Documentaries that capture reality on camera and shine light onto the dark remain one of the most powerful ways to influence and educate the public. They can be shocking, raw, joyful, heartbreaking, overwhelming and evoke a host of emotions in viewers. It’s said documentaries fall in between journalism and the arts.
International Day of Transgender Visibility (TDOV) falls on March 31, and each year, supporters dedicate the day to celebrating the transgender community, raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, and honoring their contributions to society.
One way allies can pay respect and learn more about the transgender community on TDOV is to lose themselves in one of the great documentaries that has been produced over years that highlights transhood with all of its ups and downs. Here are 10 award-winning films available on streaming services for you to watch this March 31.
- Disclosure, Netflix
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Laverne Cox, Bianca Leigh, and Jen Richards lead the pack in Netflix’s 2020 documentary. The film takes a deep dive into Hollywood’s treatment and depiction of the transgender community then explains the impact these stories have had on American culture.
- Mala Mala, Amazon Prime Video
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This 2014 Puerto Rican documentary film is directed by Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles and stars Jason “April” Carrión, Samantha Close, and Ivana Fred. (You might recognize April from RuPaul’s Drag Race.) The film follows the cast’s struggle with identity and shows their reaction to Puerto Rico’s governing body passing Law 238-2014, which prevents discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
- Always Jane, Amazon Prime Video
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The docu-series Always Jane follows the family of Jane Noury, a transgender teenager, as she grows up in rural New Jersey. The series examines the effect that a supportive family can have on a trans child growing up in a conservative area.
- Free CeCe, Amazon Prime Video
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CeCe McDonald, a transgender woman of color, went out with her friends to the store when a man brutally attacked her. McDonald killed him in self-defense, and was arrested for murder, then placed in a men’s prison. Interviewer Laverne Cox confronts the culture of violence surrounding trans women of color and McDonald shares her own horrific and inspiring story of perseverance.
- Little Girl, Tubi, Amazon Prime Video
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Little Girl asks the hard questions. How can a child as young as seven years old question her gender identity and deal with the extreme adult reactions to it? Sasha, who has known she was a girl since she became conscious, navigates her rural community in France with her fiercely supportive parents.
- Transhood, HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
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Over the course of five years, filmmaker Sharon Liese followed four children, beginning at ages four, seven, 12, and 15, as they “redefine coming of age.” Viewers follow these kids as the grow up in the Midwest and go through all types of challenges that come with the territory of being gender-nonconforming.
- The Most Dangerous Year, Amazon Prime Video
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2016 America posed a threat to the transgender community. Trump-era legislation seemed to dominate debate on the Congress floor, and every bill seemed to take shots at the community. The Most Dangerous Year follows a small group of families with transgender members as they advocate for their rights in Washington D.C.
- The Trans List, HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
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The Trans List profiles 11 galvanizing trans people including activists, artists, athletes, models, porn stars, military personnel, and entrepreneurs. Each cast member shares their own personal stories of prejudice, rebellion, and everyday life.
- Growing Up Trans, PBS
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This free-to-watch documentary takes a more scientific approach to the trans experience. The film follows families as they explore the medical interventions available for their transgender children. Confronting the medical community’s discrimination against the community, Growing Up Trans is an important one to add to your watchlist.
- Passing, Amazon Prime Video
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Passing illuminates the lives of three trans men who have undergone a transition from female to male. For years, the men have been accepted as biological men and unquestioned by their peers. The film investigates what it’s like to be Black and trans, when no one knows the latter.
Other trans events to observe include Transgender Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19), which is followed immediately by Transgender Day of Remembrance. Transgender Awareness Week focuses on issues transgender people face in their daily lives and works to address those problems. Transgender Day of Remembrance, Nov. 20, memorializes those who have been murdered as a result of transphobia.
We should be supporting the trans community year-round. Tip your queens, donate to nonprofits, stream trans content, and, most importantly, be there for the trans people in your own life.