'The World Of Pregnant Trans Men' | Advocate Film | The Advocate

Advocate Channel

19 Sept 201701:46

Summary

TLDRThis documentary explores gender identity and non-binary experiences, focusing on trans masculine individuals who become pregnant. The filmmaker, who underwent top surgery and chose to breastfeed, shares personal insights. The film challenges societal norms and assumptions about gender, aiming to broaden perspectives and promote acceptance of diverse gender expressions.

Takeaways

🧔 The individual has a beard and underwent top surgery, which initially causes confusion about their gender.
🤰 Despite the physical changes, they are pregnant and considering breastfeeding, showing a strong desire to embrace motherhood.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The partner, Heather, is supportive and willing to induce lactation to help with breastfeeding.
🎥 The film focuses on gender non-binary identities, particularly from the perspective of trans masculine individuals who are pregnant.
📽️ The filmmaker started the project to explore the in-between spaces of gender that were not well-represented in media.
🚫 The media often focuses on the struggles and adversities faced by transgender individuals, but the film aims to show happiness and self-acceptance.
🌈 The film seeks to challenge viewers' assumptions about gender and encourage a broader understanding of gender diversity.
🤔 The filmmaker hopes that viewers will question their own preconceived notions about gender after watching the film.
🌟 The film celebrates individuals who are content with their identity, even if it doesn't fit into societal norms or expectations.
📚 The film is intended to be an educational tool to help people understand and respect the complexity of gender identities.

Q & A

What is the initial reaction people have when they see the speaker?
-People initially notice the speaker's beard and breasts, which causes confusion, and they often don't even get as far as noticing the belly.
Why didn't the speaker's appearance immediately suggest pregnancy to others?
-The speaker's appearance, including having had top surgery nine years prior, made the idea of pregnancy not immediately occur to people.
What was the speaker's partner's role in the process of having a child?
-The speaker's partner, Heather, attempted to induce lactation so that she could breastfeed the child.
What was the speaker's approach to breastfeeding as a trans masculine person?
-The speaker approached breastfeeding with 'butch panache,' embracing the complexity of their gender identity while fulfilling a maternal role.
What is the main theme of the speaker's film?
-The film is about gender, specifically focusing on non-binary varieties of gender, particularly through the lens of trans masculine individuals who are pregnant.
When did the speaker start making the film?
-The speaker started making the film about five years ago when transgender topics were becoming more common in conversations.
Why did the speaker feel they didn't fit into the typical transgender or butch lesbian categories?
-The speaker felt they didn't fit into these categories because their identity and experiences didn't align with the common assumptions or representations they saw in media.
What was the speaker's goal in creating the film?
-The speaker aimed to explore the in-between spaces of gender identity and to represent individuals who are content with their unique gender expressions.
What was the speaker's observation about the media's portrayal of transgender individuals before making the film?
-The media typically focused on the struggles and adversities faced by transgender individuals, rather than their happiness and self-acceptance.
What message does the speaker hope people take away from the film?
-The speaker hopes that people understand it's okay to be whoever they are, as long as it's not harming anyone, and that they question their own assumptions about gender.
What is the intended impact of the film on viewers who don't identify with the subjects?
-The film aims to make viewers question their assumptions about gender and broaden their understanding of what gender can be.

Outlines

00:00

🏳️‍🌈 Transgender Parenthood and Identity

The paragraph discusses the initial reactions to the speaker's appearance, which includes confusion about gender due to a beard and 'tits', and the lack of association with pregnancy despite a visible belly. The speaker, who had top surgery nine years prior, and their partner Heather, decided that breastfeeding was important, leading Heather to attempt lactation. The speaker identifies as a non-binary trans masculine individual and is creating a film about gender, focusing on trans masculine people who are pregnant. The film explores the experiences of those who don't fit neatly into traditional gender categories, aiming to challenge assumptions about gender and transition. The speaker hopes that the film will show that it's okay to be oneself and that it's not necessary to fit into someone else's expectations or categories.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡beard

A beard refers to the hair that grows on the chin, upper lip, cheeks, or neck of humans. In the context of the video, it is used to describe a physical characteristic that is traditionally associated with masculinity. The speaker mentions 'beard tits confusion,' indicating the societal confusion that arises when someone with a beard, a typically male characteristic, also has breasts, a typically female characteristic, challenging traditional gender norms.

