Trans - Three generations, one journey

Born into the body of a boy, 32-year-old Sophie realized at a very young age that something wasn’t right. Her struggles with her own identity were further heightened during puberty. But it wasn’t until she left home that she felt able to make the decision to live as a woman -Sophie -- in future. In her mid-20s, the young trans woman who worked as a cashier at a discount store began a course of hormone therapy. From that point on her appearance steadily changed: her facial features and physique became more and more feminine. But Sophie was still unhappy. For her, being a woman also meant having gender reassignment. At the age of 30, she underwent the long-yearned-for operation at the University Hospital in Essen. Gender reassignment surgery has been on the rise for years. In 2021, 2,598 people in Germany underwent this type of medical procedure. Sophie hopes that after her operation, she’ll be able to leave her own trans identity behind. "For me, the word 'transgender' will no longer exist,” she says. Luca (16) knew in primary school that he was a boy - born into the body of a girl. Luca’s family accepted his new identity and he also received professional psychological support. Luca took hormone blockers to prevent the onset of female puberty. To make his voice deeper and his body more masculine, he has to apply a testosterone gel every day for the rest of his life. Whenever Luca tells people he’s trans, he realizes: "Being trans isn't really accepted in society. You're still quite often put down for it."