Colored Umbilical Cord

Since childhood, Song Jiale has dreamed of becoming a girl and aligning her body with her identity. Leaving her village at 14, she worked in cities but couldn’t escape her gender dysphoria. For three years, she traveled between Shanghai and home, gathering documents and seeking her family’s acceptance for surgery. Rejected by her father and relatives, she decided to proceed on her own. In the hospital, she found solidarity among other transgender people, sharing care and hope through their transformations. But upon returning home, she faced rejection and hostility, leaving her to confront new uncertainties about her future.