Original subtitles

[melodica softly plays]

-[Dad] Hello, Georgie. -Hi.

[Dad] How did you feel when you were younger,

when people would say, "What a beautiful boy," or… you know?

I got a bit frustrated, um, because…

I… I wanted them to understand that I'm a girl.

I'm a girl.

Not… maybe not in the outside, but in the inside, I feel like a girl.

[melodica playing continues]

Do you wanna wear different trackie dacks?

That's my fault.

They're longer on me than they are on you. [laughs]

[Georgie] Yeah.

Yeah, wear your nice blue ones.

-I'll bring these ones instead. Yeah. -Yeah.

-[birds chirping] -[suitcase wheels rolling]

[voices of children playing]

[screams joyfully]

It's very surreal for me to think that for most of today, I'll be asleep.

[Mum] Yeah.

[Georgie] And I keep thinking of the moments that have led me here.

[Mum] Yeah.

[soft piano melody plays]

[Mum] Pop that next to your bed.

Um…

I'll pop that in there, just in case you need it.

Thanks.

[sighs heavily]

-[laughs] -Whoa!

Today is your first day of school.

Can we see you in your uniform, please?

Uh, yeah. Uh, Valks…

[Georgie] Yeah, and mine too.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

The most recent swimming carnival at Valkstone

was very…

very frustrating.

Um…

I went into the boy's cubicles,

or toilets, to get, um, changed into…

changed, um,

when all the boys started laughing at me.

And then I hid in the cubicle.

And then…

my mum thought that maybe I'll get dressed with her

but not in any of the toilets.

We'll get dressed behind the toilets,

where no one could find us.

Yeah.

[soft piano music plays]

[Georgie chuckles]

So I would like to introduce to you the college captains of 2018,

D'Art and Georgie.

[crowd cheers and applauds]

[crowd whistles]

[monitor beeping]

[Harry moans]

[Harry talks indistinctly]

[Dad] How do you feel about having a sister and not a brother?

Well, it is quite fun because if we were younger,

we can be playing superheroes or something.

-[Georgie cheers] -A girl superhero and a boy superhero.

Now we usually play spies,

and there's a woman agent and a man agent.

So it's more fun having a girl around instead of just two boys.

[Dad] How do you find them at school?

Does everyone at school think of her as a girl?

Yeah.

I crossed my heart that I wouldn't tell anyone.

[Beck] And now one, just the twins.

[shutter clicking]

-How are you feeling, love? -I'm good.

[Greg grunting]

[all laughing]

[Beck] Be careful.

Who's taking the coffee machine when Dad moves out?

I get all the tea stuff, and he gets all the coffee stuff.

[metal clanks]

-The microwave? -[Beck] Staying here.

The Wi-Fi?

[Beck] I don't know 'cause we might go with another company.

[Georgie] Mmm.

The phone?

Stays here.

And it might… have a little bit of a different vibe here,

but we're good at creating homes, Georgie.

[monitor beeping]

[Greg] Love you so much, darling.

We'll all be here waiting for you when you come out.

Yep.

[Beck] Time to go, my love.

Can I come a little way with her?

-Love you. -[nurse] Yes.

-See ya. Have fun. -[Georgie] Love you.

[nurse] Come inside. It gets cold in there.

[Georgie chuckles]

[monitor beeping]

[nurse] I'm just gonna connect a few of these.

It just monitors your heart throughout the procedure.

And we're coming in today for gender affirmation surgery?

Everyone in agreeance?

-[all] Yeah. -[nurse] Thank you.

I'm just gonna give you a little oxygen before you're going off to sleep.

Okay.

[nurse] So just take some nice, big deep breaths for me there.

[breathing deeply]

[children's voices echoing]

[keeps breathing deeply]

[birds chirping]

[presenter] And the winner of the Young People's Human Rights Medal

for 2017 is Georgie Stone.

[crowd cheering]

It is an honor to be receiving this award today.

A few months ago,

I was talking to a group of trans kids between the ages of 8 and 12,

and I was shocked to learn that every single one of them was,

at that time, being bullied at school.

So even though we have achieved a lot, we still need to make sure

that we are protecting and looking after trans kids in Australia.

[crowd applauding, cheering]

[breathing heavily]

[Greg] How do you feel about the medical treatment

that you want to have?

I feel good about that.

[Greg] Why?

Well, because then… then I won't grow into a boy. I'll…

I'll be myself.

[monitor beeping]

Um…

[interviewer] Michelle. Okay, great.

So, Michelle, can you say your name for me

and your, um, position?

My name is Associate Professor Michelle Telfer,

and I'm the head of Department of Adolescent Medicine

and director of the Gender Service at the Royal Children's Hospital.

For every young person who comes to see us,

there's a very thorough assessment that takes place

before a big decision like hormone treatment

is… is decided upon.

But even with this thorough process,

for many, many years in Australia, young people had to go to court

to access the treatment they needed.

When Georgie was 13,

she and her family decided to challenge that.

To have a complete stranger having to make a decision about my body

was really distressing, and I felt really powerless.

