Being Transgender in China: The Two Lives of Li Ermao (Human Interest Documentary) | Real Stories

Li Ermao was born a boy, but has lived for many years now as a “ladyboy.” She performs in clubs, but yearns for true love and acceptance. The film follows her life for 17 years, in which she displays resilience and vulnerability in equal measure, and repeatedly encounters prejudice and even aggression.
She and her boyfriend move to the countryside. There, they try to build a new life in harsh conditions on a plot of land inherited from her family, but she is once again met with rejection. She returns to the city, where it looks like she might very well collapse under the pressure of life as a transgender person in China.
As the years progress, filmmaker Jia Yuchuan increasingly drifts from his position as neutral observer. He gradually becomes part of the story, like an older brother to his protagonist. In voice-over he shares his concerns, and when Ermao hits troubled waters, he’s there to help. This subjective style only adds to the story’s impact.
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[@Localcoolguyy]

Regardless of your personal beliefs, Ermao was still a human being who desperately wanted to be loved and accepted by society. My heart hurts for her, and I do hope she was able to find peace before she passed.

[@astabasta63]

With the multiple times that Ermao self-sabotaged her life with her gambling, alcohol, and drug additions, in my opinion, this documentary was about undiagnosed and untreated mental illness in China rather than about being transgender in China. Given the back story about Ermao's father, I have no doubt that she was traumatized as a child (hence she ran away from home at 12 years-old) which may be why she using several addictions to self-medicate. My heart breaks for the fact that Ermao was not guided to seek mental health treatment.

[@AK-bx3ft]

She was forced to de-transition because of society. I hope she has found peace wherever she is now.

[@Thingwithlegs]

The amount of pain Ermao went through is over human possibilities. What a beautiful but restricted soul. I would have loved to be her friend.

[@piyanping4065]

Crazy how the relatives laughs when they talk about his dad’s human trafficking practices

[@Mattimeoo]

Damn . . . That's the best documentary I've watched in quite a long time . . . Heartbreaking.

[@BlaBla-pv2gx]

Why doesn't anyone talking about the man who ate his son like wtf 😱

[@courtneykubayko9904]

Watching this my heart broke for Ermao. I can't imagine how hard life was. You never know what is going on in peoples' lives. Be kind to every stranger and try to be the bright spot in their day. We don't know the struggles everyone deals with daily.

[@yvettejones4249]

Rest in peace Li Ermao. You deserved better in life and from your village.

[@yvettejones4249]

What the village did was that they seized on the opportunity to take your land, chicken and goods for themselves and gave you nothing for money. I think they made up that rule that your friend would not be happy there so you can leave them with all the hard work you've done, but I would have taken my chickens with me.

[@stevieod9040]

This was so so sad. 😞 what a tortured soul ☹️

[@XWoodbineX]

I just found this article about how Li Ermao died.

[@ArtVandelayOfficial]

Wow I didn't mean to watch it all but couldn't turn away....

[@AlexEmoFart]

I think this might be the most emotional and best documentaries i've ever seen in my life. My heart breaks for Ermao and i truly cried when the last message on screen appeared. She wanted so bad to feel free and accepted in society, but had so many problems and never any real professional help. Thank you so much for sharing her story and i hope things get better for trans-people in china with time. <3

[@KimBlaQue]

Why was the aunt laughing about human trafficking? Disgusting.

[@SeaGlassAndKiss]

Watching a person in a death spiral is painful. 💔 This is an example of how trauma can lead to more trauma if not treated. What a tortured soul 🌹Absolutely heartbreaking. 💔

[@lynettebeckett9906]

What a beautiful, powerful, yet fragile & tortured soul Li Ermao was! It saddens me that Ermao wasn't able to find acceptance in this life, from family, society or from self. Ermao only wanted what we all want...to be able to fully express our true selves, to be loved, to make a decent living & to live in peace. It was deeply upsetting & maddening to see her/him try so hard & get so close only to have it ripped away or thrown away time & time again. May you find the peace in death that eluded you in life, Li Ermao. Excellent documentary...perhaps the best I've ever seen. Thank you, Jia Yuchuan!

[@berlynify]

.. very, very compelling..the yearning for acceptance ..for love ..grateful Ermao had Jia, as an older brother - "May his vibrant soul rest peacefully".. indeed a vibrant soul. Thank you to all involved ..❤🙏🏽🕊

[@Soulrrr]

Thank you for sharing Ermao's story. Absolutely heartbreaking to watch her in so much pain, desperately wanting love and acceptance, yet be treated with prejudice by family and society, and self-sabotage with her untreated mental health issues. It was heartening to see Jia care deeply for her and getting more involved as her life developed, and finding her after she passed to give closure, that she didn't pass alone and nameless with no one looking for her.

[@user-jo7kf2bj9s]

Everything Ermao went through. The highest highs, and the lowest lows, never being accepted as her true self. I bawled at the way her " relatives," and the town laughed at her.......none of them wanted to help, none of them tried, just criticized and expected her help. I'm so glad she had Jia as her older brother, and he was always honest and loved her as she was, who she was! What a pure soul Ermao was, gone too soon from this world. I hope she found peace.