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My Transsexual Summer [Tv Show]
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Background & Info about the show

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The Women:

Karen
Karen (52) began living as a woman just three years ago. In Episode 1 she prepares for and undergoes life changing and irreversible gender affirmation surgery - her penis is surgically inverted to create the vagina she has always wanted.

Karen knew she was female from a very early age, but has lived her whole life trying to suppress the need to live as a woman. She first tried to transition when she was 26 but, faced with extreme public prejudice, couldn't go through with it. Like many trans women, Karen sought out very male roles. She served as a policeman on the front lines of the miners' strike and the Tottenham riots, and worked as a lorry driver for over a decade.

Today, Karen is determined to make up for lost time and live her life to the full as a woman. As the oldest member of the group, she has been extremely supportive of all the younger trans people at the retreat, encouraging and re-assuring them in their decision making.

Karen also hopes to make contact with a daughter who she has not seen in over 20 years.


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Sarah
When Sarah (29) first arrived at the retreat, she had only been living full time as a woman for a matter of weeks - not even her parents knew she had made such a life-changing decision.

Sarah comes from a deeply religious background and has spent years building up the courage to finally live as a woman. Coming to the retreat was a chance to get help, and get help fast, and Sarah openly admitted that she had a lot to gain, and a lot to learn. But that didn't make arriving easy.

Sarah has not yet had any medical help to change gender. She has not started taking hormones and still has a male body. Each day she wears prosthetic breasts, a £30 wig, and clothes bought from charity shops, all to make her outside match her inside. But, despite the struggle ahead, the future is bright.

Through the course of the series, Sarah builds up the courage to tell her mum about her transition, bringing to an end years of secrecy.


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Donna
Donna (25) is immensely proud to be transgender, and doesn't care who knows it. As a boy she was deeply misunderstood, and like many trans people suffered depression that lead to her self-harming as a young teenager. But now, several years into her transition, she couldn't be more fulfilled.

Donna was prescribed female hormones two years ago, and they are irreversibly changing her body. Her hair and skin are softer and her breasts have grown. But there have been changes to her personality as well. Donna describes being more emotional, more in touch with her feelings and more able to cry. She has little interest in surgery at this point in her life.

Donna is a performer on the festival circuit, and her fire eating and breathing is something to behold. But it's Donna's confidence and humour that has been inspirational in the retreat. Her ability to shake off the prejudices of society and stick two fingers up at a world that's tried to deny her happiness has set a gold standard of what is possible for others to achieve.


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Drew
Drew (22) is a sweet, sensitive, caring young woman, desperate to live what she calls a 'normal life'. She wants to work, earn money, pay rent, and have a loving relationship - all the things that any vibrant attractive girl wants - but for Drew being transgendered is stopping her achieving her dreams.

Every time she goes out in her small hometown of Wakefield, Drew is stared at and frequently abused by strangers in the street. Things got so bad that she rarely bothered leaving the house.

Drew came out as female when she was 18 and has been living full time as a woman ever since. Unlike many trans-individuals, her family are extremely supportive of her. But, despite the love of her family she still feels trapped and lonely.

Drew has repeatedly tried to get work, but being transgender has meant she has been refused employment practically everywhere she has applied. She does have a part-time job at a local gay bar, but knows full well that if she is to be successful, she has to get out and about into her community.


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The Men:

Max
Max (25) was born female. Three years ago he began his physical transition to becoming male. Of the three men in the group, he has been transitioning the longest, having begun taking the male hormone testosterone in April 2009. In January 2010, Max travelled to Bangkok, Thailand, to undergo a double mastectomy and male chest contouring.

Max is a determined and ambitious individual who sees no reason why being trans should stand in his way of being successful in modern society. He is extremely well-versed in trans and gender issues, and has a bachelors degree in English Literature and a post-graduate degree in Indigenous Studies and Constitutional Law.

Max is also a Reform Jew, living a religious and observant life. He attends synagogue regularly, wears a yamulke daily and hopes to enter Rabbinical School to fulfil his goal of becoming a Rabbi.

Max has few problems 'passing' as male in everyday life, and has taken the decision to acknowledge his trans status so publicly extremely seriously.


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Lewis
Lewis (22) was born female. He was just six years old when he said to his mum that he felt like a boy trapped in a girl's body. Since then, his journey to becoming a man has been difficult. As a 14-year-old girl he was misdiagnosed with anorexia, when in fact his discomfort with his body stemmed from the fact that he was going through puberty. He hated his growing breasts and feminine curves.

While at college, Lewis lived as a lesbian but eventually came out as trans at 19 years old. He has been taking male hormones for two years, which has helped transform him physically. His voice has deepened and he has grown a beard that is the envy of his male friends. But he's worked hard in the gym to develop his physique - the female curves have gone and he looks like the heterosexual male he considers himself to be.

The trouble is that while he has no trouble 'passing' in society as a man, Lewis still has female body parts and that makes everyday life and relationships hard. What he wants is surgery - both top surgery to remove his breasts, and lower surgery to create a penis.


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Fox
Fox (30) has only recently begun his transition to becoming male. Although he's known he's been trans for many years, starting the process of changing gender was a profoundly difficult step to take.

Of the men in the series Fox is the earliest in his transition. He has been taking the male hormone testosterone consistently for just six months, and is frustrated by the slow pace of change. While he accepts that he still has feminine features, being called 'she' or 'her' is hurtful. It serves as a reminder that the rest of the world does not yet view him as the person he is inside.

Fox is intending to have his female breasts removed, but in the meantime, he does all he can to give himself the appearance of a masculine chest. Each day he wears a specially designed vest - a binder - which flattens his breasts, disguising his feminine shape.

Fox works as an artist in Brighton, and his work is heavily influenced by his transition. Unlike many trans individuals, he has the support of his friends and family, and describes living in 'a trans bubble'. But coming to the retreat was a huge support for Fox. Forming friendships with other trans men has given him hope that he is moving towards a day where the world accepts him as male.


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Source of Info: Channel4
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The Show - All Episodes


Episode 1
YouTube Video



Episode 2
YouTube Video



Episode 3
YouTube Video



Episode 4
YouTube Video




Note: Show starts with same intro in all videos!
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My Transsexual Summer Q&A, Fox, Drew, Donna

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