Trans in Trumpland

Last updated
Trans in Trumpland
Genre Documentary
Directed by Tony Zosherafatain
ComposerJake Hull
Country of originUnited States
Original languages
  • English
  • Spanish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producers
Producer Jamie DiNicola
CinematographyLeroy Farrell
Editor Jason B. Kohl
Running time25-32 minutes
Production companyTransWave Films
Original release
NetworkTopic
ReleaseFebruary 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)

Trans in Trumpland is a 2021 American four episode docu-series directed by Tony Zosherafatain that chronicles the experiences of four transgender Americans during the Presidency of Donald Trump in North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi and Idaho and investigates transgender rights in the United States during the Trump era. [1] [2] It premiered on February 25, 2021, on Topic, a streaming service from First Look Media.

Contents

Production

The series was directed, hosted, and narrated by filmmaker Tony Zosherafatain. It was created by trans-run production company TransWave Films, [3] and produced by Jamie DiNicola, with executive producers Trace Lysette, [4] Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, [5] and Chella Man. [6] Associate producers include Miss Hazel Jade and Gabriel Resendez. [7]

Development of the series began in 2016 the week that Trump won the election. In an interview with Interview Magazine , Zosherafatain stated: “in 2016, when Trump took office, I remember that first week just feeling really scared. He removed any mention of LGBTQ rights at all from the White House website, and I couldn’t really sleep. It was hard. Three days into his presidency, Trans in Trumpland just popped right in. It was like, ‘There you go. Run with this, kid.’ And then I had to think about what exactly this would mean. What kind of documentary would this be? I just had a feeling [Trump] was going to attack our community even worse than that first week.” [8]

Zosherafatain “spent the next three years developing the concept and raising money through Kickstarter.” [9] After a successful Kickstarter campaign in August 2019 raised $65,000, production began in September 2019 in North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, and Idaho and filming completed in December 2019. [9] [10]

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"North Carolina"February 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)
High school comes with enough struggles, but Ash also has to deal with painful gender dysphoria and a fear of simply going to the bathroom. But he still believes coming out as trans saved his life and is finding more strength each day. [11]
2"Texas"February 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)
For Rebecca, a trans woman and Mexican immigrant living on the border, discrimination comes from many directions. Can she live freely in a state with one of the highest immigration detention rates? [12]
3"Mississippi"February 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)
Meet the owner of the first trans-focused nonprofit in Mississippi. After her friend Mesha Caldwell was murdered for being trans, Evonné started her organization to help protect the trans community in a state that fails to do so. [13]
4"Idaho"February 25, 2021 (2021-02-25)
Shane Ortega identifies as Two-Spirit, a Native term referring to a person with both a feminine and masculine spirit. The Idaho resident and retired Army veteran believes that trans rights are inextricably linked to the decolonization of America. [14]

Release

The series was acquired by Topic, the streaming service for First Look Media, which acquired North American streaming rights to the series. [15] Trans in Trumpland was released on February 25, 2021, on Topic, and is also available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.

Though the series premiered after Trump was no longer President of the United States, Zosherafatain believes that the issues raised in the series regarding transgender policies will remain relevant in the future. [16]

Reception

Trans in Trumpland has received critical acclaim. Allsion Shoemaker and Saloni Gajjar of The A.V. Club wrote that the series is “a step beyond negative headlines, offering a glimpse into the lived experience of those directly affected by laws such as the discriminatory HB2 bill, which prohibits trans people from using bathrooms and lockers that align with their gender identity, or the trans military ban,” and “this docuseries is a heartfelt must-watch.” [17] Writing for Vogue , Liam Hess summarized the effectiveness of the series stating, “the four stories come together to form a rich and moving tapestry, touching on how trans people across a range of intersectional identities have responded to the challenges of living under the Trump administration—as well as their hopes for and vision of the future.” [18] Benedict Nguyen of Vanity Fair called the series “a vital contribution to the trans media canon” but that the series “could have told more complex stories, covering an even wider breadth of experience or addressing the violence of Trump-era policies in more depth.” [19]

LGBTQ+ media strongly praised the series. Johnny Yates of PinkNews described Trans in Trumpland as “a powerful new documentary that puts the spotlight on transgender lives in the Trump era...everyone needs to watch it.” [20] Xoai Pham of Autostraddle stated, “rather than simply presenting the culture of violence, the series’ creator Tony Zosherafatain delivered a resounding celebration of the relationships that sustain trans lives” and that “we are in a new wave of visionary trans filmmaking, with documentaries like Disclosure feature films like Lingua Franca , and TV shows like Veneno . Remarkably, Trans in Trumpland is no exception.” [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss Major Griffin-Gracy</span> American activist and author (born 1940s)

Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, often referred to as Miss Major, is an American author, activist, and community organizer for transgender rights. She has participated in activism and community organizing for a range of causes, and served as the first executive director for the Transgender Gender Variant Intersex Justice Project.

