For many, the first introduction to transgender identities comes not through personal relationships but through media. News reports, interviews, and cultural commentary can challenge misinformation and provide context about the social, medical, and legal dimensions of trans lives. Educational campaigns and online platforms amplify this effect, offering resources that connect awareness to action.
When transgender people appear in media, it provides an opportunity to humanize and normalize diverse gender identities. Authentic portrayals help dismantle stereotypes, while harmful depictions can reinforce stigma and misunderstanding. Positive representation can affirm the identities of transgender people themselves, offering mirrors where they might otherwise see only erasure.
Trans in America: Texas Strong
Presented by the ACLU and Little by Little Films. Released in partnership with them (2018)
Directors Daresha Kyi | Cary Cronenwett
Producers Lindsey Dryden | Shaleece Haas
Executive Producers Molly Kaplan | Chase Strangio
An intimate portrait of Kimberly and Kai Shappley: a mother rejecting her community’s beliefs as her 7-year-old transgender daughter navigates life at school, where she’s been banned from the girls’ bathroom.