Lovely, warm series about trans girl has some bullying.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a little
One character is being abused by her parents; her bruises are shown, and her treatment is a plot point. Hannah's parents are careful about where she's allowed to go and who she's allowed to see, fearing for her safety. She's also bullied by ignorant classmates at the start of the show.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
The value of living authentically and following your own inner voice is underlined strongly, with this drama clearly on the side of people who aren't always understood and appreciated by mainstream society. Finding a supportive community makes hardships easier to bear. Having courage, integrity, and empathy is important and can help build lasting friendships.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Hannah shows powerful courage and perseverance, as well as a determination to be her authentic self. Her family is supportive, with mom Amanda ready with hugs and reassurance, as well as galvanizing reinforcement: She tells Hannah that her family will back her up no matter how she decides to present. Dad Steve is also kind: "I am so proud of you," he tells his daughter. Brother Jack doesn't have as much to say outwardly, but he's quietly loving, telling his sister "Looking good, sis," when she tries on her new school uniform. Hannah's group of friends is also loving and true to their friend. One character who begins as a villain undergoes a change, learning empathy and acceptance.
Diverse Representations
a lot
Centers on Hannah, a White transgender high school first-year student played by trans actor Evie Macdonald. Her journey includes various aspects of transitioning, such as dealing with people's different reactions to her gender identity and advocating for more inclusive school policies. Hannah's at-first hesitant but eventually supportive school principal, Mr. Nguyen, is played by Chinese Australian actor Anthony Brandon Wong. Hannah has a diverse group of friends, including empathetic ally Olivia, played by Chinese Australian actor Elena Liu. Students who are prejudiced are minor characters, but they ask ignorant questions ("If you're supposed to be a boy, how come you're no good at sport?") and menace her with looks and giggles. A transphobic character calls Hannah "Tommy boy" (she was named Thomas at birth).
Parents need to know that First Day is a drama about a teen trans girl who enters a new school and comes to terms with her gender identity and others' reactions to it. Hannah (Evie Macdonald) is taunted, given cruel looks, asked rude questions, and giggled at. But she finds a group of friends who support her, and her courage and integrity eventually convince some who at first oppose her to begin treating her with empathy and affection. One character is being abused; bruises are shown on her arms. Fearing for her safety, Hannah's parents are careful about where she's allowed to go and who she's allowed to see. Teachers, students, and parents can be intolerant, but many learn to be more accepting. Students talk about crushes, kissing, dating, girlfriends, and boyfriends; a teen likes Hannah and flirts with her. Hannah's family is unfailingly supportive, including her mom, dad, and older brother, all of whom treat Hannah with kindness and respect. Hannah's group of best friends and the other students at the school are diverse in terms of ethnicity, race, gender, and sexual identity.
Excellent series on the challenges of being transgender
This is a series that will appeal broadly to anyone with a desire to have an honest, realistic view of the challenges of being trans. Evie M. does an amazing job portraying the lead character --- no wonder... she has been there and lived the mean-teen behavior of middle schoolers and the insecurity of life being a roller coaster. Kudos to the producers of this series!
It's Hannah's (Evie Macdonald) FIRST DAY at a new school, and she has a secret she doesn't want the other students to know: Everyone thought she was a boy at birth, but she's really a girl, and she's finally living as the female she is inside. Terrified that she'll experience the same taunting and exclusion she experienced at her old school, she can't even be honest with her new crowd of best friends Olivia (Elena Liu), Jasmine (Arwen Diamond), and Natalie (Nandini Rajagopal). Not everyone understands Hannah, or supports her. But she's slowly, carefully finding her way nonetheless.
Tender and emotionally gripping, this lovely, heartfelt drama conveys the courage that young Hannah must gather just to be her authentic self. In First Day, viewers see her troubles begin in a meeting with her new principal; he means to be kind but refuses her permission to use the girls' bathroom at school because the "other parents" might be upset if a "boy" uses the girls' bathroom. "I'm not a boy!" she gets out, and that's her truth—but this is far from the first time other people have refuted it. Shown in flashback at her old school, a set of mean classmates taunts Hannah by calling her "Tommy boy" (Thomas was her birth name), and the night before her first day of high school, she sits in her room in floods of tears. What if her new classmates find out she was assigned male at birth? What if they can somehow tell? Her mom has no answers, just love and support for her terrified daughter.
The problems Hannah faces may sound small on the surface: Can she sleep over at her friend's party? Can she go swimming without revealing her secret? What if someone sees the legal papers with her birth name on it? But First Day's power is that it helps viewers understand how momentous these things are to one girl in particular: the hideous pain of being left out, of feeling different, and the gorgeous power of acceptance, love, and support. Fortunately for viewers' peace of mind, Hannah ultimately experiences more of the latter than the former, and the courage and integrity she shows in every situation is powerful and beautiful to watch.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about being transgender and what kinds of issues someone might face when they feel as though they were born into a body that doesn't match their internal identity. Do you understand why this person might want to change their body to match their identity? Or to change their gender presentation so that others will treat them in a way that matches their self-image?
In First Day, Hannah is afraid of coming out to the students at her school, fearing that she'll be teased and excluded. How could you support a friend who's considering coming out? What kind of support would you want if you were going through the same thing?
How does Hannah demonstrate courage and integrity? And how are the characters around her empathetic? Why are these important character strengths?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
