Transgender, at War and in Love shares the challenges of a transgender military couple who were banned from serving openly. This short film was the precursor to SideXSide’s first feature documentary, TransMilitary.
We started making this film at a time when the conversation around transgender rights hadn’t yet touched Main Street in America. A 2015 GLAAD study found that only 16 percent of Americans had knowingly met someone who is transgender. Serendipitously, sports legend Caitlyn Jenner came out publicly on the cover of Vanity Fair just three days before the film was published.
Transgender, at War and in Love became one of the most watched Op-Docs of all time. The film helped spark a chain of events that lead to the Department of Defense lifting the ban on trans service.
NYT Premiere
Transgender, at War and in Love debuted on the homepage of The New York Times alongside the Editorial Board’s call for open service. The same afternoon it was published, the Air Force suspended its dismissal of transgender service members until further review of the policy.
Policy Review
Within weeks Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced a working group to study the ban.
White House Invite
Our two main subjects, Senior Airman Logan Ireland and Corporal Laila Villanueva, were invited to the White House to meet President Obama, cementing their role as lead advocates for the cause.
Last Week Tonight Feature
John Oliver featured the film in his landmark June 2015 segment on transgender rights.
Ban Lifted
The Pentagon lifts the ban on trans service under the Obama administration.
Ellen Features Logan & Laila
President Trump reinstated the ban on trans service shortly after beginning his first term. Advocates continued to work to lift the ban again, with Logan and Laila leading the public face of that fight. We filmed TransMilitary behind the scenes.
DirectorFiona Dawson
ProducersJamie Coughlin, Gabriel Silverman, Fiona Dawson
EditorsGabriel Silverman, Matt Rhodes, Jamie Coughlin, Fiona Dawson
CameraGabriel Silverman, Matt Rhodes, Rhys Harper, Jesse Ehrenfeld, Fiona Dawson, Barry Bowden
Original MusicMark Degli Antoni
Sound RecordingChris Montefiore, Matt Rhodes, Gabriel Silverman
Series Producer & CuratorJason Spingarn-Koff
Coordinating ProducerKathleen Lingo
Series ResearcherLindsay Carouse