Educational Media Reviews Online

Although this film tells an interesting story, its title is a bit of a misnomer. It is not a how-to guide with any sort of plan that schools can follow, but rather a narrative relating (in sparse detail) programs implemented at one particular elementary school. In addition, the film focuses exclusively on issues of breaking the gender binary, and serving transgender students, whereas its packaging indicates that it takes the more traditional focus on equality for girls. However, that alternate focus is welcome in a time when primary schools must become more aware of their transgender students’ needs.

There are occasional problems of political incorrectness in the film, such as when a teacher refers to a trans boy as “a girl [who] identifies as a boy,” an incorrect characterization that goes unchallenged. The limited scope is another drawback: although 21 minutes is not nearly enough time to discuss even one school’s programs, without any context, the story of one school is not as enlightening as it could have been. Including even a second school would have been a strong improvement.

Nevertheless, the film is consistently interesting, even for those familiar with the issues. The inclusion of interviews with parents as well as students and teachers serves to strengthen it, bringing in a set of voices and perspectives often left out from similar overviews on the topic. It is heartening for those invested in gender and transgender equality to see the film and the nearly universal attitude of acceptance toward gender non-conforming children, and it could provide educators with a basis to justify their own programs. Ultimately, it is an interesting and informative film, but not one that could be used as a guide for other schools.