Review: My Transsexual Summer
The stars of My Transexxual Summer
Linda Jensen recently got an e-mail from a friend who effused about a British television reality program called My Transsexual Summer. All the episodes are now on YouTube and the show is rated a ‘must see’ by Ms Charbonneau. you can read the message and then judge the program for yourself.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! Today, I would like to share with you my transsexual summer. Well, not mine actually, but a program that will likely delight, entertain and inform. Allow me to explain.
My Transsexual Summer is a British reality series that follows the lives of 7 trans persons — 4 MtF and 3 FtM — over the course of the summer of 2011. These people spend 5 weekends together in a mansion in the English countryside. As they do, they get to know each other and more importantly we get to know them, their personalities, aspirations, their struggles — and we see them engaging in various activities.
My personal favourite is when they go out to the local pub of their small town in Episode 2. They enter the pub with great trepidation, wondering how 7 trans people are going to be received by the locals. I won’t tell you what happens but my enthusiasm is probably a good indication.
Okay, but is it really worth watching? I mean really worth watching? It is after all, a show about trans persons created by non-trans persons and for non-trans persons. Yet My Transsexual Summer (MTS for short) avoids all of the potential pitfalls of most reality TV shows. You expect it to become exploitative and descend into sensationalism — but it just doesn’t. What we are left with is an engaging snapshot of the lives of 7 trans people in the summer of 2011.
So, we’re a bit of a captive audience, but will non-trans people get anything out of it?
I first watched the four episodes of MTS last year on YouTube. Then I watched it again some time later. Recently I watched it with a close friend who was laid up for a couple of days. She was quite fascinated by it, watching the entire series in one day, saying it gave her real insights into what it is like to be trans.
I sent the link to my sister on a day that I knew she had some time on her hands. She became quickly addicted, saying that she found the characters to be engaging and endearing, and that you want to know more about what happens to them.
So, check out MTS for yourselves. (Some of you may not agree with my assessment and that’s Okay. There is no one universal experience of being trans.) And after you have done so consider sending the link to someone you know who might benefit from gaining more insight into what it means to be trans.
Here’s the link to the YouTube video, Episode 1.
Enjoy
Janne Charbonneau
Category: Product Review, Transgender Opinion
About the Author (Author Profile)
Canadian writer Linda Jensen is a long time contributor to TGForum. Before the days of the Internet Linda started her writing with the Transvestian newspaper. Her writing ranges from factual accounts of her adventures to fiction although frankly sometimes her real life adventures are stranger than the fiction. Linda is married to a loving partner who upon learning about Linda said, "she was part of you before I met you. Although I didn't know it she was part of the package I fell in love with. I don't want to mess up that package." "Does it get any better than that?" asks Linda.Subscribe
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