There was a great uproar when carpenter Björn from "Finally at Home" came out as transperson Lee in 2023. Last spring, there was a new media uproar when Lee Christiernsson posted a contact ad on Instagram and wrote that they felt ready to start dating again – for the first time in 18 years.
On January 7, SVT viewers will be able to follow along when "Lee Seeks Love".
It's a small time jump from my previous documentary "Becoming Lee", where my transition from man to non-binary transperson was portrayed, says Lee Christiernsson.
New Place in Life
It's also a leap in emotional tone. While the previous documentary was quite dark, "Lee Seeks Love" is significantly brighter.
I'm in a much better place now.
"Lee Seeks Love" not only shows what it's like to meet someone in the middle of life, but also provides insight into what it's like to live as a transperson.
You're making TV about the most private and vulnerable things. Are you brave?
One never feels brave oneself? But people around me have thought so my whole life, so I've probably landed on being it.
But dating again, and as a non-binary transperson, was of course nerve-wracking.
Other transpeople have told me that it's harder for us to date, since it's still unusual. For example, it's a bit like the person you're with also has to come out – as someone who dates a transperson.
Target for Prejudices
As a public transperson, it's easy to become a target for prejudices, threats, and hate.
I want to normalize and de-dramatize differences in general. The group I belong to is not considered to belong to the norm. But there are many who don't. Being "normal" is just an expression.
Aren't you afraid of potential reactions?
I'll never adapt to avoid disturbing someone. It's not in my personality. Hopefully, people understand that I'm neither a threat nor dangerous.
Lee Christiernsson says they always appreciate it when there's "room for discussion".
Sometimes it can be so sensitive and politically correct even among us transpeople. But it's not that dangerous to be addressed with the wrong pronouns, for some it's hard to learn. But if someone behaves badly, then you should speak up.
The dating went well anyway. 250 women responded, and there was a lot to "take in and analyze":
I was looking for a cis-woman who was secure and dared to stand up for herself. Someone who was old enough and wise enough, simply.
Name: Lee Christiernsson.
Born: October 18, 1974, in Stockholm.
Family: Daughters Saga and Nova.
Career: Carpenter and TV profile who has participated in "Finally at Home", "Plura's Paradise", and the TV4 documentary "Becoming Lee". Together with Marie-Anne Knutas, they have written the autobiographical book "Forever Lee" (2024).
Current with: The SVT series "Lee Seeks Love" starting on January 9.
A cis-person is someone who identifies as the gender they were assigned at birth and has a gender expression that conforms to societal norms for that gender. Cis-person is the opposite of transperson.
Non-binary gender identity means that a person does not identify as either man or woman.
A transperson is someone who in some way breaks with norms about gender identity and/or gender expression and sees themselves as trans.
