Sammy brings up a website that presents a list of reasons that being a woman is easier than being a man, and quickly, documentarian Ben Zand is intrigued.
The ‘transmaxxing manifesto’ includes that women’s spaces are cleaner, women can attract high-value men who pay for parts of their lifestyle and they can get cheaper car insurance.
‘You should take every advantage given to you,’ stated Sammy, who is transitioning into becoming a woman not because they feel like they are in the wrong body, but instead, as they think that it will lead to a better life.
It’s a complicated subject that has the potential to cause upset so tackling it in Channel 4 documentary, Transmaxxer Life Uncovered, was a decision carefully considered by Ben. With such a highly sensitive ‘underbelly’ issue, Ben wanted to be careful ‘not to offend’, but felt that it was an important story to tell after he came across a lot of forums discussing it.
Before meeting Sammy, Ben had concerns they might have ‘malicious intent’ due to the ‘unrealistic’ idea that women have an easier time, but was surprised by the person he met.
The pair spent time together while Sammy prepared for a date with their boyfriend, which included getting their makeup professionally done, buying their first dress, and preparing dinner. Ben and Sammy also met with Julie – a trans awareness consultant, who has spent years supporting the community. She was supportive of Sammy’s decision.
‘My views of Sammy changed. They are a nice person, who’s on a journey to figure out who they are in this world and latched on to this manifesto,’ Ben told Metro.co.uk.
‘As I often find when making documentaries, there is no good or bad, it’s more complicated.’
Ben is aware that transmaxxing has the potential to be damaging to the trans community, and that those who are gender-critical could use it against trans people. ‘It’s a legitimate criticism, but I hope we made it clear that they are very different issues. I made sure to challenge Sammy on the potential consequences of their actions.’
‘It is niche, but it is a growing phenomenon so there’s a validity to having that conversation.’ There are currently hundreds of Reddit posts discussing the pros and cons of the choice, and whether it is right or wrong. ‘The intention is not to contribute to the culture wars or transgender debate, it’s to be a voice in the middle.’
The episode was part of the ‘Life Uncovered’ series, which is a C4 YouTube exclusive as part of their plan to become a digital-first brand. Ben who has a passion for the ‘non-mainstream’ also spent time with a biohacker, a Facebook sperm donor, and a celebrity psychic.
He enters their worlds for 48 hours and gives viewers unprecedented access to a subject they may not know too much about. Despite not always agreeing with them, he tries to make it clear that he’ll listen, try to understand, and be fair.
While some subjects have thanked him for their chance to speak, things didn’t end so well with psychic Chris Riley. A disastrous reading, where Chris guessed multiple facts incorrectly including that Ben’s dad was one of three siblings, instead of one of 16, spelled the end of their time together. Chris requested that the filming finished, and then publicly criticised the show with a statement on Instagram, claiming he was misrepresented.
‘We spend a lot of time together, and although I’m not there to be their friend, and I explain that, I don’t want to offend people. I want to be respectful while asking them difficult questions. It was uncomfortable,’ Ben recalled.
He knows that occasionally that will ‘p**s people off’ but that’s part of the job. Just ask Louis Theroux! Although Ben admits he would be lying if he said it didn’t bother him occasionally as ‘we’re all human’.
Viewers can be critical too and his Instagram bio humorously reads: ‘I make documentaries and then people send me offensive messages on the internet’.
While not everybody is full of praise, they can’t say he hasn’t put the legwork in. Ben has spent over a decade putting out documentaries, which have racked up millions of views.
Having honed his craft, we wonder if the recent trend of reality stars such as Olivia Attwood and Sam Thompson being given shows in the genre can be frustrating.
Ben proudly tells us that he’s happy to not be opinionated and is fair in his response. He acknowledges that documentaries are all about experiences, and so reality stars can tackle subjects that they naturally have a connection with. However, he doesn’t want the role of the journalist to be overlooked.
‘Journalism as a whole is often undervalued and underfunded. We can ask the right questions, and properly dig into a story. Holding people to account isn’t necessarily going to be done with reality TV stars.
‘It’ll be done by people who are spending hours and hours, or even years in some cases, investigating a story, often in their own time. There’s totally a place for everyone, but there should be a clear distinction, so in summary, there’s good and bad.’
Ben’s ability to be a little bit on the fence about everything is what makes him so inquisitive and therefore good at his job. ‘I spend my days confused about the world,’ he admitted.
Opposites certainly attract, with Ben finding the most enjoyment from meeting people different to himself.
‘I find it fascinating to meet people who are just deadset on something. I love that my job means that I can ask these people personal questions and they answer them,’ he told us with a smile.
There is one thing that Ben is sure of though. ‘Life is nuanced. That’s the biggest lesson from my career so far.’
Transmaxxer Life Uncovered is available to watch on the Channel 4 Documentaries YouTube channel.
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