Stories centering on girlhood and boyhood are a familiar staple of the television landscape. You would be hard-pressed to find someone who can’t name a coming-of-age story highlighting a young person’s journey figuring out how the world works and finding their place within it. First Day follows Hannah Bradford, a 12-year-old girl navigating the transition between Primary School and High School, exploring the ups and downs of childhood and growing up. However, Hannah also happens to be transgender. Not only is she experiencing the transition between schools, but she also deals with the unique challenges that come with being a trans kid — and is determined to find a sense of belonging while embracing her authentic self.
The Australian series, written and directed by Julie Kalceff, boasts well-deserved accolades including a 2021 International Emmy Kids Award and a GLAAD award for Outstanding Kids and Family Programming. First Day is a significant stride for representation in children’s television. Though the show is occasionally intense — as far as children’s programming goes — and draws attention to some critical issues, that doesn’t stop it from being thoroughly entertaining.
First Day consists of four episodes, each around twenty minutes long. The story begins on Hannah’s final day of primary school, where she is still known by the name given to her at birth and is still wearing the boy’s uniform. However, the bulk of the story takes place in Hannah’s high school as she attends for the first time presenting as her authentic self. Eager to fit in and just live her life, Hannah hopes to keep her trans identity private and only share this information with the people she trusts most.
First Day provides a rare glimpse into the realm of trans girlhood, a lived experience that the TV world shies away from. In many ways, Hannah's life looks pretty average. Like many girls, Hannah has hobbies including Taekwondo, playing video games with her brother, and hanging out with her friends. However, she also has struggles that differ from her peers, like being prevented from going to sleepovers due to safety concerns and the nerve-wracking experience of coming out to friends.
Considering the show is intended for children, I particularly appreciate how it deals with sensitive topics. It does not neglect showing cisgender children the reality of their transgender peers like deadnaming, bullying, and even losing friends after coming out. However, the show also makes plenty of room to highlight the strength and resilience of transgender children and takes plenty of opportunities to highlight moments of joy and displays of acceptance. Essentially, the script is rooted in reality. First Day distances itself from the media’s affinity with trans trauma porn. Conversely, it’s not neglecting the struggles that trans kids face in today’s world. Though this may not seem like a notable achievement, considering how sensationalized the portrayals of trans women had been ever since their introduction in film and television, I think that this should be celebrated whenever we see it.
