Trinidad

The West has long been a symbol of new beginnings and endless possibilities: the frontier. In Trinidad, Colorado this symbolic resonance took on new meaning when Dr. Stanley Biber performed one of the first successful Genital Reassignment Surgeries (GRS) in 1969. Today the former coal-mining town of 9,000 residents is renowned as the “Sex-Change Capital of the World.” While many locals are still opposed to the moniker, they also recognize the financial impact of these operations. Jay Hodges and PJ Raval's documentary TRINIDAD shares the amazing story of this frontier town and the residents who inhabit it. Dr. Marci Bowers, formerly known as Mark, has relocated in Trinidad to replace Dr. Biber, who at 80-years-old will retire having performed over 5,800 GRSs. Completing the final stage of her transition from male to female, Sabrina Marcus has moved to Trinidad to help others do the same at Morning Glow, a GRS recovery center. Assisting Sabrina at Morning Glow, Dr. Laura Ellis will begin her operations with Dr. Bowers in the upcoming months. As these three women embark on new beginnings, they challenge (and face the challenges of) altered identities, families, and communities. – E.J.B