So we appealed to change both Stage 1 and Stage 2 treatments

so, um, trans kids and their families wouldn't have to go to court.

And we won, but it was only a partial victory.

So they, uh… they changed the law surrounding Stage 1,

so then, um, families didn't have to go to court for Stage 1 treatment,

but the law still stood for Stage 2.

So what it meant for me was that I did have to go back to court,

and that was really scary.

[monitor beeping]

I can't get, um, female hormones without the permission of court.

They give the order, and it's not in the power of the doctors,

the parents, or me.

I don't have, legally, the right to make that decision.

I need to…

um, they needed to determine whether I was Gillick competent,

which means I know what the effects will be.

I need the estrogen tablets. I need to go through female puberty.

I get boobs. [laughs] I get, um, curves, you know,

things that girls have, and I need it.

I need it to be myself,

and if I don't get it, I'm not gonna be happy.

I'm not gonna be myself.

[soft rhythmic music plays]

I've got a pimple…

which is… I'm actually happy about,

sort of.

It means that the tablets are working, and I'm…

Uh, well, it's working. [laughs] Yay.

[soft rhythmic music continues]

Firstly, kinda like to say thank you so much for having us. Um…

So thankful that I'm able to speak today, and hopefully we can do some good.

Okay, so, my name is Georgie Stone. I'm 15 years old.

Last year, we had to apply to the Family Court of Australia

to obtain Stage 2 treatment, which is cross-sex hormones.

For the last five years,

court has played a big part in my family's life.

At times, it overshadowed everything else.

I want to make sure this doesn't play the same part in anyone else's life.

The court process is slow, biology is fast.

The lives of trans kids are challenging at every turn.

As parents, we walk ahead of our child, almost like a landmine detector,

sweeping the terrain before us, paving a safe pathway for them.

Most parents exhaust themselves creating a safe place at school,

educating family and friends,

often being accused of causing it in the first place or of child abuse.

Dealing with their own feelings of being overwhelmed and isolated,

finding appropriate medical support, family breakdown, kids harming themselves.

The pressure is enormous and relentless.

To add court to this already intensely challenging situation

is unnecessary and cruel.

Legislation through Parliament is our last hope,

so please help us.

[applause echoing]

[monitor beeping]

[breathing deeply]

[monitor beeps echoing]

[Greg] How did you feel when you went to see Dr. Paul?

Yeah.

After Dr. Paul, I felt much happier, much more safe.

[Greg] You didn't feel safe before that?

Well…

Well, no,

'cause not… not that many people understood about me.

[monitor beeping]

[Dr. Telfer] Are you happy to talk about the estrogen today and how that's going?

Last time I saw you, we increased the dose.

Yeah, two milligrams.

-[Dr. Telfer] Yeah, how's that going? -It's been good.

I mean, I do notice

I get a bit more annoyed at my parents than before.

-Can you tell? -[Beck] No.

And even if you were, I don't think I'd take a blind bit of notice.

-Oh, good. -[Beck] So--

Okay, so next time, you might get a little bit of sassiness.

Will… will you mind? Okay, that's fine.

[Beck] All I notice is that you are feeling good about yourself,

and that because you're feeling good about yourself,

your focus is very positive on other things

and that you're determined to make the best life for yourself.

[ethereal music plays]

A lot of our work has revolved around law reform for trans kids,

'cause they have to apply to the Family Court of Australia

-Right. -[Georgie] …to access treatment.

Yeah. Great.

You've got a way to go with trans awareness, do you think?

[Georgie] This isn't really a new issue, but in the public eye, it is.

So there is a long way to go making sure we battle the social stigma,

um, which is ingrained in our society.

[crowd cheering]

[upbeat music plays]

[crowd cheering]

Hey, so, update.

I'm gonna talk a little bit about boys.

Ugh.

Okay, so I've had a crush on this guy for about ten months,

big crush, um,

and turns out he had a crush on my best friend.

Ugh.

[groaning]

[Dr. Telfer] Uh, it's nearly three years, isn't it?

Having estrogen before you're even looking at having

any of those sort of major surgical procedures.

I can… I can do it.

My teachers all support me, and why shouldn't I do it?

I've waited so long.

[Dr. Telfer] Yeah.

-And at 18, you're an adult. -[Georgie] Yeah.

You can make those decisions, and clearly you've got the ability

to… to make a really good, informed decision,

and it's totally up to you.

[Georgie] So, yeah.

[breathing heavily]

[monitor beeping]

[Georgie] Going into the clinic today,

I started thinking, "Okay, this is gonna happen."

-This is happening. -[Beck] Yeah, I know. I know.

Yeah.

Really, the meaning of it is all… you.

[Georgie] Yeah.

[Beck] It's nobody else.

Yeah.

I have my feelings about it because I want you to be…

who you want to be, and I want you to be safe.

[Georgie] Mmm.

[Beck] But…

it's… it's just you.

It's just for you.

[Georgie] Mmm.

I don't want it to change things though.

[pensive music plays]

[tearfully] I don't want to be trans.

But it is who I am, so I can't really…

I try not to think about, "Oh, I wish I wasn't trans."

