GLAAD Funds Its First Feature Documentary: ‘TransMilitary’

EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of Trans Awareness Week, GLAAD’s Media Institute is giving a grant to help finance what marks its first funding for a feature-length film project. TransMilitary is a feature documentary that chronicles the lives of four American transgender troops defending their country’s freedom while fighting for their own, and the larger efforts to help rescind the military ban on transgender service members serving openly. Earlier this year, several subjects of the documentary joined GLAAD on the red carpet at MTV’s VMAs to speak about their service in response to President Trump’s proposed ban on transgender people in the U.S. military.

TransMilitary, which will premiere in 2018, was directed by Gabriel Silverman with co-director Fiona Dawson, and produced by Jamie Coughlin. The trio previously created the Emmy-nominated 2015 New York Times Op-Doc Transgender, at War and in Love.

The GLAAD Media Institute’s grant to the film includes promotion, media outreach, and visibility assistance for the project.

“With an administration fixated on removing rights from trans Americans and banning them from military service, it is more important than ever to amplify the experiences of trans service members,” said Zeke Stokes, VP of Programs at GLAAD, a veteran of the fight to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. “The powerful stories in ‘TransMilitary’ are vital to fighting against Trump’s proposed military ban and ensuring full equality for all service members, who wish to do nothing more than serve the country they love and keep their commitments to the military.”

The GLAAD Media Institute provides engagement training and education for LGBTQ and allied community members and organizations desiring to deepen their media impact. Using the best practices perfected by GLAAD for more than 30 years of experience leveraging media to create change, GLAAD is training a new generation to accelerate acceptance for LGBTQ people, as well as other marginalized communities.

“We are so thrilled GLAAD is supporting TransMilitary,” said co-director Dawson. “By providing resources for this film GLAAD will help amplify the stories of transgender Americans that will help change hearts and minds.”