different from how she imagined when he was younger. This is causing him some distress, so his best friend Danny decides to show Max that he should be himself on this day, and every other day.
I didn't hear the term 'nonbinary' until I was in my twenties, which made figuring out who I was very difficult. Once I realised that the issues I had been experiencing had a lot to do with my gender presentation, I still didn't know how to tackle that. It's difficult to be something you cannot see. In figuring out my identity and discovering I was trans, I became comfortable in myself in a way that I wasn't before - it really helped to settle me, having these answers. This is why I think it is so important to see trans characters represented by trans actors on screen.
Queer stories often seem like they are only for a queer audience, however, I feel that this film speaks to every persons deep need for acceptance.
Stories about trans people, from a trans perspective, are especially needed in Australia right now. “The trans debate” will make it into Australian politics soon, and I believe that film has the power to reveal the humanity in an often dehumanised community. We all know what it is like to not feel accepted. A lot of us unfortuantely know what it is like to not feel accepted by our parents. This film speaks to all the parents of trans kids, and asks them to be patient, to be kind, and let their children flourish.
