Assigned Female at Birth, a queer web series about some bodies
3 Seasons
Assigned Female at Birth, originally fueled by the remote filming techniques and devised construction necessitated by the pandemic, blends mockumentary grid choruses with narrative storytelling in representing outlier identities in the queer community. The 35 characters, like their real-life counterparts, have been taught from birth that their bodies can never be good enough. Not able enough, not straight enough, not cis enough, not thin enough, not white enough, not gay enough, not femme enough, not butch enough, not young enough…the list goes on. All feel invisible; all struggle to be seen.
And whether the prejudice they fight is ableism or racism, homophobia or transphobia or misogyny, whether they seek healing from #metoo issues or disabilities they’ve had since birth, they reach for life with courage. Bold, frightened, vulnerable, ridiculously strong, they are, above all things, woke.
They are Zander, the agender trans man rejected by zir much older Latinx lover, Melanie, zir asexual sister, Makayla, a lesbian married to a trans man who so wants to use the new penis she hates, and Daire, the non-binary therapist who has kept their own diagnosis of multiple personalities a secret for decade. They and the people they love refuse to be defined by the ableist, homophobic, sexist culture that wages war on their bodies. They point the way to new vocabularies, struggling free of every box into identities they name for themselves. And they do this, almost always, with humor.
CONTENT WARNING: Profanity throughout. Content about suicide and ableism.
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E1) - Beds on Saturday
Episode 1
Zander is depressed. Carl is beyond horny and turns to Sofia for help. Daire wants a real wedding, but Bailey only wants a van. Zander's non-binary friend Jonah shows up and convinces everyone to go to speed dating. Meanwhile, Makayla catches Sofia and Carl looking at dating sites...on Sofia's bed.
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E2) - Can I Date You Both?
Episode 2
Dale tells Melanie he's bipolar. She's not into the conversation or him. Meanwhile, Sofia hears Carl having very loud sex with his first hookup. Zander has an anxiety attack at speed dating. Then Sofia shows up and confronts the woman who just slept with Carl, before running head on into Zander. ...
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E3) - Trouble in Paradise
Episode 3
Zander is in afterglow with sapiosexual Mia and transcendent Trey until Mia finds out neither of them knows who Noam Chomsky is. Melanie finds out that Daire is the queer therapist for everyone in the community; and in a jealous fit outs Daire as multiple. Bailey freaks out when Daire goes to s...
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E4) - Are We in a Fucking Polycule Now?
Episode 4
Sofia has to make a decision while AFAB's chorus on dating. Melanie walks in on the menage a trois. Zander tells everyone zi wants a baby. Phyllis searches for a place to live. Daire tries to cope with Melanie's verbosity in therapy. Serene breaks up with Carl and he freaks out. Makayla catches ...
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E5) - Not a Son
Episode 5
Daire's ex refuses to help Zander. Daire's clients start to quit after learning Daire is multiple. Melanie asks Dale to kiss her. Zander goes to a support group for parents at the UU and finds moms of queer kids. This inspires zi to go see zir mother, who is now living with two pot smoking septua...
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E6) - Whose Session?
Episode 6
Sofia tries to avoid temptation by calling Sam. After an epic fail, she hits on Carl, who has a new job working with the police. Black and mixed race women and non-binary people chorus on Blackness, racism and pride. Makayla walks into Melanie's therapy session with Daire. Melanie outs Daire, aga...
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E7) - Apparently You Can Be Greysexual
Episode 7
Bailey calls everyone trying to help Daire, while Daire is doing their own therapy with their personalities.
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Assigned Female at Birth (S3, E8) - When in Doubt, Bring a Minister
Episode 8
AFAB's chorus on ability. Carl takes care of a sick Sofia who suspiciously can't smell or taste. He confesses how he feels about her. Bailey brings a minister to save Daire, who scurries to hide evidence of their multiplicty. The minister doesn't help. Neither does Bailey. At all. AFAB's chorus o...