This “Second Puberty” Video Will Show What It’s Really Like To Take Hormones

You may still remember / be scarred by the instructional videos you were shown in middle school sex ed — complete with their corny euphemisms, stilted acting, and eye-roll-worthy celebration of the "magic" of puberty. (That is, if you even received sex ed: Somehow, in the year 2015, only 22 states and the District of Columbia require that public schools teach it). However, you've likely never seen a video about "second puberty," the physical and emotional transition that trans/non-binary individuals experience if they opt to undergo hormone therapy replacement (HRT). That's because there isn't one — and it's why The Wonderful World of Boning, which creates what it calls "sex ed with a sense of humor," is launching a Kickstarter campaign to create a forthright, funny edutainment video to guide viewers through the HRT process. "To the best of our knowledge, no one's ever created a professional video on the subject of what to expect from HRT as a trans/non-binary individual," the project's description reads. "Second Puberty will touch on both the physical and emotional aspects of HRT, offering an honest, celebratory, and humorous look at the experience." The video will target not only people considering HRT but also their relatives, partners, friends, and anyone who seeks a better understanding of a process that is integral to many people's gender transitions — minus the dense medical language characteristic of existing HRT explainers. Another cool element: The brains behind the video-to-be have committed to hiring as many trans/non-binary individuals as possible to work on the project, so donations also go to providing hands-on filmmaking experience to up-and-coming trans folks in the industry. Since The Wonderful World of Boning will distribute Second Puberty free of charge, it's relying on crowdfunding rather than video sales to make the film a reality. Four days remain in the campaign, so watch the teaser above and then head to Kickstarter to help trans people access better puberty education as adults than you ever did as a teen.