Amos Mac is an American writer, photographer and a publisher from Augusta, Georgia. Mac is based in Los Angeles as a writer for television and film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandra Grey</span> American actress (b. 1991)

Alexandra Jordan Grey is an American actress, singer, songwriter and producer. She is best known for her roles as Melody Barnes on the Fox music drama series Empire (2015–2020), Elizah Parks on the comedy series Transparent and Parker Phillip's on the CBS action/adventure series MacGyver (2016-2021). She also portrays Denise Lockwood on the NBC TV medical drama Chicago Med, and had guest roles on Code Black, How to Get Away with Murder, Drunk History and the period television drama series The Alienist.

Bobbi Jean Baker was an American transgender activist and minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trace Lysette</span> American actress (born 1981)

Trace Lysette is an American actress whose most notable roles include Shea in the television series Transparent (2014–2019) and Tracey in the feature film Hustlers (2019). As a trans actress, she also featured in the Netflix documentary Disclosure as herself.

<i>Trans Girl Next Door</i>

Trans Girl Next Door is an autobiographical webcomic by Kylie Summer Wu, documenting her transition as a transgender woman. Wu started her webcomic shortly after starting her transition in 2013 in order to express and process her feelings. Trans Girl Next Door covers Wu's transition, her love life, and the more mundane parts of her life. Wu was listed in the Trans 100 in 2015 for her webcomic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raquel Willis</span> American writer and transgender rights activist

Raquel Willis is an African American writer, editor, and transgender rights activist. She is a former national organizer for the Transgender Law Center and the former executive editor of Out magazine. In 2020, Willis won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Magazine Article. Her memoir, The Risk It Takes To Bloom, was published in November 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chella Man</span> American actor, artist, model

Chella Man is an American actor, model, artist, YouTuber, and LGBTQ activist. He is known for sharing his experiences as a transgender, deaf, Asian, and Jewish person of color. Man rose to wider prominence in 2019 for portraying mute superhero Jericho in the second season of the DC Universe series Titans.

<i>The Age of A.I.</i> American science documentary web series

The Age of A.I. is an eight-episode American science documentary streaming television series narrated and hosted by American actor Robert Downey Jr. The show covers the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields, like health, robotics, space-travel, food, disaster-prevention, and others. Each 30-45 minute episode covers several different areas of AI implementation under one broader topic.

<i>Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen</i> 2020 American documentary film by Sam Feder

Disclosure, originally subtitled Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen, is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Sam Feder. The film follows an in-depth look at Hollywood's depiction of transgender people and the impact of their stories on transgender lives and American culture. It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2020. It was released on Netflix on June 19, 2020.

Tony Zosherafatain is an American director, producer, and writer from Boston, Massachusetts. He is a trans man and has directed and produced award-winning films about trans identity.

<i>Transhood</i> 2020 American documentary film

Transhood is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Sharon Liese. The film follows four children, beginning at ages four, seven, twelve, and fifteen, as they "redefine coming-of-age".

<i>The Lady and the Dale</i> American TV series or program

The Lady and the Dale is an American documentary television miniseries revolving around Elizabeth Carmichael, who launched Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation and created a car called "The Dale". It consists of four episodes and premiered on HBO on January 31, 2021.

Jamie DiNicola is a writer, director, producer, and legal activist. He is best known as the creator and writer of the short narrative film, Spot (2017), which featured an entirely transgender cast playing non-transgender specific roles, including an early performance by Indya Moore of Pose.

<i>Monica</i> (2022 film) Film by Andrea Pallaoro

Monica is a 2022 drama film directed by Andrea Pallaoro from a screenplay by Pallaoro and Orlando Tirado. It stars Trace Lysette, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Browning, and Adriana Barraza.

