Inside Out Productions

Inside Out, a 90-minute documentary, takes us deep inside the world of transgender and gender non-conforming children. Ranging in age from pre-school through high school, these children feel they were born with bodies that do not match their innate gender identity. Each yearns to live an authentic life – to live Inside Out.

Our film follows the lives of five such children and their families over the course of one year. The families are diverse, living in conservative farm towns, progressive cities, and neighborhoods like yours. The hurdles they face are just as varied. We meet children who have transitioned to their new identity openly and others who are “living stealth” - choosing to keep their birth gender private. We also meet gender fluid children who refuse to be confined by any gender box.

Inside Out intercuts between each child as they navigate a terrain of challenges: from classrooms to summer camp, baseball to bar mitzvah, prom gowns to hormone therapy. We come to understand these children’s hopes, fears and dreams as we follow them through the seasons. We witness the heartbreak and triumph of parents trying valiantly to do the right thing for their child – often in the face of societal pressure to do otherwise.

In a culture that is deeply invested in gender norms, the discovery that “boys will not always be boys” has frequently led to fearful responses and an attitude of intolerance. Indeed, many view transgender rights as the next civil rights front. The stakes are high: over 40% of transgender youth attempt suicide at least once before their 20th birthday. This forces many parents to ask themselves, “Would we rather have a live daughter or a dead son?”

Inside Out is the first feature film to explore in depth this timely issue. It will provide a catalyst for a broader discussion of gender and its evolving role in our society. Inside Out aims to promote empathy, to increase awareness, and to broaden the general publics’ understanding of all transgender people.

What might the future hold for these children who are brave enough to live Inside Out?

Learn more about the film at www.insideout-thedocumentary.com