TV3’s ‘Irish Lives: My Transgender Journey’ gives a personal account of three trans people in Ireland, and explores what it is like to live in a country that does not fully accept them.

On Wednesday, April 16, TV3 will air a new documentary following the lives of Kay, Sam and Louise, as they strive for acceptance and battle against their own government to be recognised in their true gender.

At present, Ireland is the only EU member state that does not provide a mechanism for the legal recognition of transgender persons.

“Positive visibility is incredibly important,” said TENI Chief Executive Broden Giambrone. “Recent representations of trans characters, such as the depiction of Nuala on RTE’s The Centre, have been dehumanising, insensitive, and transphobic. This documentary is a positive representation of the lives of  trans people in Ireland, and representations matter.”

Featured in the documentary are UCD student Sam, who made the transition from female to male with the full support of his family but he still has further barriers to cross; Louise also shares her story as the first transgender worker in Ireland to successfully use the Employment Equality Act in a case of discrimination on the grounds of gender; and Kay gives an open and honest account of her pending surgery, as well as her struggle to change her name and gender on her American passport.

Irish Lives: My Transgender Journey airs next Wednesday, April 16 at 9pm on TV3. The promo for the documentary can be seen here.