I am a surrealist theatre artist and I want to write a play centered around a trans woman. I am FtM so I only have that perspective and I want to make sure that this character is written as respectfully and true to life as possible. I am interested in anything relevant that you feel comfortable sharing, especially about coming out as a younger person. Below is a brief character and plot description. Nothing is set in stone yet so if I hear from you that something I'm thinking about would make this a bad or problematic portrayal I am happy to change it. Lola A trans woman in her early twenties, living at home with her mother and attending community college part time. She loves old buildings and spends a lot of time wandering around the city where she lives. She has mostly socially transitioned but came out to her mother only recently and their relationship has been strained since. This is a story primarily about self acceptance told through a series of real life events alternating with dream sequences that distort and mimic real life. In the dream sequences, Lola finds herself in a world populated by fairies with a fairy queen who looks suspiciously like her mother. The fairy queen wants her to undertake various tests and trials of increasing difficulty in order to earn her wings. In the end, Lola rebels, proclaiming that she does not need wings to be whole and the dream sequence dissolves. I don't have an idea for the real life plot yet but it will mainly explore her relationships with other people, both positive and negative.
Hi! It's so nice to see someone bringing this issue into the spotlight (pun intended). I'm pretty young, so I should be able to help you out if you need. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask, but here are some things I think you might want to know (note that I haven't really transitioned except in front of a few people, so you may want to wait for someone with more experience): I first came out to my mom when I was 11. She was scared, mostly for my sake, but very supportive. However, if you're writing a play, I wouldn't have it go this way for fear of seeming insensitive. I like the way you're thinking about this. I came out to one of my friends when I was 13. He had always been really sweet to me in general, but he shut this out. I'm still trying to tell more of them, but it's nerve-wracking. I assume this is how it was for you and many other transgender individuals, but my identity was a deep source of depression and anxiety for me. If my mother hadn't been as supportive as she was, I probably would have committed suicide. I'm sure you would have already, but make sure to capitalize on this issue. I love surrealist work, and I can't wait to see how this turns out! -Cert
