From This Day Forward

Gr 7 Up—When filmmaker Sharon Shattuck became engaged, she recalled that Trisha, her transgender father, had long ago asked to wear a dress at her daughter's wedding. Thus sparks this very personal exploration of Sharon's memories, Trisha's transition during Sharon's youth, and the loving but complicated marriage of Trisha and Marcia, Sharon's mother. Interviews with Trisha; Marcia; Sharon's sister, Laura; and townspeople in their (seemingly all white) Michigan hometown illuminate the discomfort and soul-searching that Marcia and her daughters faced after Trisha came out as transgender during a time when transitioning was less common. Indeed, the film is honest that such conflicts have not been fully resolved. Laura and others repeatedly misgender Trisha, and Marcia is clear that she would still prefer Trisha to be, and present as, a man. Deferring to her wife's wishes, Trisha wears a tuxedo to Sharon's wedding instead of the dress she had pictured for so many years. Moments like these could be especially painful to young trans viewers who may get the unfortunate message that love, family, and community are possible, but only with significant sacrifice to one's true self. There is a missed opportunity to promote resources, such as PFLAG, that exist to support transgender people and their families.