Plot
Travis Tung's family consists of wife Anne, son Vincent, and daughter Brigitte (who lives with her husband Jeffrey). Vincent describes his mother as having mysophobia and being racist against their housekeeper. She "prohibits sex in the house," which is interesting as she and her husband sleep in separate rooms. After going to work, Tung secretly changes into women's underwear underneath their clothing.
While taking their dog Bowie (named after the singer) for a walk, Tung thinks they spot an old friend and chases after them, only to find that Bowie has succumbed to an unknown illness. The family is distraught at their dog's death, and a pregnant Brigitte stays the night, citing that she doesn't want to wake up her husband.
It is revealed that Tung's childhood friend, Ko Ching, has died overseas. With friend Chi Chun, Tung goes to the airport to pick up Bond Tann, Ching's husband. Bond has had trouble at customs as security has taken away Ching's ashes. Bond comments that Hong Kong is a "backwards country" due to its discrimination on sexuality. Tung states that they will ask their son-in-law for legal advice as he is a lawyer.
At a small performance of an opera troupe, including their wife Anne, Tung sees the old friend for the first time in decades. Fa Yim-hung, known affectionately as Brother Darling, is a Cantonese actor who was famous for playing women's roles in operas. They knew each other when Tung was younger, working in a restaurant with Brother Darling. Tung recalls an incident in which there was a "peeper" in the ladies' room, only it was actually Brother Darling. Brother Darling reveals that they cannot pee standing up because although they were "born with a male body," they are actually a woman.
Back at home, the family argues about Brigitte's options because Jeffrey has been unfaithful. She is considering abortion and divorce, but Anne insists that sh will have nothing if she leaves her husband. Vincent leaves to be with his girlfriend, a tattoo artist, who says that she gets this artwork done on herself because "my body belongs to me."
Tung visits Bond at his hotel room to find him sobbing. They cry together on opposite sides of the door before coming together. They reminisce about Ching, discovering that Tung and him had a requited love at their age but never acted upon it. Bond and Tung kiss, Bond unbuttoning Tung's shirt to find women's lingerie. Embarrassed, Tung leaves in a hurry.
Bond and Tung later reconvene at a pond where the three friends used to meet all the time. Tung comes out to him there, saying, "I am a woman, not outside, but deep inside." Tung knew they were different at an early age, but at first thought they were gay. When they discovered their gender identity, Tung thought they couldn't be with Ching because he was a gay man and wouldn't see them as a woman. Tung used to stuff bras, wear women's underwear, and tuck in secret, stating "I detested my body" and that "when there are things you can't contain, you look for substitutes," citing peeing while sitting down and their habit of changing into women's lingerie at work. When Tung's father was murdered, they were forced to become the "man" of the house.
Back at home, Anne reveals that she has found receipts from the women's lingerie store that Tung frequents. Tung tries lying, saying they're for their mother, then for Brother Darling, but ultimately assuages her when they say that they're not gay.
Tung, Bond, and Chun go to sea to spread Ching's ashes. There, Tung comes out to Chun, who accepts them and Ching's homosexuality.
Tung introduces Bond and Chun to Brother Darling. They decide to have makeovers and head to a club as trans women in full hair and dress. Both Tung and Brother Darling are having the time of their lives and Brother Darling exclaims that "I can finally use the ladies' room!" Unfortunately, Brother Darling passes out in the bathroom and the group has to rush her to the hospital. Entering the taxi, Tung and her son Vincent see each other before leaving. Brother Darling has died. Vincent is actively ignoring Tung's messages, when his girlfriend calls out his hypocrisy: "So it's okay for others to be gay, but not your own family."
Tung goes home, still in full women's wear, and tries to come out to Anne, but she becomes hostile and insists that Tung is just sick and being selfish. Distraught, Tung attempts to cut off her genitalia to no avail.
Time jump to seven months later: Brigitte has had her child and Tung is now a grandmother. Tung goes to Anne's latest performance on Vincent's advice. Anne still refuses to sign the divorce papers and laments to her son, "why force me to accept this?"
Another seven months have passed: Tung has undergone gender affirmation surgery: "Farewell Travis Tung," she is now Tracey, after her mother. Tracey and Bond reconvene after a gallery and become physically intimate. Tracey visits her blind mother who says "Male or female, you're always my child."