I am trans, and I have to live with it.

And I will have to live with it all my life.

I don't want this operation to change anything

'cause I'm really happy.

[sniffles]

And, yeah, I don't have the body that I want,

but I'm still female.

And I just don't want this operation to change who I am.

[sniffles]

Obviously, I want it to change my body, but I don't want it…

[swallows]

I don't want it to change people's perceptions of me.

I don't want it to change how I live my life and…

[sniffles] I still want to be Georgie.

[monitor beeping]

[melodica softly plays]

[children's voices echoing]

[melodica playing continues]

[Greg] Sweetie.

Hey.

[monitor beeping]

[Beck] You've had a lovely sleep.

-[weakly] I'm tired. -[Beck] Mmm.

[Greg] You just keep sleeping as long as you like.

[Beck] Okay. And is Justice Thackray

going to deliver that from court

or in chambers or…

[indistinct speaking over phone]

The judgment is gonna be handed down tomorrow at midday.

-Wow. -[Beck] Mmm…

It could all be over tomorrow.

That's crazy. It's like all that work,

everything is leading up to tomorrow.

[Beck] That would mean a whole bunch of our friends

wouldn't have to go through it.

The kids wouldn't have to go through it.

[Georgie] My family and I were able to reform Stage 1,

so we didn't have to go to court,

but you still have to for Stage 2.

Stage 2 treatment is cross-sex hormones.

That's beginning the puberty that you want to undertake.

And this treatment for trans kids is vital for our mental health,

for our physical health.

We really need this treatment.

My mum and I and lots of people

have been rallying support for this cause to get this process out of the courts.

And hopefully, all that work has paid off.

-We'll see. -[reporter] We'll see.

[hopeful music plays]

[monitor beeping]

[Dr. Telfer] We won!

[crowd applauding and cheering]

[laughing]

[Beck] Oh my God.

-[Dr. Telfer] Congratulations. -[crying softly]

Congratulations.

[sobs]

[friend] The world's changing, hey?

Oh, darling girl.

[whispers] We won.

Can't believe it. [sobs]

-[cork pops] -Oh jeez!

[crowd cheering]

And to all of you for looking after our kids,

thank you, thank you.

[crowd applauding]

For the next ten, twenty, thirty years,

we will see young people benefit from this,

and… I suspect that

those young people won't understand what you've been through

and won't understand the significance of that freedom

that they have to just access the treatment they need,

but we will always remember

that, Georgie, it was you

that fought this first.

[tearfully] Thank you.

-[woman 1] Cheers. -[woman 2] Cheers.

[Georgie] Over this past week,

I… I was scared.

-[Beck] Mmm. -How I couldn't move my legs.

[Beck] Mmm.

Um, couldn't get out of the bed, feeling trapped in there,

feeling sick a lot of the time.

It was just there were so many things happening to my body.

All because of this operation that I wanted.

Um, I started a little bit to resent… resent it,

or scared of resenting it,

which is probably the truth.

I was scared of resenting this thing that I wanted,

but… what made me so happy this morning,

when… when my dressing came off

and I saw my vagina for the first time,

is that when I saw it, I didn't hate it.

Um, I loved it. And I said, "That's my vagina."

And I really loved it.

[sniffles]

Uh, swollen, stitches, all of it.

You know.

It didn't matter.

-[Beck] Mmm. -I still loved it.

[door shuts]

I might try acting, so I'm doing drama classes.

I would love to play a trans person in a film about

all trans topics and make it realistic.

[writer] Welcome.

[Georgie] Thank you very much.

We're really, really excited to tell the story,

and, uh, this is, um, the Neighbours story team.

So we just wanted to kind of get your guidance

to what is appropriate and what isn't appropriate.

Yeah.

So, "transgender," is that an okay term?

-[Georgie] Transgender is the term. -Is the correct…

[Georgie] Or trans.

In terms of pronouns, she, her.

-[writer] Yeah. -Very simple.

Obviously, when you meet new people, and they just know you as Georgie…

[Georgie] Yeah.

…when they eventually or if they eventually learn

-that you're transgender… -Yeah.

…do they change at all in how they interact with you?

Well, I… I do… I do think there are some assumptions

when meeting new people completely about what my experience has been.

A big one that a lot of people have is,

"Oh, so you were born a boy, but you want to be a girl."

And how I see my experience is

that I have always been female,

even… even when I was, you know, two and a half, and I had short hair,

and people said "he," used male pronouns.

Um, I still see myself then as female, but I was assigned male at birth.

Based on that experience that you're describing,

the character would have always known.

Yeah. I've… I've always known who I am.

I've always been a girl.

[wistful music plays]

Why would he do that? I just wonder if there's another beat in here.

[crew member] Do you like that?

Stand by.

[laughs]

[talks indistinctly]

Ugh.

[crowd cheering]

-Thank you. -[crew member] Mark cue.

[clapboard clacks]

[sniffles]

[crew member] And set.

Cameras are set.

And… action!

[Georgie exhales]

[wistful melody plays]

[Georgie] Forever.

[kisses] For big ever.