As an LGBTQ activist, I was creating videos with queer content, and Edhi served as the host of a web series I directed, while Alice worked on the lighting. Edhi has a bright, open personality and loves to joke around. Alice’s eyes lit up whenever she talked about cinema—I could feel her passion. During breaks on set, the two began sharing intimate details about their lives.
One day, Edhi mentioned that she could feel some fluid leaking from her new vagina. It reminded me of the sensation I experience during my menstrual period. But then I started to wonder: Is my experience of bleeding during menstruation similar to hers? How are our experiences with our woman-identified bodies similar, and how are they different?
That moment made me question the social expectation that trans people are accepted only after altering their bodies. I also began thinking about how bodily transformation can shape a new sense of self.
For Edhi and Alice, their journeys are deeply challenging—not only must they face the complexities of their gender transitions, but also society’s resistance to their identities. I hope that, through this film, audiences can open their hearts and minds to understand trans people and humanize their struggles. I also hope it encourages viewers to reflect more deeply on their own bodies, as I did.