![FRIENDS: Natalie (Nandini Rajagopal), Hannah (Evie Macdonald) and Olivia (Elena Liu) are three teens navigating the prejudices of life in season two of ABC ME's drama First Day. FRIENDS: Natalie (Nandini Rajagopal), Hannah (Evie Macdonald) and Olivia (Elena Liu) are three teens navigating the prejudices of life in season two of ABC ME's drama First Day.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dEtJVeiv3hvihxzWfeZvyz/13b5eb2f-d2bd-482a-a5a2-605001eff258.jpg/r6_0_2555_1434_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Teenagers these days have so much to contend with as they navigate their way through relationships, racism, education, sexuality, ambitions, and family dynamics, all played out on a global scale via social media.
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Imagine having to cope with these life-altering decisions and deal with being transgender?
ABC ME's multi-award-winning drama series First Day is back for a second season as transgender student Hannah Bradford faces the new school year at Hillview High School.
Starring as Hannah is Evie Macdonald who has first-hand experience with all her character has to contend with, as she is a transgender teen.
Evie is no stranger to the camera lens, having begun modelling as a boy at age six.
By the time she turned nine, it was clear to Evie she had to live as a girl.
Evie took a year of for herself after she transitioned and then went back to modelling - as a female.
"Some people treated me differently once I told them. I had to teach a lot of people what it actually means," she says.
The Oxford dictionary definition of transgender is "describing or relating to people whose gender identity does not match the sex they were said to have at birth".
"I was nervous about telling people I'm trans, and whether or not they would still accept me."
The standalone pilot of First Day (2017), was Evie's first acting role.
"I am quite the opposite to Hannah. I wasn't nervous, even though it was the first time I'd ever done any acting.
"I don't know what I would be like if I met Hannah - she is very sweet, but is a lot more introverted than me."
![Elena Liu as Olivia and Evie Macdonald as Hannah in First Day. Photo Matt Byrne Elena Liu as Olivia and Evie Macdonald as Hannah in First Day. Photo Matt Byrne](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dEtJVeiv3hvihxzWfeZvyz/083d18aa-3f85-4959-8b8d-794bff7948a6.jpeg/r0_533_6000_3920_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In season two Hannah takes the brave step of running for class captain against popular student Jasmine.
Her candidacy does not sit well with Jasmine, who tries to win votes using glossy posters, slogans and inviting the whole class to her birthday party - all except Hannah.
"I was invited to all the birthday parties," Evie says. "But even though my experience wasn't easy, it was very different to Hannah's."
One of the most difficult things her character has to do is give a speech in front of the class outlining her policies as captain.
![Hannah Bradford (Evie Macdonald) delivers her class captain policy speech to her classmates in First Day, season two. Hannah Bradford (Evie Macdonald) delivers her class captain policy speech to her classmates in First Day, season two.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/dEtJVeiv3hvihxzWfeZvyz/04f4874a-574e-4b23-834f-b3e3ec5d7451.jpg/r0_417_3729_4415_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Hannah's friend Olivia (Elena Liu) suggests she talk to her classmates to make delivering her speech to them less daunting.
In doing so, she discovers a number of her classmates still see her solely as the "transkid".
"It does happen," says Evie. "You can't convince some people who just don't want to understand. Honestly, I don't want to be around those kind of people."
Another of the difficult situations Hannah faces is the prospect of attending the school dance but, unlike Hannah, Evie says it didn't worry her.
"I'm a bit of an extrovert and just danced with my friends."
Having good friends is something Hannah becomes acutely aware of. Her close friends Olivia and Nat (Nandini Rajagopal) help her become a stronger, more confident teen.
Evie does believe living life as a transgender person is getting easier, especially with mainstream media featuring more members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
She now has about 400,000 TikTok followers, originally joining the video-focused social network to use as a platform for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people.
Evie says the writers of First Day would sometimes ask her advice if there was a situation they weren't sure how to portray.
When the first series scored an Emmy award, Evie says she was ecstatic.
"I felt really honoured. It was great because the cast and crew all met up in Adelaide [where the series is filmed] to celebrate."
It's been two years since the first series went to air due to disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic.
"We did have a hiccup [with filming], and it was the producer's nightmare, but we got it done."
And what does Evie hope for season two of First Day to achieve?
"I hope that people will watch it and learn."