💡Top surgery

Top surgery is a type of gender-affirming surgery that alters the appearance of a person's chest. For transgender men or non-binary individuals, it often involves the removal of breast tissue to create a flatter chest. The video mentions that the speaker had top surgery nine years ago, which is a significant part of their gender transition journey and identity.

💡breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is the process where a mother feeds her baby with milk from her breasts. In the video, the speaker discusses the decision to breastfeed despite having undergone top surgery, which is a testament to the importance they place on motherhood and the ability to provide for their child, even when facing physical challenges.

💡induction of lactation

Induction of lactation refers to the process of stimulating milk production in individuals who do not naturally produce breast milk, such as transgender men or non-binary people post-top surgery. The speaker mentions that Heather, presumably their partner, would try to induce lactation, highlighting the couple's commitment to breastfeeding and the lengths they are willing to go to fulfill this desire.

💡non-binary

Non-binary is a term used to describe a gender identity that does not fit within the traditional binary understanding of male and female. The video is specifically about non-binary varieties of gender, exploring the experiences of trans masculine individuals who are pregnant. This keyword is central to the video's theme of exploring gender identities that exist outside the gender binary.

💡gender

Gender refers to the range of characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity and femininity. In the video, the speaker discusses their film which is about gender, focusing on non-binary identities and trans masculine individuals. The concept of gender is central to the narrative as it challenges societal norms and expectations.

💡trans masculine

Trans masculine is a term used to describe individuals who were assigned female at birth but identify and live as men. The video explores the experiences of trans masculine people who are pregnant, which is a unique intersection of identities that challenges traditional notions of gender and parenthood.

💡pregnancy

Pregnancy is the state of carrying an offspring within the body before giving birth. The video discusses the experiences of trans masculine individuals who are pregnant, which is a significant aspect of their identity and life experience. It also touches on the societal assumptions and reactions to seeing a pregnant person with traditionally masculine characteristics.

💡film

The film mentioned in the transcript is a documentary that the speaker has been working on for five years. It is about gender, specifically focusing on non-binary and trans masculine individuals who are pregnant. The film serves as a medium to explore and communicate the experiences and identities of these individuals.

💡assumptions

Assumptions are presuppositions or conclusions drawn without sufficient evidence. The speaker hopes that people who watch their film will question the assumptions they make about gender, especially those that are not even consciously recognized. This keyword is crucial as it relates to the video's goal of expanding the viewer's understanding of gender.

💡gender box

A 'gender box' refers to the societal constructs or categories that define what is considered masculine or feminine. The speaker mentions 'unchecking the boxes,' indicating a rejection of these predefined categories and an embrace of a more fluid understanding of gender that does not fit into the traditional binary.

💡transitioning

Transitioning refers to the process by which transgender individuals change their physical appearance and/or social role to align with their gender identity. The video script contrasts the common media portrayal of transitioning as a struggle with the positive experiences of the individuals featured in the film, who are content with their identities despite societal challenges.

Highlights

Beard and pregnancy confusion

Importance of breastfeeding after top surgery

Inducing lactation as a non-binary parent

Film explores gender through trans masculine pregnancy

Film started five years ago when transgender was becoming a common topic

Filmmaker didn't fit into traditional gender categories

Search for in-between gender spaces

Media portrayal of transitioning struggles

Finding happiness in non-binary identities

Film's focus on people content with their gender identity

Encouraging viewers to accept diverse gender identities

Challenging assumptions about gender

Film's aim to broaden the understanding of gender

Musical interlude in the transcript

Film's message of acceptance and non-harm

Questioning gender assumptions

Film's impact on viewers' perception of gender