DocNights: TRANSMILITARY
FIONA DAWSON, GABRIEL SILVERMAN | USA | 2018 | 92 MIN | NR
TransMilitary chronicles the lives of four individuals (Senior Airman Logan Ireland, Corporal Laila Villanueva, Captain Jennifer Peace and First Lieutenant El Cook) defending their country’s freedom while fighting for their own. They put their careers and their families’ livelihoods on the line by coming out as transgender to top brass officials in the Pentagon in hopes of attaining the equal right to serve. The ban was lifted in 2016, but with President Trump now trying to reinstate it, their futures hang in the balance again.
Around 15,500 transgender people serve in the U.S. military (notably the largest transgender employer in the U.S.), where they must conceal their gender identity because military policies ban their service.
Following the screening, army veteran and TransMilitary subject Patricia King will join us for a discussion and Q&A.
About the Speaker:
Patricia King is a military veteran with 20 years of service to her country,enlisting in the US Army in 1999. Patricia has deployed three times to Afghanistan, receiving many awards including the Combat Infantry Badge and the Bronze Star.
In 2015 Patricia made the decision to live authentically and came out as America’s first openly transgender infantry soldier. With this decision, Patricia became a leading voice in the push for full gender equality within the military. In 2016 with the opening of Combat jobs to women, Patricia became the first enlisted women in American history to serve in the US Army Infantry.
Featured on The View, CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin, NPR’s The Takeaway, in Time Magazine as well as other news agencies across the country and globally, Patricia has been an outspoken leader in spreading awareness and fought for gender equality within the US military.
In 2019 Patricia King retired from the US Military after 20 years of service and launched Trish E. King: Speaking and Consulting. She brings over a decade of leadership experience to the conversation of workplace diversity and Inclusion, resiliency through authenticity, and LGBT advocacy.
The post-screening discussion will be led by Karla A. Bell, PT, DPT, Assistant Professor, and Susan F. Wainwright, PT, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Physical Therapy, Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Science, Thomas Jefferson University
TRANSMILITARY Official Trailer from SideXSide Studios on Vimeo.
DocNights with Thomas Jefferson University
Presented with Thomas Jefferson University, DocNights showcases celebrated contemporary documentaries exploring vital issues that affect our world, followed by enriching post-screening Q&As featuring the documentary subjects, filmmakers, and university conversation partners.
During 2019-2020, DocNights with Thomas Jefferson University will feature four compelling films about diverse issues that members of the LGBTQ+ community experience every day. Whether it is an internal journey of self-discovery and recovery, coming out to loved ones, or facing challenges in the workplace, this collection hopes to inform while encouraging compassion and enriching conversations. The series is co-presented with William Way LGBT Community Center.
In an effort to bring these important and enlightening stories to members of the Philadelphia community, DocNights with Thomas Jefferson University is FREE to attend.