Transgender Christien

Everyone is born different and it’s these differences that make up a colorful and diverse world. But for some, being born different has pushed them into the realm of the Taboo.

 

The end of June will see National Geographic Channels International’s first non-wildlife documentary filmed in South Africa shown on television. The series is Taboo and the subject is the lives of three transgender people living different lives in South Africa. Christien is going to undergo several operations to change her gender from male to female.

 

Christien was born a man, but knew from an early age that something was wrong. Christien later discovered that she was a woman, trapped in a man’s body and has now decided to go for sexual reassignment surgery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christien is going to undergo several operations to change her gender from male to female.

 

 

 

 

Christien’s wife, Annaat shares what her family thinks of all this.

 

 

The end of June will see National Geographic Channels International’s first non-wildlife documentary filmed in South Africa shown on television. The series is Taboo and the subject is the lives of three transgender people living different lives in South Africa.

 

Taboo, says National Geographic, is is renowned for taking viewers “on a journey beyond their comfort zones and across cultural borders to explore addictions and lifestyles that are acceptable in some cultures but forbidden, illegal or reviled in others. Each hour-long episode examines one topic from a variety of cultures and perspectives, often venturing into closed worlds rarely seen”.

 

Taboo: Born Identity explores the lives of three transgender individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. There’s Blessing, who was born as a boy named Samuel, who lives in the township of Ikageng. There’s Christien, a 51-year-old train driver from Cape Town, we meet Christien, who has transitioned from male to female with the help of his adoring wife and two children. Then there’s sangoma Tebogo from Soshanguve, who is 100% male, but was born 100% female. And there’s Tebogo’s colleague, Nthabiseng, who is Intersex, and has a medical condition that resulted in her being born with ambiguous genitalia.

 

The episode will premiere on the 30th of June at 20:55 on the National Geographic Channel, channel 181 on DStv.

 

 

Watch the preview here: