Typically, I recommend a movie, not a series. I’m going to break with that tradition today to talk about a great, 6-episode series called Her Story. Her Story features the challenges of the dating lives of trans and gay women. It’s moving, and I think you should watch it. It’s available on YouTube and won’t cost you anything but your time and an open mind. Here are five reasons to watch it this weekend.

Damn good series.

One problem I hear people bemoan is the fact that a movie can be long. This series is broken into six parts, none of which are over 10 minutes. This means that you can slam down the entire series in under an hour. So if you’re avoiding something because of time devotion, that’s not an issue here. Plus, it’s engaging. You want to keep watching. It will feel like no time has elapsed. That’s a sign of a good series in and of itself.

This series asks some tough questions, which many are afraid to bring up. What’s the appropriate way to ask if someone is gay or straight, especially when trans? How does one approach a trans person while being respectful and polite with any form of question about his or her experience? A lot of folks out there aren’t sure how to be respectful with something that either a.) they haven’t encountered or b.) are curious about. Want a peek into this world so that you can educate yourself? Watch this.

Love her story.

#3 – How tough the dating scene is
Trans men and women don’t have it easy when it comes to dating. Lesbians and gays have it hard enough: the gay dating pool is limited as it is, so can you picture throwing trans on top of it? I’ve had lesbians that don’t want a goddamned thing to do with me because I’ve had sex with men; I can’t imagine how hard it is to be a trans woman trying to date a woman and encounter that attitude. That issue aside, this series also takes a hard look at how tough it is to out yourself as trans while dating. It’s a ballsy, honest approach to a subject that is reality for trans individuals.

Typically, when we think of trans, we think of a concept, or a news soundbite. However, this series makes sure to treat its subjects as human beings, which is essential in building any believable story. You will like these characters because they feel like people you know. Paige, a lawyer, really stood out for me. When I root for someone by name, they stop being a cause and start being a person for which I’d fight. It’s a testament to the writing: take an issue and make it human.

She’s awesome too.

The exhaustion of a legal battle is brought up here, and really, I don’t think as many people get it as they could. Fighting for what’s right can be tiring, especially when you just want to move on. I don’t like to preach, but I’m going to because this is special to me: trans people are brave. There are different kinds of bravery: for some, it’s going out on a battlefield in a foreign country; for others, it’s putting on a badge and walking beat at 2 AM; for others still, it’s getting in the car and going to chemotherapy treatments; some are brave in that they manage to pull three shifts in 24 hours to feed their children. I don’t say that one version of bravery is better than another because each challenge is different and requires a different set of bravery. So let me be loud and clear: do not piss on the bravery of a trans person. Someone telling you that you’re sick and wrong, or just a dude in a dress, is a horror, and these people – and yes, they’re fucking people, so fucking treat them like it – are subject to more violence than any other demographic. Don’t believe me? Then I invite you to do some reading on the violence that trans individuals face: