Film classification body shares list of films about trans people to help families ‘start conversations’
Jim Parsons and Claire Danes in A Kid Like Jake.
The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has shared a list of five films about trans people to help families “start conversations”.
The BBFC worked with All About Trans, an organisation that works to change the way media understands and portrays trans people, in compiling its list.
The list includes Little Girl, a PG-rated (parental guidance) French documentary about a child with gender dysphoria.
It also includes A Kid Like Jake and Ma Vie En Rose, both rated for children aged 12 and over.
A Kid Like Jake (2018), starring Claire Danes, Jim Parsons, Priyanka Chopra and Octavia Spencer, follows a couple as they establish how best to parent their transgender child.
Ma Vie En Rose (1997) is a Belgian drama that follows a child called Ludovic who was assigned male at birth, but tells their family that she is actually a girl.
Films are excellent springboards for starting conversations.
The BBFC’s list also includes Disclosure and Seahorse – The Dad Who Gave Birth as two films for teenagers aged 15 and over to watch.
Netflix documentary Disclosure debuted on Netflix in 2020 and has won critical acclaim for its sharp examination of the treatment of trans people on-screen.
Seahorse – The Dad Who Gave Birth is a documentary about a trans man’s mission to give birth and start a family.
Trans films are a ‘springboard’ to start conversations
The BBFC and All About Trans compiled its list by forming a focus group of trans and non-binary people, as well as a parent of a trans child.
“Films are excellent springboards for starting conversations,” said Sarah Peacock, compliance and education manager for the BBFC.
“We’ve selected three films rated PG and 12 and two films at 15, so there is something for the whole family to pick from, with a range of different themes to explore together. We were delighted to partner with All About Trans on this resource, to ensure that the voices of trans people were accurately reflected in the project.
“We hope that these films act as a starting point for more research and education.”
Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir from All About Trans said: “We know it can be hard to find time to sit down with your kids to learn about new issues and ideas.
“We hope that this resource will open up a space for really meaningful and worthwhile discussions with children and young people about identity, and what it means to explore who you are.”
