Retired NBA player Dwayne Wade has produced a new Netflix documentary that honours the lives of trans children. In addition to this the documentary also sheds light on trans rights in America through the perspective of fatherhood. The documentary titled, The Dads follows five dads of trans children, who are on weekend fishing trip in Oklahoma alongside Dennis Shepard the father of Matthew Shepard, whose brutal 1998 murder changed our national understanding of anti-LGBTQ+ violence and led to the passage of federal hate crime legislation.
The 11-minute documentary sees the six fathers bond over their shared love of their children and touches base on the role that they play in fighting for Trans rights. The film is a love letter from these fathers to their trans and LGBTQ children”, Luchina Fisher, director of The Dads told Deadline.
Dwayne Wade’s daughter Zaya Wade recently came out as transgendered. In The Dads, Dennis Shepard is joined by Stephen Chukumba, the father of Hobbes; Frank Gonzales, the father of Libby Gonzales; Jose Trujillo, the father of Dan; and Wayne Maines, the father of actress and activist Nicole Maines.
“It wasn’t about fishing; it was about sharing a chance for them to escape for a little while. So many trans families don’t make it because the dads aren’t on board. They got to fight and figure out why they’re afraid”, Wayne Maines shared in the documentary.
Trujillo, who is an immigrant shared how that after years of feeling out of place, he notes that his trans son, Dan, helped him realize that this concept of American belonging “is kind of smoke and mirrors. My trans son, who was born here, is not just being questioned with his rights and everything. His humanity is being questioned”, he shared.
Stephen Chukumba who is a single father, expressed his gratitude for finding community, “I’m aware that I cannot do it alone. As much as… you put on your cape, and you do what you got to do, the reality is that we cannot survive in isolation from one another. Finding you all saved my life.
Source: thesouthafrican
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