<i>Always Jane</i> American TV series or program

Always Jane is an American docuseries directed by Jonathan C Hyde. The series follows two years in the life of Jane Noury, a transgender teenager living in rural New Jersey. Filmed in 2019 and 2020, it premiered on Amazon Prime Video on November 12, 2021.

<i>Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera</i> Podcast about a television show

Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera is a 2021 podcast produced by Novel, provided by Wondery. The series is hosted by Trace Lysette and focuses on the show There's Something About Miriam and the life of Mexican transgender model Miriam Rivera.

<i>Gaming Wall Street</i> American TV series or program

Gaming Wall St is a HBO Max Original documentary miniseries directed by Tobias Deml and narrated by Kieran Culkin. The 2-episode series explores the causes that lead to the 2021 GameStop short squeeze, and the dark underbelly of Wall Street that the phenomenon unearthed: payment for order flow, creative accounting, abuses of the short selling mechanism like naked short selling, corporate overvoting and failures to deliver (FTDs).

References

  1. ↑ MacDonell, Donny (2021-01-15). "The GLAAD Wrap: 'The U.S. vs. Billie Holiday' and 'The World to Come' new trailers; 'Sex and the City' reboot at HBO Max; new music videos from Trace Lysette, Shamir, Claud; and more!". GLAAD . Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  2. ↑ Wasilak, Sarah (2021-01-25). "Trans in Trumpland Is a Docuseries About Trans Lives With Trans Filmmakers Behind the Camera". PopSugar . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  3. ↑ Biese, Alex (2021-02-25). "Trans in Trumpland documentary series reveals transgender Americans' struggles, stories". Asbury Park Press . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  4. ↑ Malkin, Marc (2020-07-28). "Trace Lysette to Produce New Docuseries 'Trans in Trumpland' (EXCLUSIVE)". [Variety . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  5. ↑ Masters, Jeffrey (2021-07-23). "What Trans Elder Miss Major Griffin-Gracy Wants You to Know". The Advocate . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  6. ↑ Ramos, Dino-Ray (2020-08-06). "'Trans In Trumpland' Adds Chella Man As Executive Producer". Deadline . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  7. ↑ Malkin, Marc (2021-01-14). "'Trans in Trumpland' Documentary Debuts Trailer Ahead of February Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  8. ↑ Lysette, Trace (2020-02-26). ""Trans is Everywhere": Tony Zosherafatain and Trace Lysette on Trans in Trumpland". Interview Magazine . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  9. 1 2 Ennis, Dawn (2020-08-01). "Tony Zosherafatain Made a Movie about Being 'Trans in Trumpland.' Will Hollywood Support It?". The Daily Beast . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  10. ↑ Abbott, Jared (2021-02-22). "An Interview With the Creators of 'Trans in Trumpland'". World of Wonder. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  11. ↑ "North Carolina". Topic. Retrieved 2021-03-03.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Texas". Topic. Retrieved 2021-03-03.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. ↑ "Mississippi". Topic. Retrieved 2021-03-03.[ permanent dead link ]
  14. ↑ "Idaho". Topic. Retrieved 2021-03-03.[ permanent dead link ]
  15. ↑ Malkin, Marc (2021-01-14). "'Trans in Trumpland' Documentary Debuts Trailer Ahead of February Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  16. ↑ Giardina, Henry (2021-01-19). "Watch the Trailer for This Powerful Documentary About Trans Resilience in Trump's America". them. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  17. ↑ Shoemaker, Allison; Gajjar, Saloni (2021-02-25). "New docuseries explores what it means to be Trans In Trumpland". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  18. ↑ Hess, Liam (2021-02-25). "The New Documentary Honoring the Harsh Realities of Trans Life Under Trump". Vogue . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  19. ↑ Nguyen, Benedict (2021-02-24). "Trans in Trumpland Shows the Benefits, the Limits, of Glossy Representation". Vanity Fair . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  20. ↑ Yates, Johnny (2021-03-01). "Trans in Trumpland: how to watch the powerful new documentary on transgender lives in the Trump era". PinkNews . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  21. ↑ Pham, Xoai (2021-02-22). ""Trans in Trumpland" Depicts the Past, Present and Future of Trans Lives". Autostraddle . Retrieved 2021-03-03.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.