Purposely set in conservative-leaning Kansas City, MO, we see some of the negative experiences parents of trans kids endure on a regular basis. According to Avery's mom, "This is not a pleasant time to be visibly trans," due to some of the anti-trans policies President Trump has signed off on. Not only did Trump attempt to ban trans individuals from serving in the military, but many of the families in the documentary are seen actively protesting against The Bathroom Bill.
"This is not a pleasant time to be visibly trans."
An archaic piece of legislation, The Bathroom Bill seeks to restrict "access to multiuser restrooms, locker rooms, and other sex-segregated facilities on the basis of a definition of sex or gender consistent with sex assigned at birth or 'biological sex," which means transgender individuals could only use public restrooms that match their biological sex.
Moreover, Avery — who is 7 at the beginning of filming — and her parents receive hate mail from strangers and questions from extended family for allowing her to pose for the National Geographic's January 2017 issue, which centreed on gender. Despite the pushback from others, Avery and her family remain committed to openly advocating for trans rights.
The fight for acceptance that's acutely depicted in Transhood is worth discussing with older kids. To be a solid ally to the LGBTQ+ community, cis people need to educate themselves on the ongoing challenges and discrimination that trans individuals often face in the US. Additionally, it's worth talking to kids about the direct impact of policies that discriminate against the trans community once they're old enough to understand.