TransGenerations, an eight-part web series, tells the stories of transgender Kiwis from their late 70s to early 20s, documenting the history of trans experience in New Zealand and dispelling stereotypes about who trans people are. In episode four, host Brady Peeti meets Rhion, a 34-year-old trans man who is creating safe spaces for trans people.
Rhion —Rhi for short — was born to a loving family in England. There was no definite experience when the lights turned on for his trans identity. It was a series of micro-moments over 25 years. One of those first moments was in ballet when, as a tall child, he often played the male role, relishing in the masculinity of a character.
Rhi is a child of the 90s and early 2000s. It was an era when trans people still had very little visibility to the general public. As Rhi wrestled with the unwelcomed and feminising hormones and body changes of puberty, it only brought deep sadness and confusion.
Rhi left behind his beloved life of dance. His mental health became a struggle even with mood-stabilising medications.
It wasn’t until his mid-20s that Rhi found the drive to reclaim his health and to claim his trans identity for the first time. He did this despite a psychologist warning him that trans people often lead lives of loneliness.
