December 7, 2023 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Nat Geo airs pro-trans ‘Gender Revolution’ documentary tonight

Nat Geo Avery“Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric,” an extraordinary documentary airing tonight on the National Geographic Channel, does not concentrate on the rights of transgender people to access public restrooms. But it certainly helps establish a broader context in the lead up to March 28 when the US Supreme Court takes up the “issue” of gender identity.

The high court will hear arguments in G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board, a case brought last year by the ACLU on behalf of Gavin Grimm, a transgender male senior at Gloucester High School, who says the school is unconstitutionally discriminating against him by forcing him to use “alternative private” restroom facilities. Grimm had been allowed to use by school administrators to use the boys’ restrooms for almost two months without incident during his transition. The school board adopted a new policy after complaints by some parents and residents.

For several years, the conservative right has attempted to narrow gender identity down to political battles over “bathroom bills.” But progressives and parents have been fighting back as the national uproar over HB2 in North Carolina indicates. Interestingly, a new gender-neutral single-occupancy restroom law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown last September will go into effect on March 1.

The Nat Geo documentary provides a positive backdrop against which the anticipated brouhaha from the anti-LGBT right wing will be thrown – and hopefully not stick.

Indeed, Nat Geo received a lot of response—from gratitude to cancelation of subscriptions—when they featured nine-year-old Avery Jackson fromKansas City as the first transgender person to appear on the cover of National Geographic. The cutline below her stunning photo reads: “The best thing about being a girl is, now I don’t have to pretend to be a boy.”

Nat Geo described Avery as having “lived as an openly transgender girl since age five, and she captured the complexity of the conversation around gender. Today, we’re not only talking about gender roles for boys and girls—we’re talking about our evolving understanding of people on the gender spectrum. The portraits of all the children are beautiful. We especially loved the portrait of Avery—strong and proud. We thought that, in a glance, she summed up the concept of ‘Gender Revolution.’”

As part of the documentary “Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric,” – airing tonight at 9:00pm (NG is located at 265/1265 on ATT-Uverse) and followed by a one hour Facebook Live chat with Couric (“live” on the East Coast) – Couric meets with transgender, gender-nonconforming and intersex people throughout the country.

Out.com notes in its promo:

—“In a bonus clip from Gender Revolution, Couric shares the story of the Los Angeles Unified School District and how it presaged the Obama Administration’s directives in supporting transgender students by a decade.

“The L.A. Unified School District has had transgender affirming policies since 2005,” says Judy Chiasson, a spokesperson for LAUSD, which represents nearly 1,100 schools and over 640,000 students.

Transgender students of LA Unified are able to change their names and pronouns and access the facilities that match their gender identity. The policy has been in place for over 10 years and nothing has burned to the ground yet. So with the battle for bathroom rights being waged across the nation, L.A. Unified sets an example of how easy and simple it is to just let people be themselves.”

Here’s the clip:

Related Posts

West Hollywood Joins Forces for 34th Annual Toy and Food Drive – Spreading Joy to Families in Need

December 6, 2023

December 6, 2023

City Collaborates with Sheriff’s Station to Bring Holiday Cheer through Monetary Donations, Toys, and Gift Cards By Dolores Quintana In...

Human Rights Speakers Series Presents a Touching Documentary on Fatherhood, Brotherhood, and Unconditional Love

December 6, 2023

December 6, 2023

Netflix Partners with the City of West Hollywood for Exclusive Screening of ‘The Dads’ In partnership with Netflix, the City...

LA Metro Boosts Train Buzz: Faster Rides and Later Service Begin December 10

December 6, 2023

December 6, 2023

Responding to Rider Surge, Metro Improves Frequencies On A, C, E, and K Lines By Dolores Quintana Responding to an...

Lyft Spreads Holiday Cheer: $20K in Free Ride Credits for Disabled and Elderly Residents in LA

December 6, 2023

December 6, 2023

Partnering with Local Organizations, Lyft Gives Back to Ease Holiday Travel Struggles  By Dolores Quintana As the holiday season unfolds,...

Los Angeles Payroll Report Shows That Significant Numbers of City Employees Aren’t Local

December 5, 2023

December 5, 2023

City Controller Mejia’s Report Calls Attention to City Workers Place of Residence By Dolores Quintana In the realm of payroll,...

Protest Erupts in Los Angeles Over City’s Approval of Rent Hike Approval

December 5, 2023

December 5, 2023

Residents and Advocacy Groups Unite Against City Council’s Decision By Dolores Quintana In Los Angeles, residents took to the streets...

Billie Eilish Sarcastically Responds to Unexpected Outing at Variety Awards

December 5, 2023

December 5, 2023

Hitmakers Awards Ceremony Interview Aftermath Prompts IG Response By Dolores Quintana In a recent interview with the entertainment industry trade...

AIDS Healthcare Foundation Accuses California Apartment Association of Antisemitism

December 3, 2023

December 3, 2023

Tensions Rise as AHF Calls Out Alleged Antisemitic Language, Unconventional Tactics By Dolores Quintana Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a...

Los Angeles City Council Approves Police Permits for Airbnb Hosts and Short-Term Rentals

December 3, 2023

December 3, 2023

New Law Targets Party Houses and Crime, Introduces Permitting Requirement The Los Angeles City Council has given the green light...

Suspect in Custody: Los Angeles Man Linked to Serial Homeless Murders and San Dimas Slaying

December 3, 2023

December 3, 2023

Authorities Seek Information on Additional Crimes Suspect May Have Committed By Dolores Quintana On December 1, a press conference was...

(Video) Culver City’s Annual Tree Lighting Sled-tacular

December 1, 2023

December 1, 2023

Culver City’s Annual Tree Lighting Sled-tacular successfully brought the holiday spirit to the city’s residents. A large crowd happily sledded,...

Ladytron’s Surprise Gift: ‘All Over By Xmas’ Drops, Unveiling a Festive Classic Decades in the Making

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Liverpool’s Electronic Pioneers Deliver a “Majestic Glam Stomp” for the Holidays By Dolores Quintana At the stroke of midnight, Ladytron,...

Los Angeles County to Open CARE Court One Year Earlier Than Planned

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Program Seeks to Solve Mental Health Crisis Among the Unhoused By Dolores Quintana In a collaborative effort led by Los...

Alarming Surge in Hate Crimes: Los Angeles County’s Troubling Report Reveals Disturbing Statistics

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Report Reveals Alarming Trends and Urgent Need for Action By Dolores Quintana The Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations...

Sutton Stracke To Host The Abbey’s 14th Annual Tree Lighting Celebration

November 30, 2023

November 30, 2023

Commemorate World AIDS Day and Raise Funds To Help Those in Need By Dolores Quintana Decking the Halls with heartfelt...