Being Transgender in the Indigenous Community-Between Us Ep. 7

Reporter/Provider - TaiwanPlus
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Resa Chen is a transgender woman who gained recognition in the Amis community through steady contributions to her Indigenous village. As the village accountant, her service helped shift how others saw her, including the moment an elder encouraged her to wear women’s traditional clothing—an affirmation she had never expected. The process of transition rewarded consistent visibility, but not before confronting early years of misunderstanding. Resa knew from an early age that she’s a girl but lived in fear that expressing femininity would incite violence from her father. After junior high, she left home for Taipei to live as her authentic self. Years later, Resa’s mother eventually became a quiet source of support, from preparing food after her gender-affirming surgery to praying for her safety. In coming home, Resa continues to learn what it means to choose herself, care for her life, and grow from each stage of her journey. “Between” Us follows twelve LGBTQ+ individuals living in Taiwan as they navigate love, family, self-understanding, and the quiet turns of everyday life. Rather than defining anyone by labels, the series focuses on the experiences that shape them—the moments of doubt, the slow work of healing, the courage to speak honestly, and the relationships that make openness possible. Through intimate conversations and ordinary details, Between Us reveals how LGBTQ+ lives are built not only through struggle, but through connection, clarity, and the small decisions that lead a person toward who they wish to become. It is a portrait of resilience grounded in the simplicity of being seen.

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Between Us

Between Us follows twelve LGBTQ+ individuals living in Taiwan as they navigate love, family, self-understanding, and the quiet turns of everyday life.